This event has passed.

Lend Kaylin a Hand Fundraiser

June 2, 2019 @ 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm

$100

Kaylin’s Story:

The silver lining of losing my hand in a lawnmower accident when I was a toddler is that I never had to relearn anything. I was raised along with two big brothers and a younger sister and brother. It wasn’t ever an option to not keep up with them. My parents have also played a huge role in being supportive and always available for whatever I’ve needed without coddling me or letting me think I was incapable of anything I truly wanted.

No matter how much I’ve adapted over the years, my daily life is not without struggle that requires constant accommodation to complete any task at hand (whether in work, recreation, or day to day living). Relying solely on my left hand and my right forearm comes at the price of added stress and psychological strife that people with two hands don’t give a second thought to.

There are also often injuries that come with the physical compensations of only having one hand, especially when having to over-extend my right arm carry anything that would normally require two hands. On a regular basis I have to ask coworkers for help that not only hinders my work performance, but in some cases puts them behind in their own work which leaves me feeling like a burden. Catching nervous expressions and comments from customers as I reach across a table to serve food off of a burning hot plate balanced on my arm is not uncommon. I love what I do, and having a prosthetic like this by my side would make in immeasurable difference in everything from grating parmesan cheese table-side to folding someone’s napkin when they get up from their seat, to swathing a fresh lemon garnish for a cocktail.

I was nearly brought to tears the first time I experienced the multiple grips this prosthetic can achieve. I couldn’t stop imagining how much it would relieve the way I have to work around things like opening jars/bags, cutting my own food at meals, sweeping my kitchen floor, styling my own hair, putting on socks, everything.

As it would have been great have had the aid of a prosthetic all along, the technology has never been able to keep up with the demands of my life and work, which is discouraging and in many instances, has left me feeling truly handicapped. Being introduced to the coapt system and catching on to the available grasp options so quickly gave me an immediate vision of what it would feel like to truly be independent. It is beyond incredible that there is finally a prosthetic arm that could so drastically improve my quality of life and simply allow me to become a healthier person.