Penta Medical Recycling Partners with Touro University

In recognition of April as Limb Loss Awareness Month, Penta Medical Recycling partnered with Touro University’s School of Health Science and their students to disassemble donated prosthetic limbs into components and organize delivery to those in need in Ukraine and worldwide. The components are paired with compatible prosthetic elements and matched to individuals with limb loss. This humanitarian effort, which resulted in more than 230 components from 65 limbs, took place at the University’s Central Islip Campus.

“We are truly excited about our partnership with Touro University’s School of Health Science and what a better way to start than with Disassembly Day,” said Henry Iseman, Founder and Executive Director, Penta Medical Recycling. “It takes collaborative relationships like ours with Touro that are necessary to help us expand our global footprint.”

“When we first heard about Penta Medical Recycling and their mission, we were truly excited about the opportunity to get involved with their inspirational cause,” said Dr. Robert Troiano, Director, Touro University, Doctor of Physical Therapy Program. “Hosting Disassembly Day and providing our students first-hand experience in making a difference was the perfect way to embark on our relationship.”

On average, individuals with limb loss in the U.S. change their prosthetic limb, or at least some of the parts, every three to five years. Though most prostheses are in good enough condition to be repurposed, they are considered medical waste in the United States due to strict regulations. At the same time, tens of millions of individuals with amputations around the world live without access to prosthetic care. Since its inception in 2016, Penta has grown to helping more than 27 countries, partnering with 40 organizations and shipping over 9,000 components.

The need for prosthetic care is felt worldwide. According to the World Health Organization, only 5-15% of individuals with amputation worldwide are able to afford prosthetic devices. Because regulations prevent the re-use of prosthetic limbs in the United States, even when fully functional, Penta is solving the supply and demand gap by collecting limbs domestically and redistributing them overseas.

You can learn more and support Penta's mission on their website: pentaprosthetics.org