Former city man helping amputees in Ecuador

By Alejandra Pulido-Guzman - Lethbridge Herald on August 18, 2023.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDapulido@lethbridgeherald.com

A former Lethbridge resident and founder of Lethbridge Orthotic/Prosthetic Services is helping amputees in Ibarra, Ecuador by providing donated and refurbished old prosthetics and prosthetic parts.
Retired orthotist and prosthetist Armand Huneault said his journey to helping Ecuadorian amputees began in 2014 when he was there for a work vacation and saw the need.
“I went down representing at that time my company, Lethbridge Orthotics/Prosthetics Services, saw the need and made a commitment and told them that I would come back to help, teach, and as well to offer my services, but just as importantly to bring back donated prosthetic items,” said Huneault.
He said that since the government in Ecuador does not cover orthotic and prosthetics, there is a great need for them, especially since it is unknown how many amputees are there.
“I go and I travel around the country. Even though I live there I still travel around to see the different corners, and everywhere I go I see the need,” said Huneault.
He explained that in Alberta amputees are entitled to receive a new prosthesis as needed and that is how he has acquired the donated prosthesis.
Huneault said most of the modern prosthetic components are long-lasting and very difficult to wear out as they are made from some of the strongest materials on the planet such as titanium and carbon fibre and amputees here generally will either outgrow them or their needs change and they require a new prosthesis every couple of years or so.
“We at Lethbridge Orthotic and Prosthetic made a decision that we would ask patients whenever they got a new prosthesis if they would donate their old one. And those who did, we would disassemble them, keep all the used parts and then whenever I would make a trip back to Ecuador I would pack as much as I could to take with me,” said Huneault.
He said sometimes he would also bring supplies that are very difficult to obtain in Ecuador such as sanding cones – they would try to make them there but they would not last and would fall apart.
“Lethbridge Orthotics has been very generous in providing some brand new supplies, but the majority of these (prosthesis), were all patients of Lethbridge Orthotics and Prosthetics who graciously have donated their prosthesis and the prosthetist, Russell Beazer, has been so kind to keep disassembling and setting these components aside,” said Huneault.
 He said this is his first trip back to Lethbridge in almost three years and he was happy to find dozens of prostheses waiting for him.
 “When I took a picture of this and sent it back to the clinic, they texted back literally with the expression ‘Armand you have found the prosthetic gold mine’,” said Huneault while holding back tears.
He said that the need is so great that he encourages his colleagues to join the cause, pick a place anywhere in the Caribbean, Southeast Asia, or Latin America and help amputees gain access to a life-changing prosthetic. He said there is also a very specific need for children amputees and since there are not many here, there are fewer opportunities to get donations to take to Ecuador.
“We’re so privileged and I know every province has a paid limb program, it varies from province to province, however every orthotic prosthetic facility in Canada has the same opportunity to do what we’ve done at Lethbridge Orthotics and Prosthetics,” said Huneault.
 He said his experience turned into a lifetime commitment and he knows not everyone wants to do that, but he believes it is easy to recycle prosthetic components and it only takes the desire to do it, a place to store them and a way to distribute them to the amputees who need them the most.
 “I’m sure there’s always one person that would step up and say ‘OK if you send that to me I can store it or whatever’ and it’s easy to get in touch with me and I will always find a way to get it where it’s needed,” said Huneault.
Beazer said they are open to donations from anyone who is willing to donate.
“If anybody is in the area, we’re willing to take components if they’re willing to bring them to us, or send them to us,” said Beazer.
He said since Huneault was his mentor and trainer and they have a strong relationship, when he asked him to hold on to parts and components for prosthetic devices, he agreed right away.

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