Form5 Cultivates Community with Innovative Prosthetics April is Limb Loss and Limb Difference Awareness Month, which is a time to acknowledge the challenges individuals with limb loss and limb differences face, while also recognizing the contributions of people within this marginalized group. According to the National Limb Loss Resource Center, there are more than 2.7 million people living in the United States with limb loss or limb difference, and that number is projected to double by 2050. The National Institutes of Health attributes the growing number to increased instances of vascular disease, diabetes mellitus, neuropathy (nerve damage) and trauma. However, thousands of people in the United States are also born with limb differences every year. “The rate of people living with disabilities is only increasing and I think that is something everyone should be aware of,” said Aaron Westbrook, founder and CEO of Form5, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that develops empowering medical and recreational devices that allow people to interact successfully with their world and future. “The reality is, you never know what could happen that could cause you to lose your limb. I also think having awareness about how to have a conversation and how to approach people with disabilities is important for everyone.” Form5 raises awareness for the limb difference community through its outreach efforts, programs and community events that promote inclusive activities. The Nub Club, a support group for youth with limb differences, also helps cultivate relationships for people within the community, which is something very important for Westbrook who was born with one hand. “Growing up, there just weren't a lot of resources from a community standpoint,” said Westbrook. “Due to lack of resources, I didn't end up really exploring what options were out there for me for prosthetics until I was about high-school age. And so that's what really opened my eyes to both disadvantages and opportunities.” 12
A Form5 Bike Arm Adapter recipient tries out his new prosthetic device.
When Westbrook received his first prosthesis when he was a freshman in high school, it was expensive and ill-fitting. Determined to find a solution, Westbrook used the 3D printer in the MIT Fabrication Lab at New Albany High School to print a 3D prosthetic arm, which eventually led to the founding of Form5 in 2017. “I really just wanted to find a way that people with limb differences could be represented in the process of creating devices,” said Westbrook. Form5 is dedicated to expanding its services to meet the growing need in the community, and also works with donors to help offset the cost of prosthetic devices for recipients. In its first year
