BORN DIFFERENT
About 1 in every 1,900 babies born in the United States have a limb defect or limb difference. Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Helping kids with a limb difference reach their full potential
Prosthetics can vastly enhance the quality of life for someone with a limb difference. However, prosthetics are expensive and can cost up to $80,000. Many kids outgrow their prosthesis and may need 2 replacements before reaching adulthood. SHH Equity Group donates a portion of its profits to organizations that support kids with a limb difference obtain a prothesis.
The financial donations do not impact our investment partners’ returns. All donations are strictly from the profits made by SHH Equity Group after returns are distributed to the partners.
Tomond Jack – Founder & President, SHH Equity Group
Supporting our cause to help kids with a limb difference is personal for me. I was born with a birth defect of my left hand creating a limb difference. As a kid, I went through about 10 surgeries to reconstruct and improve the function of my hand. One of the main goals of the surgeries was to get a prosthesis that I can control. After many surgeries, the day finally came to get a prosthetic.
I think I was about 11 or 12 when my dad and I drove from El Paso, TX to the Air Force base in San Antonio, TX to get fitted for a prosthesis. Because my dad was in the military, everything was done at military installations. From my understanding, this base specialized in making prosthetics for military members. We met with the staff there for several hours. At end they told me there was nothing they could do for me because of how my hand was shaped.
A year or so before the visit, I had a major surgery that affected the shape of my hand. The doctors took a toe from each foot and transplanted them on my hand. Unfortunately, shortly after the surgery I developed an infection and the transplant failed. To save my hand, I had another operation where my hand was inserted into my side/groin area so tissue could grow around the toes. This created a “mitten hand” which I have today. My hand is shaped more like a ball; therefore, it was too wide for a prosthesis.
Up until that point, San Antonio was actually a good trip. But on that day, I cried from the moment we left San Antonio all the way home to El Paso. It was the hardest and most disappointing day of my life. That day is still tough for me to recount. That’s why I have made it my mission to not allow any child to ever go through what I did. I am proud to provide support to kids who need a prothesis and prosthetics research.