A Funky New Leg for River!!

Hello! My name is Nicky noo noo, and this year I had the pleasure of working as a Welfare Fairy at Solfest. It was here that I met the wonderful River Jordan, pictured above, who has become such a legend in our community!

Many of you will recognise River ~ you really can't miss him! With his San Francisco 1960's hippie vibe, his Deadhead spirit, and his beautiful soul, River brings his playful and gorgeous ways to so many.

It's been over 5 years since River lost his leg above the knee. Since then, he's been using an NHS prosthetic to stay mobile, and while he's still living life to the fullest and embracing every moment, the NHS leg has some major drawbacks. It's incredibly heavy, weighing around 9lbs, which puts strain on his hips and back and makes it painful and difficult to walk. I was shocked the first time River passed it to me to store in Welfare ~ it's cumbersome and really challenging to move with.

But here's the fab news! There are modern, lightweight prosthetics that could truly change River's life. With a new prosthetic, he'll have more mobility, less pain, and greater ease in his daily life. He could dance even more wildly, explore the world and really live life to the max!

Modern prosthetics can weigh as little as 3lbs, and with advancements like microprocessor-controlled knees, they offer comfort, flexibilty, and better functionality.

After 5 years River is so ready for this upgrade, and after some research, we found the perfect solution : the Shree Vinayak Prosthetic & Orthotics Clinic in Varanasi, India. This clinic specialises in Endolite prosthetics, one of the leading brands in high tech, lightweight prosthetics. The clinic is part of a global network, and while it is based in India, the components come from top manufacturers in the UK, US and Germany.

Here's where we need your help: the cost of an advanced prosthetic like this in India is around £8,000. In the UK similar prosthetics can cost up to £60,000. This is an incredible opportunity for River to get the leg he needs at a fraction of the price.

The clinic's consultation, design, customisation, fitting, and adjustments can take up to 3 weeks.

Accommodation in India is affordable, and River would be able to take this time to not only get fitted with his dream new leg but also to reconnect with the deeply spiritual place of Varanasi ~ a place that has such a special meaning to him. He visited last year without his leg and "One Foot in the Ganges" (see pic below!) would be an amazing title for a book filled with crazy, wild adventures!

This would be the next chapter of his journey ~ getting a lightweight, funky leg that will help him dance out of Varanasi with such freedom and joy!

Cost Breakdown

Here's a breakdown of the total costs involved in River's new prosthetic journey:

Prosthetic Leg & Components (Endolite, microprocessor knee, lightweight socket, etc) £7,000

Consultation, Design, Customisation and Fitting £1,000

Accommodation and Travel £1,500

Miscellaneous Costs (Transport, local fees, adjustments, etc) £500

TOTAL COST £10,000

The impact of this prosthetic for River will be life changing. With your help, we can get him the mobility he needs to live his fullest, most amazing and beautiful life!

Next year at Solfest it would be so fab to see River roll out the welfare trolley and dance even more wildly through the night, just like the free-spirited amazing pixie that he is. We can make that happen!

HOW YOU CAN HELP?

Any donation, however small will make a big difference and another step closer. We are deeply grateful for your support, and River is sending endless love and gratitude for you being part of this journey.

Thank you for helping make this beautiful adventure happen! Your generosity will not only change River's life but will also allow him to continue inspiring all of us with his boundless energy and sunshine spirit!

Lets get that funky leg dancing as soon as possible!

Love and hugs and so much gratitude!

Nicky xx