Prosthesis arm for Kerlyn
In April, 2019, I was scuba diving with a friend, which is my life’s work and love. A boat’s propeller came too close and ripped my right arm away; it was hanging just on my elbow. Fortunately, the other diver didn't got hit and was fine.
After the accident, I was in 3 different hospitals for more than a month. They were far from my hometown and my family had to travel to take care of me in the hospital.
Because of this, I lost my job at the beach. As a formerly right handed person, I started to relearn everything anew, learning how to do everything with my left hand and arm. I moved home with my parents because I couldn't work for a while. Oceans Unlimited then made my dream come true by helping me get my divemaster course and my scuba gear to be able to work as a guide. I learned all this with my left hand thinking I would never have the opportunity to get a prosthetic for scuba diving. In that time, the Rivera sisters entered into my life and we are now opening new doors, creating something that does not exist, a right arm prosthetic for scuba diving and other tasks I can’t do with a normal prosthetic. It’s amazing! With this I’ll be able to take my Instructor course with both hands. Also with this, I’m really excited to help other people with disabilities and show that we can all dive, despite differences.
There's no recommended treatment for this. This is something we are creating. At this time, prosthetic arms for scuba diving don’t exist. It's something that will help me for work as a diver, and also in adaptive tourism, and teaching/guiding scuba diving and marine conservation.
We are now in the creation part at this time. We have been doing research and now we have to order the pieces from the United States, so we need the money to buy the parts for the device and also pay the workshop that's helping us create the prosthetic.
We started with this project in February 2020 and we will start assembling as soon as we can raise the funds.
The aim is to have the prosthetic finished by December 2021. To reach this goal, we need funds by October, at the latest to get the materials ordered and shipped.
With this, I will be able to do my Instructor course with a Scuba diving prosthetic, designed specifically for that purpose. With this I’ll be able to help others on the team and do my job fully (including carrying 35 pounds tanks which is really hard on my body with just one hand. This prosthetic will help with all day by day activities.
I will also be able to do everything by myself at home which will allow for my independence. I’m so grateful for my family’s support and I’m really looking forward to my independence again . I’m also ready to give them less responsibilities, as they’d had in my 8 years out of the home before the accident. I am an adult and my independence is what’s best for us all.
I am also building an adaptive tourism company so I can contribute something larger to the world and help others. For this, I will also need funding. I still need to get my Instructor license, establish the company, register it, and get the word out to the community that we exist. Community outreach to the disability community will be necessary.
The due date we had proposed was by December, so that in 2022, I could commit myself to moving forward with the courses needed. It’s really important to know that I will be tested with the new prosthesis. Once we have it, we will continue to adapt it for individuals and for what is needed for it to have the least impact with the reefs, what it's better for teaching other people and also guiding tours, under and above the water.
My podcast “Sin parada de descompresión “
I want to thank you all in advanced for your help and the opportunity so we can build a better future for me and also others that had been and are going to be in position similar to me.
