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Courtney Menzies visited the foundation today to see as the prosthetics were made and fitted to the patients. Here is that story.

Duane Cano, Amputee (23 Years)
"I was in an automobile accident in 1999, the leg was badly mangled and it had to be amputated so since then I've been… I had a prosthesis before it wasn't fitting anymore so about approximately two years I been without a prothesis and to be relying on crutches to get around, doing my regular routines."

Courtney Menzies:
"And how difficult is it to move around with only one leg?"

Duane Cano, Amputee (23 Years)
"Very difficult, you can't get far distances and stuff like that."

This morning, Duane Cano had to use his crutches to walk into the Rudolph Williams Diabetes Center, but by the time he left, he was dancing with the use of his new prosthetic leg.

Duane Cano, Amputee
"A big relief, it's a big mind ease to know that I can get back to my regular duties from work, get back to my regular life."

"It hurts a bit when they just put it on but I had one before and like I said, the more I use it, the more comfortable it gets so it's like learning to walk over again."

Courtney Menzies:
"And how different does it make your daily routines, I see you were dancing just now."

Duane Cano, Amputee (23 Years)
"Yeah [laughs], I'm more mobile, it actually gives you more mobility."

Courtney Menzies:
"And I assume more independence, more freedom."

Duane Cano, Amputee (23 Years)
"Yeah more independence, I don't have to rely on anyone to be assisting me, I could be more independent."

And while, up to midday, eight patients were being fitted for their prosthetic legs, it's a project that's been months in the making:

Dr Steven Wells, Chief Medical Officer, The Diabetes Center
"This process started a number of months ago but we're delivering the prosthetic limbs today and now you're seeing patients walking in or rolling in a wheelchair and walking out and running out and in some cases dancing out, and this is what we want to do for the people of Belize."

"Today we have eight to ten now, but our goal is, as we get more people giving to charity, donate hundreds of limbs. But again, this comes with charity and donations, there are several patients here that their limbs were paid for by someone else and now they're getting their limb today, they didn't have to pay any money cause someone donated the money. So if we can get more of that from the business community, we can do hundreds of legs within a three month period."

Heman Graval, Physical Therapist, Mobility Ideal Healthcare
"So my company makes all the legs, and today we are delivering all the legs."

Courtney Menzies:
"How difficult is it to make one of the legs?"

Heman Graval, Physical Therapist, Mobility Ideal Healthcare
"It takes time, first we have to cast it, then we have to mould it, altering moulding it, we have to put lamination fabrication then we assemble according to patient's feet, height, weight, then we can go from there. After that we can assemble all the components to look like a leg."

Courtney Menzies:
"So the ones that they're getting now, they're good for the next five years."

Heman Graval, Physical Therapist, Mobility Ideal Healthcare
"Yes, only wear and tear the liner, because if the patient is high active, so after certain months, certain years they have to replace the liner every year. But the socket and the foot will last, actually it's 3 to five years."

Courtney Menzies:
"And do you find that it's difficult for some patients to learn how to use it after maybe being able in a wheelchair for so long?"

Heman Graval, Physical Therapist, Mobility Ideal Healthcare
"I'm doing for the last eight years, I've never seen the patient being able to walk on the first day, eight of them, they are all walking, so they are very motivated once they receive the leg. So first time I am seeing the patient getting the leg but they have to get use to it, they have to take some training, and they are good, but you can see everybody is happy and dancing."

And for one patient, he's happy that he will be able to get off his wheelchair and be more active: Oscar Ramos, Amputee (2 Years)
"It's been very challenging because of the fact of my daily avocation, I can't move around the way I used to move around when I had my leg. And understandably, my production actually went down instead of getting increase. But at the same time, I live this thing as one day at a time and the good graces of him who is above, I'm still here doing customs brokerage."

"To be frank with you, I've been very expectant of this, I've been waiting so long for it to come and because of my indulgence with Dr Wells, constantly, I am happy that we are reaching the finality of my wish."

Courtney Menzies:
"And do you think after this you'll be walking around?"

Heman Graval, Physical Therapist, Mobility Ideal Healthcare
"Well I hope I can, Dr Wells is telling me I come in here in a chair but when I come out, I'll be walking and that's what I'm looking forward to."

Sylvia Williams, Amputee (3 Years)
"My leg shrunk a little and it's too big now and I need to get a new one."

Courtney Menzies:
"How do you feel that you'll be able to get something that's a little bit more comfortable?"

Sylvia Williams, Amputee (3 Years)
"Well, I sit here and I look and I see everything and it's very good."

And those happy patients are the reasons why the Rudolph Williams Foundation is looking for more partnership to keep providing prosthesis for amputees.

Arlette Gomez, CEO, Rudolph Williams Foundation
"Dr Wells starting to come to Belize in 2014 and we met him through the Belize Diabetes Association of New York and this idea was born them and in February of this year we were able to start to do this work. The center is not full equipped in how we would want it to be but they came in February and we just had an open camp, people came in and they evaluated who were people who qualified for the limbs and for those people who could pay, they paid, and for those who couldn't we were able to ask some organizations in the diaspora like the Belize Diabetes Association of New York to help us and we had companies here in Belize who helped us to pay for some of the legs."

"We really need some kind of partnership so that people can continue to get back their mobility and their independence."

Anthony Castillo, Educator, Belize Diabetes Association
"This program here is extremely important, when you're living with diabetes, diabetes affects every part of your body from the hair on your head right down to your toes, and with this program we're trying to save limbs. The number of times persons develop diabetes and they start to have issues with their feet and by the time they would come and see the doctor, it's late and it's time for amputation so this program has to do with education, we do some education, but with Dr Wells, he will try to save the limb, the last thing Dr Wells recommends is an amputation." And while these legs may start at around $2,000, they're hoping with more donations and partnerships, they will eventually be able to provide more of them for free.

If you want to inquire about getting a new prosthetic leg, you can contact the Rudolph Williams Center at 613-1839.