Tel: +27 12 998 3932
Success Story
Mr. Fritz Pretorius
Below knee
“Aging is not lost youth, but a new stage of opportunity and strength.” – Betty Friedan
Words cannot explain how wonderful it has been working with Mr. Fritz Pretorius, who is 87 years young! His joy and zest for life is completely infectious, and it has been nothing but a pleasure helping him on his prosthesis journey.
Mr. Pretorius was born with a limb deficiency and therefore had to be amputated as a child. So, he has been wearing a prosthetic leg for all his life. When myself and my team met him, he was using a very outdated type of prosthetic leg.
His prosthesis was originally made with a thigh corset and side steel joint, to suspend the prosthetic to his residual limb. This specific system was popular many years ago, but technology has changed over the years, and it was time to give Mr. Pretorius an upgraded spring in his step!
It was a big decision for Mr. Pretorius; it’s a drastic change from the prosthetic that he has been walking on for decades.
We started slowly by introducing him to a silicone sleeve with a pin lock system, which is still a "basic" system comparing to what is available; from what he had however, the silicone liner and pin still made a huge difference. True to his amazing young and positive spirit, within a few weeks Mr. Pretorius got completely used to it, constantly wanting to dance and run! It was wonderful to see his energy and being part of the positive change.
Mr. Pretorius is living proof that if you look after your body, mind and soul well, nothing that life throws at you will bring you down.
Thank you Fritz Pretorius; continue staying true to your joyous nature!
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