On January 16th members of the Waxhaw Woman’s Club had the opportunity to meet Sarah Haight and her son Cameron (“Cam”). Sarah and Cam were the speakers for this meeting, and it was a presentation that those present will not soon forget.
Eleven-year-old Cam was born with Amniotic Band Syndrome (ABS), a rare and spontaneous condition where fibrous bands form inside of the amniotic sac with the baby and cause a host of disruptions ranging from mild banding to fetal loss.
In Cam’s case, his vital organs and face remained safely intact, however all four of his limbs and scalp were affected by the bands. As a result, he was missing a thumb, toes, partial fingers, had tangled and fused skin on most residual fingers, non-circulatory toes which required amputation, and malformations and indentations of the scalp, wrist, and calves. All of which have required 19 reconstructive procedures, 6 rounds of anesthesia, numerous skin grafts; both taken from his own hips and from cadaver skin cell growth, and 9 full arm/leg casts thus far with still has more to come.
Cam is different… but not in the way you’d think. This gregarious 11-year-old is a dynamo! He is intelligent, articulate and passionate about helping others who also have limb differences and who require assistive devices. He has networked with others who require prosthetic devices and in addition to helping produce prosthetic hands, he even has a few designs of his own under his belt. Cam has learned how to fire up the computer and 3D printer, pull and scale the files that the printer uses to produce prosthetic components, measure and cut the cords for the hands, choose the tools needed to assemble the hands, and put the printed pieces together in order. He also helps tie the knots, cut out the materials like the Velcro and padding and he makes an awesome tester in that he can tell if the hand is too hard to bend or just right. Additionally, Cam has learned to use TinkerCAD (a 3D modelling computer-aided-design software) to develop files necessary to produce his own designs on a 3D printer.
Cam has confidence and independence that is not usually found in one so young. He wants to be a prosthetic doctor when he grows up, and after meeting him there’s no doubt, he will achieve any goal he sets.
Sarah has co-founded a non-profit 501c3 organization aptly named “Different Heroes”, with the mission of designing, 3D printing and assembling assistive devices at no cost to the recipient. In addition to providing prosthetics, Different Heroes strives to raise awareness of limb differences and to provide support to individuals with limb differences and those individuals who may be caring for someone with limb differences. Sarah says, “I have seen first-hand how important this work is through the eyes of my own son. When seeing my son and others learning to embrace their differences… I know our work matters.”
Sarah and Cam have embraced “different”, and in doing so are changing the lives of others.
Yes, Cam is different… he’s working to change the world!
If you’d like to financially help Different Heroes in their work, you can do so by clicking here.
You can find more information about Sarah and Cam’s journey by clicking here.
Take a look at Cameron’s Facebook page by clicking here.
To help Different Heroes in their goal to supply a prosthetic hand to “everyone who needs one”, you can make a donation at differentheroes.com
