Durham students give a helping hand

  • 2014-11-28
A 12-year old Franklinton boy, Matthew DiFrancesco, is receiving a new prosthetic hand thanks to 3D technology and some local high school students, and traveled to Durham this month to see the work being done on it.

City of Medicine Academy, a Durham magnet school, is building the hand in its ‘Disease and Society’ class. The teacher, Vance Kite applied to online charity site DonorsChoose.org for help purchasing the printer. The site matches potential donors with projects submitted by teachers.

Now, his students have the opportunity to learn about prosthetic design and fitting, in addition to how to operate a 3D printer. Matthew is one of three kids are getting free prosthetic hands thanks to the printer.

Their prosthetic's color is up to the child, and Matthew chose N.C. State crimson. Some other choices kids were a red, white, and blue color scheme like Captain America, and a gold and red hand to look like Iron Man.

Brochure printers will no doubt be asked to include information about this project in the schools promotional materials.

Each child receives two hands, with the second one being a little larger to grow into, or to be used as a spare in case the first one breaks. The hands are set to be assembled and shipped out to the children next month.