Andallah Gueye

Driving in Senegal is a truly harrowing experience. Crowded, uneven roads are littered with people darting across busy streets in the blink of an eye.  Andallah Gueye managed these roads as part of his vocation: a professional driver.  In 2001, he was driving in the city of Theis when he was broadsided by another car. His car was wrecked, and he was badly injured.  By the time he arrived at the hospital at Theis, the doctors had no choice but to amputate his right leg.

Andallah's trials were not over, however. After a week, the amputation wound began to turn black - a sure sign of infection. Andallah was rushed to a larger hospital in Dakar, the capital, where the emergency room doctors were forced to amputate again, further up on his leg. The multiple surgeries left Andallah without a job, and facing the cost of all the medical expenses.

Since 2001, Andallah has worn an Otto Bock single-axis joint. Walking with the joint in a locked position, Andallah had a difficult time getting around. Also, he had to be very careful, and use the joint sparingly because it was an imported component. If the joint ever needed repairs, they could not be done in Senegal, and Andallah would need a new prosthetic - something he cannot afford.

At LIMBS' Technology Certification Workshop in June of 2010 Andallah was fitted with a new prosthesis containing the LIMBS Knee. Even at 57 years old, he is walking around with more ease than he had with previous knee joints, and feels more comfortable in his prosthetic limb. Despite being new to a free-swinging knee joint, he has already gained confidence and hopes that in the near future he can return to driving and making a living for himself. What a victory!