RALEIGH, N.C -- A group of students at NC State are putting their heads together to create hands.

  • As part of the Helping Hand project, students at NC State are using 3D printers to create prosthetic hands for children.
  • They donate the prosthetics at no cost to the recipient.
  • If you'd like to donate to help the cause, there's a GoFundMe.

The Helping Hand Project crafts prosthetic hands for children with limb differences. Using 3D printing technology, a recreational hand is created for less than $50. 

"Many young children with limb differences typically don't buy a prosthetic from a prostheticist, like a licensed one, because a prosthetic can range anywhere from five to $100,000 and kids grow up really quickly," said chapter president Griffin Drye.

Since the chapter started three years ago at NCSU, the club has created 28 prosthetics for 17 different people.

"All of our members will come to the meeting, look at the different designs of the hands that we use to give to each of the kids and once they do that they will edit it  accordingly the measurements we get from each individual child," Drye said. 

The club has started a GoFundMe page for materials and upkeep of the 3D printers. All of the prosthetics are given free-of-charge. 

 

 

 

"It has and will continue to be the most rewarding experience that I have had here at NC State," Griffin said.

The project originally started at UNC Chapel Hill in 2014. In addition, chapters also now exist at UNC Charlotte, UNC Greensboro, and Durham Tech. 

The chapters work with the The Helping Hand Project non-profit.

This GoFundMe account is not managed by Spectrum News. For more information on how the site works and the rules, visit www.gofundme.com/safety.