It is said that two is better than one. That more is less. That it takes two to tango. How about those who don't agree with this logic? That one is better than two. That less is more. That it takes one to tango. Well, put yourself in this situation. Picture yourself tying your shoelace, imagine that you are buttoning your jeans. What is one thing these two tasks have in common: two hands. Although simple, these tasks remain difficult for those who only have one.
Since she was just four years old, a girl from Henderson, Nevada has been seeking to change the perception of physical disabilities.
Hailey Dawson has faced her own adversity with physical disabilities since the moment she was born. A rare birth disease called Poland syndrome resulted in the loss of Hailey's right pectoral muscle this caused her to lose three middle fingers. For the first five years of her life Poland Syndrome dictated the types of activities she could participate in. Seeing kids around her participate in sports and physical activities without any restrictions confused her. Hailey just wanted to be like the kids without disabilities: playing sports, getting dirty, and living carefree.
Although Hailey struggled to understand her condition, she has never let her physical disabilities get in her way and has emerged as a public figure of hope for other individuals who face similar struggles.
In 2015, saddened by her daughter's condition, Hailey's mom, Yong, sought to reach out for help. Where would she reach out to? Doctors, physicians, orthopedics? The problem was that a traditional prosthetic hand would cost her family thousands of dollars. Hailey's mom turned to a different avenue hoping to find the right connection. How about a college engineering department? Living in the Las Vegas area, Hailey's mother was able to reach out to the University of Las Vegas Nevada (UNLV) engineering department to help change Hailey's way of life.
A team of UNLV engineers and researchers used a 3D printer to construct a special prosthetic hand for Hailey. After various trials and prototypes, the UNLV team was able to find the right fit for Hailey. With this new 3-D prosthetic hand Hailey had the opportunity to live as a child who could participate in sports and physical activities without any restrictions. The astounding achievement of creating a hand allowed for Hailey to have, for the first time in her life, ten fingers. Hailey's robotic hand enables her to use five plastic fingers held together and controlled mechanically through a system of fishing lines. The fingers open and close as she flicks her wrist up and down, enabling her to hold objects and lob balls. To commemorate Hailey's new physical abilities, the UNLV baseball team invited her to throw out the first pitch at one of their home games. Grasping her hands around the ball, filled with joy and excitement, Hailey stepped out onto the field. Aided by her father, Hailey then tossed the ball to a UNLV baseball player. This significant accomplishment in Hailey's life was not only meaningful for her own life, but for other individuals like her who struggle with the same condition.
To continue her message, she made a courageous goal to throw the ceremonial first pitch at every single MLB stadium.
Her first opportunity came on Aug. 17, 2015: Hailey threw the first pitch for the Baltimore Orioles to her favorite player, Manny Machado. After her performance at Baltimore, her message continued to be heard and teams across the MLB began to reach out to her via Twitter.
As of today, she has completed her goal of pitching for all 30 MLB teams. However, Hailey's journey is one that will live on forever. Now at the age of eight, Hailey's story has sparked hope for many who face similar struggles. Through her ceremonial pitches she has set out to prove that children with physical disabilities and handicaps are not limited in what they can do, they too have the ability to live an extraordinary life. Her message: that a robotic hand is not out of reach. Hailey has the power to show people that, just because she has a limb difference, it doesn't mean she's limited in what she can do.
