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Thursday, March 15, 2001

Diamond Excell, who turned 11 last week, was born with Roberts Syndrome, which meant she did not have arms or shoulders and shoulder muscles to support artificial arms.

"They told me I would never have arms, I would never have arms my whole life," Diamond said.

Inventor Ivan Yaeger developed a system using the latest prosthetic components with which Diamond could maneuver the arms using her back and chest muscles. She has been practicing with the new limbs for four months and was given them permanently Wednesday.

"I have to use muscles I've never used before, but it's not hard at all. It's very easy," she said.

One of the first things she did was to hug her mother.

"I would like to thank my family for helping me go through this whole thing," she said. "I'm looking forward to learning how to ride a bike, playing with my cousins and learning to get around the house."

Yaeger, 33, said he first became interested in prosthetics during his seventh-grade science project.

"I carried it through in high school and college and got a patent," he said. "I was fortunate enough to became a part of a Rotary Club project to give Diamond her arms."

The Rotary Club raised about $30,000 for the arms, and other groups such as Jackson Memorial Hospital employees and a television station raised the rest of the $60,000.

Copyright 2001 by United Press International.