We used children’s fertile imagination as well as the power of dreams and invited great sports celebrities (Neymar Jr., Marta Vieira, Gabriel Medina and Anderson Silva) to “donate” their legs to children that wear prosthesis. Using 3D printing technology, we developed 3D identical model, in each detail, for lower limb of all the athletes that took part in the project.

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According to UNICEF, there are 93 million disabled children in the world and within this whole universe, a specific group of disabled children that suffer with the absence of one of their lower limbs. According to the organization, this is one of the groups that suffers most marginalization from society.

According to UNICEF, there are 93 million disabled children in the world and within this whole universe, a specific group of disabled children that suffer with the absence of one of their lower limbs. And according to the organization, this is one of the groups that suffers most marginalization from society. It is common knowledge that the self-esteem is built during childhood and in the case of a child that wears prosthesis this process is even more delicate. Others’ “eyes” tell the child who she or he is. And a disabled child attracts sorry looks making them feel “different”. This is the first step for bullying, and the use of uncomfortable and embarrassing labels and name-calling, such as “wooden-leg”. So we needed to take some action.

When kids are in playing time, they role play who they admire. So, we wanted to take this opportunity to increase disabled children’s self-esteem, in an exclusively way, inspired by their idols. ESPN believes in the capacity of sports to transform people’s lives and one of the great proofs of this is the role of the sports idol. These people are admired and become example of behaviour especially for children. Based on this, we used children’s fertile imagination as well as the power of dreams and invited great sports celebrities to “donate” their legs to children that wear prosthesis. Using 3D printing technology, we developed 3D identical model, in each detail, for lower limb of all the athletes that took part in the project. Now, we get to offer something more, to those who have something less, a body enhancement that only they could have.

The power of sports transformation is global and that’s why the idea must be global too. So we found a way of making the project available to more people so that millions of disabled children can have access to their idols’ legs. Anyone can access the project through the website and buy the left or right prosthesis cover for $160, royalty free. For each bought cover, another one is donated for the Brazilian Disabled Child Care Association. Through the website, anyone can also make a donation to the Association.

We reached out to top Brazilian athletes and the answer couldn’t have been better: Neymar Jr., Marta Vieira, Gabriel Medina and Anderson Silva scanned their legs originating a 3D material that gave shape to the cover of the prosthesis. So, they could feel their idol’s self-esteem and be admired by the group that used to reject them. The project’s promotion happened in social media and during ESPN Broadcast. At the same time, the athletes that participated functioned as the perfect trigger to spread the message among their followers as influencers. In ESPN’s channels several programs turned the project into content showing with a journalistic approach the transformation the prosthesis promoted in children’s lives.

We got the engagement of the most important athletes of various Brazilian modalities sports, such as Neymar Jr., Marta Vieira, Gabriel Medina and Anderson Silva, which helped to greatly strengthen the idea and further disseminate the project. Also, we get to make this available for the world and by royalty free. And most importantly, ESPN has been able to show the power of sports to change people and the world. So many “wooden-leg boys” around the world are now the “boys with the most amazing legs ever”.