A Step Ahead has been getting quite a bit of attention lately because of the American Girl dolls we been customizing for little girls with limb loss! Since so many people have been asking, we figured we should post a few details. We are NOT charging for the customization; we feel that it is absolutely crucial to boost the self-confidence, self-esteem, and feelings of inclusion for little girls with limb loss, and that something as small as a doll that resembles them can have a profound effect on their mental and physical well-being. In that spirit, anyone with a child who has had or is facing an amputation is welcome to send us an American Girl doll which we will happily modify with a prosthetic limb (or limbs) to match the child. The prosthetics themselves are entirely designed and fabricated in our prosthetics shop alongside the “real” prosthetics, and are painted by hand in a variety of colors.
If you are interested in having us customize a doll for your child, contact us here!
What an amazing, kind, compassionate, special, wonderful, heart felt thing you all do altering these dolls to match their little girl moms!! It really touches my heart. Many blessings on all of you!
Amazing thing you are doing! God Bless!
I cry every time I watch that little girl open the box from American Girl, and hug her doll that you customized to look just like her.
Her joy is undeniable, and your kindness and compassion so inspirational!
XOXOX A Step Ahead Prosthetics.
I couldn’t say it better than the two comments above! God bless y’all for these beautiful, thoughtful creations!
Are we able to donate dolls for families that are struggling under the weight of medical costs?
Yes, you can make a donation through http://www.onestepaheadfoundation.org. Thank you!
What you are doing for these children is over the top;brought tears to my eyes!
So there is no charge?
Hi Arminda, we don’t charge for the customization. We just ask the parents to supply the doll and pay for the shipping. We don’t charge for modifying the doll with the prosthesis. We are also accepting donations for children who can’t afford dolls through the One Step Ahead Foundation at http://www.onestepaheadfoundation.org.
Awesome job! Thank you for all that you do for these children.
– OrthoCarolina
Simply, awesome.
I just saw Emma’s video … what an amazing gift! Hats off to all of you!
Is there a way to contribute so that a girl who maybe can’t afford an American Girl Doll might be able to get one as well (or help share the cost of the prosthetics for the dolls)? I would happily contribute to that!
Yes, you can make a donation through http://www.onestepaheadfoundation.org! Thank you!
Absolutely awesome!!!! Great job….
Amazing, amazing, AMAZING. Your company, and obviously the hands and hearts of all who work there, have done so much more than boost the self esteem and well being of many affected by tragedy…you have lovingly altered lives in an immeasurable way. Thank you for this!
Your company is amazing, we need more people and organizations like A Step Ahead Prosthetics……………………
Thank you for doing what you are doing. Honestly, after watching the video that has gone viral I was left speechless. But then to find out you don’t charge for this – I just can’t say anything but thank you. I wish we had more companies out there that looked at life the way you all do. <3
I just saw the national news today with that little girl in Texas and her beautiful new doll. I am in tears. You and your company are absolutely wonderful. Got bless you for making their dreams come true.
I was sitting here feeling sorry for myself when Emma’s piece came on the nightly news. Thank you for doing what you do! You not only help the kids and their parents, but you make the world a better place.
Thank you!!
Compassionate, inspiring, awesome.
Thank you for setting the ‘bar’ for other companies. THANK YOU.
I was sitting here stessing out about life when Emma’s piece came on the nightly news. Immediately I forgot what I was thinking about and through tears of joy, I type this. Thank you for doing what you do! You not only help the kids and their parents, but you make the world a better place.
Thank you!!
Just saw the piece on NBC Nightly News.
I never would have imagined that something like this would mean so much to that beautiful little girl and girls like her.
THANK YOU for providing an example of such pure good.
Have watched the video of Emma and her doll three times today…and have cried tears of joy each time. Thank you for all you do. You are wonderful, amazing people. I wish you all happiness and prosperity. Of course, I don’t think that will be a problem. Your karma runneth over!
You are doing amazing things! Absolutely touching! Thank you for your work!
Wow. You are doing something so special it’s terrific! You heart must be enormous and have touched so many other hearts with your simple gift. Thank you.
This is an incredible thing!! I love it and thank you for doing it! My daughter wear AFOs. Please let me know if you can make AFOs and shoes for them! I would be happy to pay!
Thank you so much for your interest! We only started doing the American Girl dolls a couple of months ago; we have a very full load of patients so we haven’t had the time or resources to look into customizations other than arm and leg prosthetics. Hopefully, we’ll be able to expand what we’re doing in the future! Thank you for understanding.
God Bless You
Awesome!
Do you only provide leg prosthesis dolls? I haven’t seen any photos of arm prosthesis dolls so I am just curious if you supply those as well.
I also want to say what you do has a great positive impact on little girls, good job! :)
Yes, we also do arm prosthetics for the dolls!
Do you also customize the dolls for children who were born without limbs or with shortened limbs? Or only in amputation cases? Thank you
As long as it involves a prosthesis, we can do it!
Hi, I am an ophthalmologist in England
What you are doing is very kind.
Some of my patients have had to have one eye removed because eye cancer. They do live to adulthood now but grow up sometimes having to take their artificial eye out temporarily for cleaning or because of an infection etc.
This might not be possible but would there be any way your team could make prosthetic eyes for dolls that could be removed and reinserted?
I quite understand if that’s not poossible.
Thank you
Thank you so much for your interest! We only started doing the American Girl dolls a couple of months ago; we have a very full load of patients so we haven’t had the time or resources to look into other types of prosthetics or assistive devices. Hopefully, we’ll be able to expand what we’re doing in the future! Thank you for understanding.
My 18 month old daughter, Lilly, has retinoblastoma. She had her left eye removed at 8 months old and did chemo for the tumor in her right eye. She loves baby dolls, and I would love to customize this for her so she can see how truly amazing she is. I hope someday the dolls can have an eye prosthetic too. Thank you!
I think this is great!
Obviously, boys aren’t really into ‘dolls’. I wonder if there are suitable male action figures that could be modified for the boys. I don’t have any children, so I’m not up to date on the toys available.
This is so amazingly wonderful. Bless you! I know how my daughter feels about her dolls, and I have cried now each time I watched a video on fb where you made a little girl’s best friend look like her. Amazing…just amazing. <3 Thank you so very much.
Just Wow!
Big love from Sweden – you are doing a wonderful thing.
I really hope that your Company goes well, that you start making Money on it (God knows that you, if any, deserve it) and are able to expand and give Dolls to all the children who are different in many, many countries.
Do you modify other types of dolls or only American Girl dolls?
Thank you so much for your interest! We only started doing the American Girl dolls a couple of months ago; we have a very full load of patients so we haven’t had the time or resources to look into other types of dolls. Hopefully, we’ll be able to expand what we’re doing in the future! Thank you for understanding.
Amazing company and amazing human beings.
God Bless! Your company is AMAZING! !!
Thank-you! Your work with creating a doll that is both a friend and a pleasing likeness to a little girl is HUGE. As a racial minority, I can tell you, having a doll that looked like me and was also beautiful helped reinforce my positive self-image while growing up and made me stronger while other parts of society tried to make me feel inferior. I hope you know what a huge thing it is that you do. Keep it up!
Wow! Just wow. Thank you, thanks to everyone and everything that got the company to where it’s at now. Thank you to the one or more involved in this recent project. I wish you all the luck in the world. Thank you for changing us for the better.
Sometimes the smallest gesture can create gigantic ripples. How wonderful to contemplate what this gift will do for this little girl! New-found confidence, and heightened self-esteem, and a sense of acceptance can help her reach and strive and expand her realization of what she can achieve. Clearly, from her reaction, this doll was an extraordinary gift that answered a deep need. Bravo to A Step Ahead for doing this! This is a superlative example of the kind of compassion that we need more of in this world!
What a great thing you are doing to change all of this little girls lives… :)
Great job. The best marketing department in the world could not get the attention you just got for doing a good hearted thing. I will remember your company name.
I wish your company continued success. What you are doing is wonderful!!
Many blessings shower down upon your business of such a beautiful gesture to girls. Keep up the great work!
Beyond amazing. Every time I come across the video of the little blonde girl opening her doll and crying happy tears saying “Thank you for making a doll like me” just warms my heart and makes me tear up.
https://www.facebook.com/courtney.bennett.524/videos/10208670176324507/?pnref=story
What a wonderful thing for these girls and also for their families.
The video of Emma receiving her doll is incredible. I noticed that the first thing she did was to check if the prosthetic was actually detachable, like her own, and not fixed to the doll. Nice touch.
What a wonderful gift you are able to give. Keep up the work and may your business be blessed behond measures.
You are “Gods of Kindness”!! Ya made a MAN cry! (Not me though. It was… uh… my buddy. I have to go watch football now).
It is miraculous what you do. I am so touched.
GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY!