A Step Ahead Prosthetics fabricated Above-knee prosthetics, Below Knee prosthetics, rotationplasty Prosthetics, Hip disarticulation prosthetics, Hemipelvectomy prosthetics, Below elbow prosthetics, above-elbow prosthetics, Finger prosthetics, toe prosthetics, and more. Custom-made prosthetic limbs. Artificial arm, artificial legs, artificial body parts. First prosthetics, prosthetic running, Prosthetic working out, amputee, amputation. A Step Ahead Prosthetics.

Dolls With Prosthetics

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!

American Girl doll with a prosthetic leg

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55 Comments

  1. Juliana Wooley June 3, 2016 at 10:15 am - Reply

    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!

  2. Crystal June 3, 2016 at 10:26 am - Reply

    Amazing thing you are doing! God Bless!

  3. Arlyn Isen June 3, 2016 at 11:05 am - Reply

    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.

  4. Kim Townsend June 3, 2016 at 11:18 am - Reply

    I couldn’t say it better than the two comments above! God bless y’all for these beautiful, thoughtful creations!

  5. Jocelyn June 3, 2016 at 11:32 am - Reply

    Are we able to donate dolls for families that are struggling under the weight of medical costs?

  6. Virginia Small June 3, 2016 at 11:38 am - Reply

    What you are doing for these children is over the top;brought tears to my eyes!

  7. Arminda June 3, 2016 at 12:12 pm - Reply

    So there is no charge?

    • A Step Ahead June 3, 2016 at 12:54 pm - Reply

      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.

  8. Stephanie Sheets June 3, 2016 at 12:21 pm - Reply

    Awesome job! Thank you for all that you do for these children.
    – OrthoCarolina

  9. Lou R June 3, 2016 at 12:23 pm - Reply

    Simply, awesome.

  10. Jess B June 3, 2016 at 12:34 pm - Reply

    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!

  11. Tammy June 3, 2016 at 12:54 pm - Reply

    Absolutely awesome!!!! Great job….

  12. Kerri Hakala June 3, 2016 at 12:55 pm - Reply

    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!

  13. Ryan Edgar June 3, 2016 at 1:25 pm - Reply

    Your company is amazing, we need more people and organizations like A Step Ahead Prosthetics……………………

  14. Amy June 3, 2016 at 3:06 pm - Reply

    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

  15. Cheryl Baker June 3, 2016 at 7:01 pm - Reply

    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.

  16. Rich June 3, 2016 at 7:02 pm - Reply

    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!!

  17. Susan Richardson June 3, 2016 at 7:05 pm - Reply

    Compassionate, inspiring, awesome.
    Thank you for setting the ‘bar’ for other companies. THANK YOU.

  18. Rich June 3, 2016 at 7:07 pm - Reply

    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!!

  19. Stuart June 3, 2016 at 7:15 pm - Reply

    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.

  20. Lisa Moss June 3, 2016 at 7:26 pm - Reply

    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!

  21. Andrea June 3, 2016 at 8:50 pm - Reply

    You are doing amazing things! Absolutely touching! Thank you for your work!

  22. Brenda June 3, 2016 at 8:57 pm - Reply

    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.

  23. Kellie Lewis June 3, 2016 at 9:25 pm - Reply

    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!

    • A Step Ahead June 3, 2016 at 9:32 pm - Reply

      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.

  24. M. Bien June 3, 2016 at 9:49 pm - Reply

    God Bless You

  25. Cynthia June 3, 2016 at 10:11 pm - Reply

    Awesome!

  26. Lisa June 4, 2016 at 12:28 am - Reply

    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! :)

    • A Step Ahead June 4, 2016 at 12:41 am - Reply

      Yes, we also do arm prosthetics for the dolls!

  27. Tara June 4, 2016 at 1:03 am - Reply

    Do you also customize the dolls for children who were born without limbs or with shortened limbs? Or only in amputation cases? Thank you

    • A Step Ahead June 4, 2016 at 1:05 am - Reply

      As long as it involves a prosthesis, we can do it!

  28. Aideen Landers. (Dr) June 4, 2016 at 3:51 am - Reply

    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

    • A Step Ahead June 4, 2016 at 10:11 am - Reply

      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.

    • Jillian Camp June 5, 2016 at 7:41 am - Reply

      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!

  29. RuthAnn June 4, 2016 at 8:21 am - Reply

    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.

  30. MommyG June 4, 2016 at 9:31 am - Reply

    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.

  31. Impressed June 4, 2016 at 10:25 am - Reply

    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.

  32. silverDL June 4, 2016 at 10:38 am - Reply

    Do you modify other types of dolls or only American Girl dolls?

    • A Step Ahead June 4, 2016 at 10:52 am - Reply

      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.

  33. Michael Earley June 4, 2016 at 11:53 am - Reply

    Amazing company and amazing human beings.

  34. Elizabeth June 4, 2016 at 12:13 pm - Reply

    God Bless! Your company is AMAZING! !!

  35. Katherine Alford June 4, 2016 at 1:11 pm - Reply

    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!

  36. yannelly June 4, 2016 at 3:00 pm - Reply

    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.

  37. Renee June 4, 2016 at 11:02 pm - Reply

    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!

  38. Melissa June 4, 2016 at 11:14 pm - Reply

    What a great thing you are doing to change all of this little girls lives… :)

  39. Robert June 5, 2016 at 9:05 am - Reply

    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.

  40. John June 5, 2016 at 2:41 pm - Reply

    I wish your company continued success. What you are doing is wonderful!!

  41. Angela June 9, 2016 at 12:58 am - Reply

    Many blessings shower down upon your business of such a beautiful gesture to girls. Keep up the great work!

  42. Jaclyn June 16, 2016 at 4:20 pm - Reply

    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

  43. Denise Lemere August 18, 2016 at 10:24 am - Reply

    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.

  44. Brandy December 4, 2016 at 9:38 pm - Reply

    What a wonderful gift you are able to give. Keep up the work and may your business be blessed behond measures.

  45. Doug February 5, 2017 at 6:00 pm - Reply

    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).

  46. Ann mattick August 18, 2020 at 11:05 am - Reply

    It is miraculous what you do. I am so touched.
    GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY!

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