August 13, 2021
Introducing Karma on The Road's latest venture - TWO WHEELS ONE LEG
On September 1st 2021, Luca and Giulia AKA Karma on The Road, will head off on their latest adventure - a cycling trip around Italy.
"A BIKE TRIP THROUGH ALL OF ITALY … WITH ONE LESS LEG AND MORE ATTENTION: RECYCLING! WE WILL COLLECT USED PROSTHESES FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY TO GET THEM TO AFRICA!"
The dynamic duo will travel around their home country for two months, picking up prosthetic legs destined for landfill. They will then send these legs to our closest hub in France, so they can be prepared and eventually shipped to our partner mobility centre in The Gambia.
Who are Karma on The Road?
You may remember Giulia and Luca as our Fundraisers of the Year in 2020. Last year they motorcycled all the way to Mauritania and raised enough money to get 206 legs to Africa.
This year they are back, and taking on a new challenge with a focus on collecting prosthetics in a country that as of yet is unknown to us.
"During the re-cycle trip we will visit other Italian people and associations dedicated to the world of amputees. The goal is to recycle and donate the used and unused prostheses that we will collect to those who need them most! After the success of our 2020 'Road to Dakar' project, we now want to bring this reality also to Italy, where there is currently no prosthesis recycling programme."
Luca and Giulia are a husband and wife duo from Verona, Italy.
Their story is about passion and adventure, dark moments and willpower.
On 4 August 2016 Luca was hit by a car on his way home from work on his motorbike. His left foot and leg were destroyed; his left elbow was severely compromised and his nose and right eye were also damaged.
After more than a year in bed, two years of physiotherapy and forty surgeries, in 2019 doctors agreed that left leg amputation was the only solution.
It was in that period that Luca became aware of the depth of his passion for motorcycles. Despite everything it had saved his life and had given him the motivation to rebuild a new one.
"Because a motorcycle trip puts you in touch with the world and gives you a strong sense of freedom. The road, the heat, the cold, the rain, you feel them on you, they enter your bones and make it a truly authentic experience. And when you're on the brink, the real things are the only things that matter."
The healing process was long and it was during this time that the vision for Karma on the Road was born.
For Giulia and Luca, it's all about "sowing good along the way" and their idea has taken them across countries, and has inspired many.
We are lucky enough to be working directly with these two inspirational humans with the ultimate aim of getting more people walking again.
How do you follow their latest adventure?
About the author
Name: Tom Williams
My passion? Ensuring no prosthetic leg goes unused. I’m dedicated to collecting, refurbishing, and sending these vital pieces of technology to our partners in Africa, where they make a world of difference. When I’m not immersed in this mission at STAND, I’m often found outdoors, embracing nature. I love long walks in any season, camping under the stars, and enjoying the serenity of the great outdoors. My evenings often involve a unique hobby – maintaining and repairing old pinball machines. This blend of precision and nostalgia keeps me engaged and always learning. This fusion of dedication to my work and my love for nature and tinkering drives me every day, both at STAND and beyond.
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LEGS ON TOUR 26