Utah hospitals collect used crutches, walkers and canes in response to supply-chain problems
Donations will be accepted in 11 locations across the state on November 6th and 13th.
(Sean P. Means | The Salt Lake Tribune) Sebastian Smith, a courier for Intermountain Medical Center in Murray, transports a pallet box full of donated walking aids into a truck on Saturday, October 30, 2021. IMC was one of 11 hospitals in Utah taking donated walking aids, crutches, walking sticks and non-motorized wheelchairs in a program called LeanOn Utah.
People across Utah engaged in some form of aluminum recycling on Saturday – they dropped off used crutches and other medical aids at 11 locations.
The donation program called LeanOn Utah aims to fill a gap in the availability of crutches, walking aids, walking sticks and non-motorized wheelchairs.
Supply chain problems lead to a shortage of such equipment and the aluminum they are made from, said Don Williams, supply chain manager at Intermountain Medical Center in Murray – one of 11 locations that accepted donations on Saturday.
“We sent a message to the community to say, ‘Hey, if you have extra items in your homes, if you’re just decorating your garage or basement, bring them with you. Donate them back to the community called ‘”Williams.
The community responded. An Intermountain Healthcare spokesperson tweeted Saturday that someone had left crutches and canes at the entrance to IMC’s Eccles Outpatient Care Center before collection officially began at 10 a.m. (both Intermountain and Steward Health Systems provide drop-off points).
Methodist members “came by with two trucks,” Williams said.
Volunteers took the metal objects, checked them, and disinfected them before loading them into large boxes on pallets. (Crutches and sticks made of wood are not accepted due to the difficulty of disinfection.)
The need is particularly great in winter. November and December are the busiest months for orthopedic surgery, according to the Utah Hospital Association. The donated relief goods are made available to needy patients free of charge.
The LeanOn Utah fundraiser will continue on two additional Saturdays, November 6th and November 13th, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at these locations:
• Davis Hospital, 1600 W. Antelope Drive, Layton.
• Intermountain Homecare Ogden, 3776 Wall Ave., South Ogden.
• Intermountain Homecare South Jordan, 11520 S. Redwood Road, South Jordan.
• Intermountain Medical Center, Building 2, 5169 S. Cottonwood St., Murray.
• Jordan Valley Medical Center, 3580 W. 900 South, South Bank.
• Jordan Valley West, 3460 S. 1400 West, West Valley City.
• Logan Regional Hospital, 500 E. 1400 North, Logan.
• Mountain Point Medical Center, 3000 Triumph Boulevard, Lehi.
• Salt Lake Regional Medical Center, 1050 E. South Temple, Salt Lake City.
• St. George Regional Medical Center, Entrance 3, 1380 E. Medical Center Drive, St. George.
• Utah Valley Hospital, Entrance 1 (Pedersen Tower), 940 N. 500 West, Provo.
Please visit LeanOnUtah.com for more information.
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