RESTORING
LIMBS AND
LIVELIHOODS
OUR VISION:
To create equality of fracture care throughout the world.
ABOUT SIGN:
SIGN is a humanitarian organization that builds sustainable orthopaedic capacity in developing countries by providing relevant education to surgeons, then manufacturing and donating the instruments and implants needed to treat fractures.
TRAUMA HEALERS:
Discover how SIGN is empowering surgeons to care for patients injured in traffic accidents by watching Trauma Healers on PBS.
The SIGN Model
Education + Implants = Healing
Education must be combined with donated implants in order to empower surgeons to provide healing to the poor.
155 surgeons stand together at the 2019 SIGN International Orthopaedic Conference.
THE SIGN DIFFERENCE
SIGN partners with overseas surgeons to build sustainable orthopaedic capacity by donating education, instruments, and implants. By working with teaching hospitals and hosting educational conferences worldwide, SIGN equips surgeons to heal patients within their own communities.
SIGN IMPLANTS
After educating each surgeon, SIGN gives them the instruments and implants they need to perform effective surgery. The SIGN System is designed for use in low-resource hospitals, and does not require the use of expensive x-ray machines, or even electricity.
We design, manufacture, and distribute SIGN Nails, FX Plates, and other implants at our facilities in Richland, Washington. Click here to learn more about our products.
SIGN Intramedullary Implants including Standard SIGN Nail, Fin Nail, and Pediatric Fin Nail
60
COUNTRIES
446
HOSPITALS USING SIGN
449,147
PATIENTS HEALED
Why SIGN?
In many parts of the world, untreated bone fractures lead to permanent disability and hardship. The working poor are the most seriously affected. With nearly half of the world’s population living on less than $6.85 per day, a disabled family member who cannot work may drag the entire family even further into poverty.
Most hospitals in developing countries are not equipped to deal with the rising epidemic of trauma injuries. They treat fractures with traction or plaster casts, which force the patient to be immobilized for three months. Even then, the outcome is unreliable, as the bone may heal improperly. Untreated bone fractures can easily lead to lifelong pain and disability.
“All over the world, SIGN has touched peoples’ lives, changed families, and united orthopaedic surgeons from different races and cultures to create a priceless and invaluable virtue—hope for humanity.”
You can make a difference
Every SIGN Surgery transforms a life. For the cost of one night in a hotel, you can heal a broken bone and help a person get back on their feet. $175 provides the implants needed for one SIGN Surgery.
DONATE SIGN SURGERY
For only $175, you can provide the implants needed to heal a SIGN Patient. Donate today to change someone’s life—you can help.
SEE WHERE WE WORK
Explore SIGN’s global reach in low- and middle-income countries. Learn about active programs, and find ways to get involved.
JOIN THE MOVEMENT
Sign up for our mailing list to get the latest from SIGN. Find ways to get involved, and learn about community events, too!