Girl Receives an American Girl Doll With a Prosthetic to Match Her Own

Kids growing up with prosthetic limbs face numerous challenges on a daily basis. One struggle that isn't so obvious is not being able to find dolls in toy stores that look like they do. So when 10-year-old Emma from Cypress, Texas received her American Girl doll, she was surprised to find it had a prosthetic leg that matches her own.

In the video above, which was shared by Mashable, you can see Emma's heartwarming reaction when she first discovers her doll's customized feature. The modification was made by a real-life prosthetics company called A Step Ahead that also makes these miniature prosthetic limbs for American Girl dolls, and offers the service free of charge. As they say on their website:

"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."

Families of children with amputations can reach out to the company through this contact form. They also accept donations to modify dolls for kids whose families wouldn't otherwise be able to afford them; they can be made at the website of A Step Ahead's partner, One Step Ahead Foundation.

[h/t Mashable]

All images: Courtney Fletcher Bennett via Facebook.