Amputee Coalition of America, Inc.

The Amputee Coalition is the nation’s leading nonprofit organization dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for people with limb loss and limb difference and their families, improving patient care and preventing limb loss. Our programs are designed to inform, educate and offer support – empowering individuals on their journey to recovery, readjustment and being able to live the life they want to live.

The Amputee Coalition’s circle includes an extensive network of community members and healthcare professionals. We forge alliances with support groups and other organizations, and partner with physicians, podiatrists, nurses, physical therapists, prosthetists, researchers and other limb loss experts to lead efforts to improve care and increase access to services and supports. We mobilize and train advocates at the state and national to improve access to care and other issues that impact people with limb loss/difference. Another critical priority is reducing the rising incidence of limb loss and the resulting costs due to growing rates of diabetes and vascular disease (the leading causes of limb loss). The Coalition is leading a national strategy to broaden awareness of these risks and to promote limb loss prevention.

We’re aiming to continually increase our reach and impact to ensure no one goes through their journey of recovery and readjustment alone.

Support for those who have experienced the journey of limb loss can play a vital role in helping people recover and resume their lives. Our long-term strategy is to grow our national Peer Support Network through expanded partnerships with hospitals and rehabilitation facilities, enhance resources and information available through the National Limb Loss Resources Center, advance community awareness initiatives and promote advocacy efforts, and conduct events and programs that directly impact people’s lives.

With a network of over 400 support groups and over 1,500 peer visitors across the country, peer support offers the emotional support, encouragement and information vital for a full recovery.

•The Certified Peer Visitor Program matches trained and certified volunteer peers with people new to amputation or limb difference and their caregivers. We match people based on age, gender, level of amputation, location and other factors. Peer visitors offer one-to-one support, information and resources during recovery and readjustment, and experience that others can’t.

• The national Peer Support Network links those with limb loss to member support groups and hospital facilities. In small groups of caring individuals, people new to limb loss/difference and their family connect with others who have faced similar challenges, learn healthy coping strategies and practice skills in a supportive environment with the support of the Amputee Coalition.

• The Coalition’s caregiver support programs are aimed at reducing isolation and enhancing the quality of the caregiving experience for those who care for people with limb loss.

• The Promoting Amputee Life Skills (PALS) course teaches participants helpful self-management skills that promote improved quality of life following limb loss. The course addresses topics such as problem-solving, communication, pain management, networking and community resources.

The Amputee Coalition has been in existence for more than 30 years, has a dedicated staff, and an active and extensive community of volunteers who help further the impact of the organization’s core programs and activities.

The National Limb Loss Resource Center is the nation’s leading source of information about limb loss and limb difference. The Center provides comprehensive information and resources free of charge to people with limb loss, their families, friends and to healthcare professionals. All patient resources are reviewed by the Coalition’s medical/scientific advisory committee made up of experts in the field of limb loss/difference.

The Paddy Rossbach Youth Camp offers a traditional camp experience for youth with limb loss or limb difference. Each year, approximately 200 children ages 10 to 17 from around the country engage in fun and challenging activities and build new friendships in a supportive, caring environment. The Amputee Coalition covers all costs, including flights, for those who attend.

The Amputee Coalition is the leader in, and creator of educational materials and programming supporting people living with limb loss and their families. These include inMotion, the Amputee Coalition’s award winning bimonthly magazine; First Step, a comprehensive guide for people new to amputation; and other publications, fact sheets and resources on important topics. The Amputee Coalition National Conference is held annually and is the nation’s premier event for the limb loss community, the conference brings together thousands of people with limb loss/difference, their families, and healthcare professionals for learning, interaction and networking. Our regional Limb Loss Education Days are designed to energize people interested in learning more about living well with limb loss and limb difference.

Through the Limb Loss Task Force, we bring together leaders in the field to develop a national agenda and coordinated strategies around limb loss prevention and improved care. The first such national effort of its kind, the Task Force is made up of leading experts, including physicians, podiatrists, nurses, physical therapists, prosthetists, researchers and policy makers as well as members of the limb loss/difference community.

The Amputee Coalition vigorously advocates for the rights of people with limb loss and limb difference at the state and national level. The Coalition promotes the full implementation of the Americans with Disabilities Act and other legislation that guarantees full participation in society for all people, regardless of disability. The Coalition has been instrumental in passage of legislation in 21 states that supports fair access to prosthetic devices to help protect access to necessary care. We also work to promote accessible travel and other access to care challenges through private insurance, Medicare and Medicaid.

The National Limb Loss Resource Center has successfully fostered hospital partnerships in 28 states, relationships with Native American tribes to improve health outcomes, and state health programs to provide materials and information. Additionally the program works in partnership with the VA and DOD to provide a certified peer support program and world-renowned materials. The VA found that “If we (the Department of Veterans Affairs) were to produce the same materials available, the cost and time would far exceed the contract cost.” The Amputee Coalition, as the current grantee, was also recognized in 2016 by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) for their work improving experiences for travelers with limb loss.

In 2017, The National Limb Loss Resource Center saw more than 1 million unique visitors to the Amputee Coalition website and directly served nearly 6,000 individuals nationwide through the Information and Referral Center. Over 30,000 individual resources were also disseminated to patients nation wide through our network of hospital partners, support groups, and professional partners.

With an increasing incidence of diabetes and vascular disease, the limb loss community in the United States is expected to continue to rise and nearly double by 2050 without continued interventions and support. With nearly 55% of people living with limb loss having an amputation as a result of diabetes or vascular disease, and nearly 45% due to trauma, Americans continue to need programs like the National Limb Loss Resource Center that empower people to live independently.

The Amputee Coalition has leveraged the Limb Loss program to provide educational programs, community reintegration, adaptive recreation programs, and more throughout the country as well as a donor supported youth camp for children 10-17. These programs and the materials referenced above inspire confidence and evaluation surveys show they help program attendees integrate more into their communities, become active leaders, and learn ways to improve their health, live well, and live independently.

Whether it’s reaching people new to amputation with critical recovery information, fighting for fair insurance laws or providing daily tips to make living with limb loss easier, the work of the Amputee Coalition is impacting lives every day.