FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

	CONTACT:
Amputee Coalition of America	Brandan Cox
900 E. Hill Avenue, Suite 205	Development & Public Awareness Associate
Knoxville, TN 37915-2566	Phone: 888/AMP-KNOW
	E-mail: bcox@amputee-coalition.org
UpperEx National Outreach Coalition	Eric Westover
P.O. Box 2563	Chairman & Executive Director
Minneapolis, MN 55311	UpperEx National Outreach Coalition
	Phone: 800/573-6329
	E-mail: info@upperex.org

Amputee Coalition of America and UpperEx National Outreach Coalition Collaborate to Meet Needs of People With Upper-Extremity Limb Loss

Knoxville, TN, and Minneapolis, MN—April 4, 2008—The Amputee Coalition of America (ACA) and the UpperEx National Outreach Coalition (UNOC) today announced that they are working collaboratively to benefit people living with upper-extremity limb loss. The two national organizations will work together to disseminate information and resources, further expand the ACA’s internationally recognized peer visitation program to people with upper-extremity limb loss, and maximize the resources of both organizations in meeting the needs of the amputee community.

“At the ACA, we are always looking for ways to work with other organizations that can help us provide the most up-to-date information and support to our constituents,” stated Paddy Rossbach, ACA’s president and CEO. “We are looking forward to working with the UNOC and benefiting from their unique and personal experience with upper-extremity limb loss.”

“We are pleased to be working with the ACA to expand the quality and quantity of information available to the upper-extremity population,” said Eric Westover, chairman and Executive Director of the UNOC. “We are committed to building relationships that benefit our stakeholders and the amputee community as a whole. This partnership exemplifies the spirit of collaboration and cooperation to benefit the greater good.”

The first collaboration of this new partnership will be seen at the 2008 ACA Annual Conference as the UpperEx National Outreach Coalition leads a new upper-extremity track. Eight new educational sessions will focus on living with an upper-extremity limb difference. Many of the presentations will be conducted by members of the UNOC staff and its board of directors. A preliminary schedule of the 2008 program will be posted on both organizations’ Web sites by mid-April.

"The ACA is delighted to increase the educational opportunities for the amputee community through the shared resources of our two organizations,” said Vicki Foster, ACA outreach/special events manager.

About the Amputee Coalition of America 
Founded in 1986, the Amputee Coalition of America (ACA) is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee. The mission of the ACA is to reach out to people with limb loss and to empower them through education, support and advocacy. Through a cooperative agreement with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the ACA maintains the National Limb Loss Information Center (NLLIC), the nation's most comprehensive source of information for people living with limb loss and limb differences.

About the UpperEx National Outreach Coalition
Founded in 2006, the UpperEx National Outreach Coalition (UNOC) is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The mission of the UNOC is to empower individuals affected by an upper extremity limb loss through programs, services, and resources. Through public and private donations, they serve the unique and complex needs of upper extremity amputees, their families, and medical professionals who work with them on a daily basis.