inMotion Magazine

Change 3 We decided to give this issue of inMotion the theme of CHANGE. It’s been more than an underlying current for us all recently, and we know there will be more and different kinds of change in the future. David Bowie, Sam Cooke, Buddy Guy, Stevie Nicks, and others wrote songs about change because it’s the one constant in our lives. Things always change. Change is ever present in our personal and professional lives, our families, our culture, our society, and our institutions. Change teaches us about resilience, growth, and adaptability, even if it’s not something we were prepared for. Here at the Amputee Coalition, change means opportunity. It’s evident in the way we provide services, programs, support, educational resources, advocacy, and referrals. Many of you have gone through some significant change on your journey with limb loss or limb difference. We are here for you every step of the way. Whether it’s our helpful guide book First Step and helping you and your care partner find a support group that’s right for you, or connecting you with one of our Certified Peer Visitors who can talk with you about your struggles and your joys, the Amputee Coalition and the National Limb Loss Resource Center wants to make sure no one goes through their experience alone. We recently hosted a Volunteer Summit to bring together our volunteer leaders to hear from them about what new resources they need to be able to help everyone in our community. After year of COVID-19 adaptations, we wanted to learn from them how we can develop and deliver what our community needs most. We want to be able to meet people where they are and do our part to make sure you can live the life you most want to live. In addition to our 24/7 availability of resources and information, we also believe in the power of advocacy for change. Too often, change is presented as a scary and difficult thing. Being an advocate for change in the ways our government can support people living with limb loss and limb difference is a way to feel powerful and strong. No one knows what it’s like to live with limb loss or limb difference better than you do, so that’s why we offer the opportunity to become an advocate to help shape public policy that supports our community. We held our 2021 virtual Advocacy Forum in April where the theme was Your Voice Matters. Because it does. Whether it’s asking Congress to provide funding for critical services and supports, or educating lawmakers to sponsor an important piece of legislation that will contribute to more people with limb loss having access to needed care and prosthetic devices, advocating for change that supports and benefits our community is core to our mission. At the Forum, advocates reached out to their Members of Congress to ask for funding for the National Limb Loss Resource Center through the Administration for Community Living. There are a number of issues you can help influence for positive change. Go to amputee-coalition.org/advocacy to learn more. President Obama said it well: “Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.” The Amputee Coalition and the National Limb Loss Resource Center are here to help you manage the changes in your life. And we’re here to offer you the opportunity to use your voice for change that can uplift and support our community. Wishing you all the best, admiring your courage and strength, and believing in the positive power of change. Come help us make some good change! Mary Richards President and CEO Amputee Coalition MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT AND CEO