Message from the President and CEO, Cass Isidro
May this find you well my friends of the Amputee Coalition. Throughout September you will see the coalition highlighting several partnerships, advocacy resources, and more and this message of all those I hope finds you in a place to know you are not alone or in a place to offer this message to someone else as an encouragement. With a truly intentional message, I offer my condolences to all who are grieving the loss of a loved one, friend, acquaintance, or anyone who we have lost to suicide. I know many of us know all too well that well-being is a conversation we can continue being more open about. While this is not easy for anyone, we know that suicide is a decision being made daily. While we are not a national nonprofit that specializes in supporting emergency mental health services, we highlight that for the Amputee Coalition well-being is not only a program priority for our National Limb Loss Resource Center but a true belief and focus of caring for the lives of those living with limb loss and limb difference who need us most and seek services. If you or anyone you know is in crisis or feel you might harm yourself or someone else, please call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. For non-emergency information and resources, please call the National Limb Loss Resource Center at 888-267-5669 ext. 1. You also can call the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) helpline at 800-950-6264 M-F, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., ET. Or in a crisis, text “NAMI” to 741741 for 24/7, confidential, free crisis counseling.
For those who are looking for support and learning, we offer our Amputee Coalition Improving Well-Being Program as an online tool and opportunity to self-assess individual well-being and identify resources and support that are most aligned with each person’s journey. The Amputee Coalition team knows that your circle, tribe, rehabilitation team, or those you call your support system including your prosthetist, is concerned about your total recovery. After amputation, people experience a range of psychological and emotional reactions. Taking stock of your emotional well-being can help you identify problems that may hold you back and recognize positive aspects of your life. The Amputee Coalition well-being program was developed to help our community maximize their emotional and physical health. The online tool allows community members to follow a set of questions that will help assess emotional well-being.
You are not alone. We are here. We will get through this together.
Amputee Coalition Support Group Connection
- Along with accessing your well-being, we have support groups throughout the nation where our community can find a place to meet and talk with others in the community to find a safe place for support. Participation in support groups provides members the opportunity to express their feelings, learn helpful information, improve social skills, and realize they are not alone. Please visit the Amputee Coalition Support Group Network page here to use the map online to locate a support group near you.
Amputee Coalition Peer Visit Connection
- If you have had an amputation, are scheduled to have an amputation, were born with a limb difference, or are a parent, spouse, or caregiver of a person with limb loss or limb difference, you may request a peer visit from one of our Certified Peer Visitors by visiting the Amputee Coalition webpage
Amputee Coalition Face Sheet Resources
- Caregiver Resources
- Coping with Aging and Amputation
- Emotional Recovery: The Long and Winding Road
- Living Free
- Peer Support: Nine Kinds of Listening (Webinar)
- Suicide Prevention
- When a Parent Loses a Limb: Helping Children Cope
- Connecting Online for People with Limb Loss
To contact the National Limb Loss Resource Center and request materials visit here. For all Amputee Coalition resources, support, and to become involved with the limb loss and limb difference community please visit www.amputee-coalition.org and we encourage you to stay connected on all our AC social media platforms Facebook, X, YouTube, and Instagram. You can also create a profile and join AC Connect the premier online community for connecting the limb loss and limb difference community.