Limb Loss Awareness Month will also provide local community volunteers a month to celebrate the advances in limb loss care and the success stories of those affected in their communities. You too can get involved by volunteering your time.
Below you will find an overview of this Annual Event. The Amputee Coalitions is proud of the many volunteers who have already begun this effort through support groups and committed individuals who know the power of support and knowledge. Please share your activities with the coalition so it can inspire others to get involved and make a difference.
Facts About Limb Loss
- Today there are nearly 2 million people living with limb loss in the United States.
- Annually, 185,000 Americans lose a limb.
- There are 507 amputations daily.
- The number of people living with the loss of a limb will almost double by the year 2050 to 3.6 million.
- Primary factors contributing to the increase in limb loss are escalating rates of diabetes and peripheral vascular disease, as well as war events and now natural disasters.
- Over 60% of the amputations performed in the United States each year are preventable.
- Diabetics have a 10 times higher rate of losing a limb than people without diabetes.
- Populations with a high risk of losing limbs include Pacific Islanders, Hispanic/Latino, African American, Native American – some are more than 10 times higher than other ethnicities.
What Can You Do to Help?
The Coalition reaching out to people affected by limb loss or limb difference and those who care for them to encourage community action and increased visibility of limb loss issues at a local level.Overall Theme
The 2011 Limb Loss Awareness Month theme will be 507 amputations a day.The Amputee Coalition will work with volunteers across the nation to help develop awareness events in their community. These events will increase the awareness of limb loss issues while providing needed resources for education for amputees and those at risk of amputation.
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