November 6, 2007
The Amputee Coalition of America (ACA) announced it has been awarded a new 4-year grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to continue a cooperative agreement with the CDC begun in 1997 through which the ACA developed and manages the National Limb Loss Information Center (NLLIC.)
“The Amputee Coalition of America’s new grant from the CDC enables us to continue and expand the programs of the National Limb Loss Information Center, as well as the partnerships developed, maintained and evaluated by the ACA to help individuals who have a limb amputated or are born with a limb difference return to an active lifestyle as a productive member of society,” said Paddy Rossbach, CEO of the Amputee Coalition of America.
The ACA, based in Knoxville, TN, is the leading national, non-profit educational organization for people with limb loss/absence, their families and healthcare providers. Nearly 2 million individuals are living with limb loss in the United States.
The new CDC grant provides the ACA a 2007-2011 annual funding level of $1.65 million, according to a statement from the ACA. “As we enter the second decade of our cooperative agreement with the CDC, this new funding enables the ACA to continue the work of the National Limb Loss Information Center, which is more important than ever as this country faces an epidemic of diabetes. Complications from diabetes are the leading cause of limb loss,” Rossbach says.
The ACA is reported to use a range of resources to reach people with limb loss, including inMotion, an award-winning bi-monthly magazine with a circulation of 160,000, as well as other publications targeted to specific audiences such as older adults, multi-cultural groups, children and at-risk individuals. In addition, the ACA reports that its Web site draws more than 300,000 unique visitors annually.
A statement from ACA indicated its National Peer Network comprises 255 registered support groups and nearly 1,000 civilian and military Certified Peer Visitors. ACA reported its annual national educational conference in Atlanta this year attracted 815 attendees.
“The National Limb Loss Information Center’s programs and resources have proven to be invaluable in establishing collaborative efforts over the years with renowned institutions and agencies including Johns Hopkins University, the University of Washington, the U.S. Department of Defense and the Transportation Security Administration,” Rossbach says.
“The support from the CDC has enabled the ACA to create new programs, such as a Summer Youth Camp that provides young people between the age of 10 to 16 who have limb differences with a wide range of physical activities, team-building exercises, and opportunities to learn from peers and adult role models. This funding also enables expansion of existing programs such as the National Peer Network,” Rossbach adds.
“The National Limb Loss Information Center is moving forward with its focus on national outreach using educational materials and programs providing support and services, and developing and maintaining organizational partnerships to support these initiatives. A key priority continues to be communicating prevention messages,” Rossbach says.
The Amputee Coalition of America’s membership includes individual amputees, amputee educational and support groups, family members and friends of amputees, physicians and other health care and rehabilitation professionals, prosthetists, amputation or limb loss related agencies and other organizations.
Source: Amputee Coalition of America
