Great Weekend!

This past weekend was a whirlwind of excitement. Saturday was Show Your Mettle Day (formerly known as Strut Your Stuff Day). Although I'm ecstatic that the event has been adopted and rebranded by the Amputee Coalition, I have to admit that the movement will always be Strut Your Stuff in my heart!

It was heartwarming seeing amputees from across the country proudly posting photos of living with limb loss. One needs only to take a quick peek at the photo gallery that has been assembled on the ACA Facebook page to realize that life does not end with the loss of a limb. The possibilities for a happy and exciting life are limitless. 
 
As part of the celebration for Show Your Mettle/ Strut Your Stuff, I was honored to be part of an article published on CNN.com about the growing movement. The author did a wonderful job covering the story, and I must admit that I was humbled by her descriptions concerning me. I felt a sense of euphoria as the link opened, revealing one of my favorite photos of Robby and me.  In case you missed the story, you can read it here.

The national attention was an honor that I will always cherish.  I began writing with the goal of reducing the loneliness and isolation that many new amputees feel, but my experiences compelled me to add another goal to my vision. I believe that every amputee has the right to utilize a quality prosthesis regardless of his or her socioeconomic status, and I plan on continuing to push for prosthetic parity.

While I'm hopeful that I can continue to bring attention to this pivotal issue, I also recognize that change occurs slowly. Everybody involved in the prosthetic industry, from patients and prosthetists to doctors and manufacturers, needs to mobilize and continue to pressure our legislative bodies until change is affected. Relatively speaking we are a small group, but we must assemble our resources and work together.  I believe all society benefits when every amputee has equal access to prosthetic technology!