Amputee Coalition National Conference: A World of PossABILITIES

"We come together, not to celebrate what we have lost or how we are different, but to celebrate what we have overcome and what we have in common." —Jack Richmond, 2013 Amputee Coalition Education and Conference Committee Chair

What color was your ribbon? Mine was purple, meaning that I was a "first timer" at the 2013 Amputee Coalition (AC) National Conference. While an intern at The O&P EDGE this summer, I had the opportunity to attend the conference July 27-29, in Orlando, Florida. And no matter the experience, whether it is high school, college, sports, or other activities, being a newbie is not especially easy-something I am well aware of having recently finished my freshman year at college. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="350"] Wolfe tests the Motion Control Utah Arm. Photographs courtesy of Shantel Wolfe/Karen Henry.[/caption] This year, the AC helped to alleviate that self-consciousness and timidity many first timers experience with the launch of a buddy program. The program pairs first-time and returning attendees to help newcomers navigate the conference, meet people, and attend the sessions and clinics. My buddies were The O&P EDGE employees Kim Espinosa, director of sales & marketing, and Karen Henry, director of editorial & special projects. With the help of my buddies, I started to settle in and see the amazing things the conference had to offer. Being from a small town in Ohio with only 1,500 residents, I haven't had the opportunity to be exposed to the amputee community. At first, I wanted to help each person I saw, whether it was opening doors or picking up dropped items. But my buddies had advised me not to help, which seemed to go against the manners I had been taught. But as the first day progressed, I began to understand. What I interpreted to be struggle was just a different way of doing things-and my help wasn't necessarily needed. As I became more comfortable, my curiosity kicked in; I wanted to find out more about prosthetic limbs. I approached several people and asked what company had made their particular device, how it works, and if they like it. I visited exhibitor booths and met many friendly and knowledgeable people. I saw some awesome designs and sleeves that prostheses could be decked out with and was surprised by how realistic some hands and feet looked. I tested some technology that I had only seen in movies or on television-rotating a wrist or opening prosthetic fingers just by flexing a muscle in my arm. The conference had countless activities spread out across three days of fun, learning, hands-on clinics, and workshops in a setting where people with limb loss are the norm, not the exception. Informational sessions covered emotional and physical wellness, technology, and research, not only for individuals with limb loss, but also for caregivers, family members, and healthcare workers. HealthSouth offered an amputee rehabilitation course geared toward occupational and physical therapists and their assistants. There was a limb transplantation plenary session, and a keynote address by Roy Bloebaum, PhD, a research professor at the University of Utah, Salt Lake City, who discussed the osseointegration feasibility trial that was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration last June. There was a session about parenting with limb loss as well as parenting a child with limb loss, and there were several roundtable discussions. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="452"] Conference attendees in the exhibition area.[/caption] New this year was the Adaptive Sport and Recreation Expo Hall where individuals with amputations could learn how to participate in adaptive sports. Attendees also had the chance to participate in physical activities such as yoga, an amputee mobility clinic, basketball, scuba diving, and even a wakeboarding clinic. The Orthotic and Prosthetic Activities Foundation (OPAF) also offered First Swim and First Climb clinics, and on Saturday, there was a morning and afternoon AmpuSki waterskiing clinic. Boasting the largest conference attendance in its 26-year history, with 948 registrants, the AC offered an environment conducive to learning and growing within a supportive atmosphere, in keeping with its theme, "A World of PossABILITIES." The next AC National Conference will be held in Tucson, Arizona, July 23-25, 2015. —Shantel Wolfe

Amputee Coalition National Conference: A World of PossABILITIES

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