WAR AMPS T


he War Amps’ focus since its inception in 1918 has been to help Canadian amputees have better ways of life.


The organization had started with assisting war amputees and expanded to all amputees, including children. “The War Amputations of Canada is a uniquely Canadian organization that was established by the returning WWI amputees that formed together as a paternal organiza- tion to help one another cope with the loss of a limb during the global conflict,”said Rob Larman, director of the PlaySafe and DriveSafe programs. “We continued to grow after the WWII and


that’s when something very magical hap- pened, quite frankly, and lays the legacy of how we are formed today.” Larman, who is one of the earliest members


of the War Amps Children Amputee Program (CHAMP) due to losing his right leg in a train accident at age 14, says what they’re focusing


We continued to


grow after the WWII and that’s when something very magi- cal happened, quite frankly, and lays the legacy of how we are formed today. - Rob Larman, director of the


“ PlaySafe and DriveSafe programs


Champ Jacob Boulay (member of the Child Amputee (CHAMP) Program) with Chairman of the Board Stuart Vallieres.


10 - insight magazine june 2020


BY JUSTIN SEWARD insight magazine


striving to make life better for amputees


on for this year is mailing of the 2020 key tags - which have been delayed as a direct result of COVID-19. “We still have some of our western


provinces to mail to which we’re trying to complete by the end of July as we move for- ward,”said Larman. “It’s very important to provide this Lost Key


return service to Canadians.They have embraced this for 75 years and continue to support us. So we’re getting that information, the lost key tags, out to our donors and sup- porters and in short order.” The Lost Key Return Program started in


1946, where it provided an employment opportunity for the War Amps veteran mem- bers.The program would provide funds to the association and in doing so,providing a valu- able service to Canadians. How the program works is people attach a


confidentially coded War Amps key tag to their key ring.The tag is only registered to your name and address. If the keys are lost, the finder can call the


toll-free number or place them in any mailbox in Canada.The War Amps will courier the keys


back to its owner free of charge. To date, 1.5 million sets of lost keys have


been returned to their owners. Larmen said on a weekly basis,people are


enrolling in the program. “The basic criteria for enrolling in the Child Amputee or our Adult program is multi- faceted,”he said. “You can be an amputee through congenital


birth defects, due to medical reasons and or accidental.We continue to see on a weekly basis enrollment in our Child Amputee pro- gram. Some children are still being born with missing parts to their limbs that will require prosthetic aid.Adults are continuing to have medical issues, resulting in amputation or accidental.” The needs are being met as the War Amps


see continued enrollment,he added. The association is continuing to advocate


for amputees across the country. “In fact we’re making great headway in


terms of educating the insurance industry. Even various government levels of medical care, in terms of the needs of amputees,”he said.


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