For more than 100 years, the War Amps has been making a difference in the lives of amputees – including seven-year-olds Jaxson Linn of Mission, Grace Johnson of Chemainus and Julianna Brohman from Sooke.
Jaxson, a right-hand amputee; Grace, born a double-arm amputee; and Julianna, born a right-arm amputee, are members of The War Amps Child Amputee (CHAMP) Program. They became friends at the recent 2019 BC CHAMP seminar in Richmond.
“If I could choose just one out of the countless reasons why attending CHAMP seminars is such a special experience for Jaxson, it would be the friendships he forms with other child amputees,” said Jaxson’s mom, Trish.
“He, Grace, and Julianna encourage each other to do whatever they set their minds to and I know these friendships will last for a very long time.”
At CHAMP seminars, young amputees and their parents learn about the latest in artificial limbs, dealing with teasing and staring, and parenting an amputee child. The seminar is also an opportunity for child amputees and their families to connect and share similar experiences about living with amputation.
“Seminars are a powerful experience, as Champs and parents learn they are not alone,” said Danita Chisholm, executive director of the CHAMP program.