By Eric Payne

The cradle of confederation was the first in this region to bring peer support to the region's amputees. The Amputee Coalition of Canada (ACC) made its first in roads in the region right here on PEI on Easter weekend. Five individuals who are from PEI and two from off Island gathered in Charlottetown to be come trainers in order to teach amputees in the region to become certified Peer Visitors. The program is derived from the program in the United States called the Amputee Coalition of America (ACA) who also provides support information and advocacy to amputees.

Master Corporal Paul Franklin and Eric Payne first saw the program in action on a visit to Walter Reed Army Medical Centre in Washington DC in April of 2007. Both are amputees and had received their own limb loss a little more than one year prior to this visit. They were there to assist the Canadian Forces (CF) to look at the level of care the CF were providing their wounded and injured Soldiers versus the care of the American system was providing for their Soldiers. The Peer Visitors there brought a wealth of experience from simply living well since their own amputations to suggestions on how to handle awkward social situations as a new amputee. On this trip they saw how great the positive impact the peer visitors were having on the new amputees. They were the Soldier's "Ambassadors of Hope."

Meanwhile in Montreal Natalie Fish and Carol Tardif were two lower limb Physiotherapists who also seen the need a peer support network could help new amputees transition into their new life. They started a dialogue with the ACA to construct a Canadian version in both official languages to assist amputees here in Canada. In 2008 the ACC was officially launched as a non profit society. Master Corporal Paul Franklin and the Franklin Foundation have been great supporters of the program and financially supported the training on PEI in order to make it possible for the training to occur.

Because there is a strong connection to the military community it does not mean this program is exclusive for the CF amputees. It is not.

Currently there are 150 (one hundred fifty) Peer Visitors and 45 (forty five) Facilitators (trainers) across the country. Local Health care providers and facilities have made connections to the region's amputees in the hope that this type of program can continue to offer help to PEI's amputees. A further awareness campaign is planned to bring this program to as many individuals as possible.

The Peer Visitor Program is a national network of experienced, trained and certified amputee volunteers (peers). Their role is to support those who have recently experienced (or are about to undergo) limb loss and to ease their transition into a new way of life. The Peer Visitor Program will match individuals who have experienced limb loss (at least one year post amputation), resumed an active life and successfully completed a peer training session, with new or future amputees who have requested a peer visit assistance. Individuals requesting assistance are paired with amputees who have similar profiles.

If you would like to request a peer visit, or want more information about the Peer Visitor Program, please call the following toll-free number: 1-866-611-AMPS, or visit us online at peervisitor@amputeecoalitioncanada.org.

www.amputeecoalitioncanada.org
www.franklinfoundation.ca



Photo Credit: Paul Vienneau

Left to right: Dale Murphy Vocational Counsellor Workers Compensation Board of PEI, Leslie Macdonald Veterans Affairs, Charlene Mac Innis Military Family Services, Master Corporal Rick Rickard, Natalie Fish Facilitator, Lisa Murphy Veterans Affairs, Carole Tardif Facilitator, Master Corporal Paul Franklin, Eric Payne Veterans Affairs.