AUSTIN, Texas (April 07, 2017) – April is limb loss awareness month and Ottobock HealthCare is supporting the Amputee Coalition, the leading national nonprofit patient advocacy organization for people affected by limb loss, in an effort to increase awareness, educate the public and policymakers, and celebrate the limb loss and limb difference community.

According to the Coalition, each day, 500 people in America undergo amputation, and more than half of all amputations are a result of vascular disease. In addition, every year more than 1,000 babies are born with a limb difference. And by 2050, 3.6 million people in the U.S. will be living with limb loss.

To encourage people with limb loss and limb difference as well as their family and friends to advocate for the right to medically appropriate care, the Coalition has launched an aggressive initiative, the Amplify campaign.

The Amplify campaign aims to:

• Help people needing prosthetic care contact insurers to get what they need
• Maximize support for #LimbsAreNotaLuxury and #AmplifyYourself through PR and social media
• Drive federal legislative action to shape policy and access to care

“Ottobock is proud to partner with and support the efforts of the Amputee Coalition,” stated Matt Swiggum, Regional CEO of Ottobock HealthCare. “We encourage everyone to get involved and help amplify the voice of the limb loss community.”

You can learn more about and take part in Limb Loss Awareness Month by visiting

www.AmplifyYourself.org. To stay informed of the #AmplifyYourself activities, follow Ottobock and the Coalition on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. The month culminates with Hill Day activities on April 25 and 26 in Washington, D.C., where those affected by insufficient access to necessary care will meet with legislators to educate them on the need for comprehensive prosthetic care.