Statistically Speaking

The Reality of the Numbers and What We Can Do About It The stats on amputees is staggering. In the US 1 in 200 people have undergone amputation! Over 2.1 million people live with an amputated limb. Worldwide, 1 million ampuatations happen annually, that’s 1 amputation every 30 seconds!!! 1 EVERY 30 SECONDS! Amputee Coalition’s diagram of statistics taken from Promedeast.com 2023 Even more alarming is the projection of the 2.1 million in the US doubling by the year 2050! (🚨Please excuse my error around the 3 minute mark. I meant to say over 4 million, not 400 million) On a different note and other statistics: The #1 cause of amputation, currently, is vascular disease, such as diabetes and peripheral arterial disease at 54% of major amputations. A close second at 45% is trauma with cancer being less than 2% of amputations. From this we see the emotional impact an amputation has on us. Amputees deal with depression, anxiety, and PTSD. Work is also impacted, making it harder to earn a living, keep a job, and even getting a new job, adding more stress to a person’s life and complicating relationships, new and old. Why am I talking to you about all of these numbers (especially since I am NOT a numbers girl)? These stats and the aftermath of amputation have a huge impact on how people function in society and how well they live their life. Next week begins the month of April which is Limb Loss/Limb Difference Awareness Month. Every year I use this month to interview people in our community to shed light on and inspire the world. This year I am excited to announce that this month I will be talking with students from across our country who are working in the fields of Biomedical Engineering and Medical Engineering. This field has seen a boom across the country and the competition is intense! Each of these interviews are with students in the midst of creating, testing, or improving on products that will enhance the lives of amputees all over the world. Most are not even amputees (however, there is at least one who is), they are just looking to make a difference in a growing population. These students are our future. They are striving to find a better way for those of us who have lost a limb. I wanted to spotlight them and the hundreds of others who are studying biomedical engineering, in hopes to make a difference. Please make sure you like, share and subscribe to my podcast here, on my You Tube channel, or on most streaming platforms so you don’t miss these April interviews and all the good these students are doing. Apple Podcast Spotify iHeart With such a growing interest and determination to improve the lives of amputees I am filled with such hope for our future and what we will be able to accomplish DESPITE our limb difference. Join me this April as we see the heart and minds behind our bright future! And as always, Be Healthy, Be Happy, Be YOU!!! Much love,