GERALDTON, ON – Regional News – For more than 100 years, The War Amps has been making a difference in the lives of amputees including Addisyn Franceschini, 12, of Geraldton, and Tiffany Ross, 13, of Toronto.
Addisyn, a left leg amputee, and Tiffany, born a left arm amputee, are members of The War Amps Child Amputee (CHAMP) Program. They became friends a few years ago at an annual CHAMP seminar and recently reunited at the 2019 Ontario Seminar in Kitchener.
“I always look forward to seeing Tiffany at the seminars,” says Addisyn. “It means a lot to have a friend who understands what it’s like to be an amputee.”
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,” says Danita Chisholm, Executive Director of the CHAMP Program. “Thanks to the public’s support of the Key Tag and Address Label Service, we are able to bring young amputees like Addisyn and Tiffany together, as well as provide financial assistance for the cost of artificial limbs.”
