The Amputee Coalition of America’s annual Youth Camp provides young people between the age of 10 to 16 who have limb differences with a wide range of physical activities, team-building exercises, and opportunities to learn from peers and adult amputee mentors.

“We are very proud to be able to bring nearly 60 young people to the Amputee Coalition’s residential Youth Camp in July.  The Youth Camp provides boys and girls with limb loss and limb difference a unique camping experience that focuses on leadership development, nutrition education, and physical fitness, improving self-esteem, creating positive social interaction, developing peer support, and, of course, having a great time,” said Paddy Rossbach, President and CEO of the Amputee Coalition of America.

There are an estimated 70,000 individuals under the age of 18 living with limb loss in the United States.

Sponsors of the Amputee Coalition of America Youth Camp include the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Denny’s Restaurants, Blaze Sports, Otto Bock HealthCare, Ohio Willow Wood and the Orthotic and Prosthetic Assistance Fund, as well as hundreds of individual contributors

“Financial support from these sponsors enables the Amputee Coalition to reach more young people through our Youth Camp, and we know that this special experience will have a lasting and positive impact on their lives,” said Ms. Rossbach.

The Amputee Coalition Annual Youth Camp, which takes place July 18 through 22, offers recreational activities such as canoeing, swimming, basketball and wheelchair rugby. Golf and tennis are being introduced this summer. In addition, the Camp offers educational sessions on nutrition as well as peer discussion and informal support through group meetings.

“Also new this summer is a Junior Counselor program, with five former campers, now 17 and 18 years old, volunteering as junior counselors,” said Ms. Rossbach. They join 18 other counselors and staff at the Amputee Coalition Youth Camp.

The Amputee Coalition of America, based in Knoxville, Tennessee, is a national, non-profit consumer educational organization that empowers people who have experienced amputation or are born with limb differences through education, support and advocacy. The Amputee Coalition includes individual amputees, amputee educational and support groups, family members and friends of amputees, physicians and other health care and rehabilitation professionals, prosthetists, amputation or limb loss related agencies and other organizations.

For information on becoming a member or making a donation to the Amputee Coalition of America, please visit the Amputee Coalition website at http://www.amputee-coalition.org. A national 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, the Amputee Coalition of America relies on grants and private support for its programs. Donations to the Amputee Coalition of America are tax deductible as permitted by law.

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