Amputee Awareness Day Event Happening April 12 at Lehigh Valley Health Network

The Lehigh Valley Amputee Support Group is again sponsoring and hosting its annual Amputee Awareness Day event April 12 at Lehigh Valley Hospital–Cedar Crest. Free to attend and open to the public, the event will feature vendors and prosthetic companies demonstrating the latest products, a featured speaker and a boxed lunch for those in attendance.

At noon, speaker Robert Rodriguez, an athlete, advocate and father, will share his inspiring story of life after losing a limb when he was young. Rodriguez was born with fibular hemimelia – a congenital disability that left him with only two toes and no ankle. His mother had to make the difficult decision to amputate his foot.

Growing up, he struggled with his condition, but with a lot of support and encouragement, he overcame believing his amputation was an obstacle and started to see it as a stepping stone. He joined adaptive sports and found purpose in helping others, going as far as to represent Team USA in amputee soccer.

The Lehigh Valley Amputee Support Group's mission is to nurture a community that promotes healing, independence and a high quality of life through shared experiences, resources and advocacy.

Membership is free and open to all individuals who have experienced limb loss. Families, caregivers and medical professionals are always welcome. The group meets on the second Monday of every month 5-7 p.m. at Lehigh Valley Hospital–Cedar Crest, Kasych Pavilion in meeting room 6.

In addition to the monthly meetings and the annual event, the Lehigh Valley Amputee Support Group advocates for amputees through education and awareness. It connects amputees with medical professionals and social workers for additional support and provides financial support to amputees in need. The Amputee Coalition is a large national organization for amputee support across the nation.