War Amps Announces $500,000 In Grants for Ground-Breaking Amputation Research
November 1, 2022 – As part of The War Amps mandate to support veterans and amputees across Canada, The War Amps is proud to announce it will provide $500,000 in funding towards ground-breaking research projects focused on
greatly improving the quality of life for seriously disabled veterans. The War Amps will partner with the Canadian Institute for Military and Veteran Health Research (CIMVHR) and their network of world-class academic researchers.
“There is a noticeable lack of research funding in relation to the pressing health-related issues that war amputees and severely disabled veterans confront every day,” said Brian Forbes, Chairman of The War Amps Executive Committee. “We recognize the
importance of research and innovation in enhancing the daily lives of disabled veterans and want to ensure that military personnel, veterans and amputees can receive access to the highest level of care and expertise.”
This funding, which is made possible thanks to the support of War Amps donors, will be used for vital health-care research projects in the following areas:
- Cutting-edge advances in prosthetic limb technology
- How service-related disabilities and non-pensioned conditions interact to negatively impact the overall incapacity suffered by amputee veterans
- How innovations in surgical procedures like osseointegration have the potential to transform the mobility of military leg amputees
- The mental health challenges faced by seriously disabled Canadian Armed Forces members and veterans (currently serving and released/retired) and the resultant effect on their families
“CIMVHR is appreciative that The War Amps is entrusting us with this necessary research,” said David Pedlar, PhD, Scientific Director of CIMVHR. “As a facilitator organization – a community builder – founded on scientific excellence, CIMVHR will work
closely with The War Amps to bring the best scientific talent to the table from Canada’s universities to address the needs of this unique group,” added Dr. Pedlar.
“This meaningful contribution from The War Amps will help improve care and support for amputees,” said Major (retired) Bruce Henwood, M.S.M., C.D., a double leg amputee and War Amps senior consultant. “Those who have lost a limb, or limbs, in the line
of service have a hard road ahead of them. The War Amps is working to ease that burden and make life better for all seriously disabled veterans.”
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About The War Amps
The War Amps was founded in 1918 after the First World War and has for many years been a leading voice in the veterans’ community in seeking improvements to disability pensions, health-care benefits and wellness policies for Canada’s war amputee veterans
and seriously disabled veterans. A philosophy of “amputees helping amputees” has been the hallmark of the Association since the beginning, and today, The War Amps continues to serve all Canadian amputees, including veterans, children and adults.
The War Amps provides financial assistance towards the cost of artificial limbs, peer support and information on living with amputation, while advocating for the rights and interests of amputees.
About CIMVHR
Founded in 2010 by Queen’s University and the Royal Military College of Canada, the Canadian Institute for Military and Veteran Health Research (CIMVHR) is an innovative organization that engages existing academic research resources and facilitates the
development of new research, research capacity and effective knowledge translation. With a network of academic researchers from across the country, it serves as the hub for 46 Canadian universities who have agreed to work together in addressing
the health research requirements of the Canadian military, veterans and their families.
For More Information
Martine Lepine
Manager of Communications, The War Amps
613 731-2952 (Ottawa)
1 877 606-3342
martine.lepine@waramps.ca
Amber Morley
Communications Co-ordinator, CIMVHR
905 926-5209
amber.morley@queensu.ca