As The War Amps is mailing key tags to residents across Canada, it is also celebrating 50 years of its Child Amputee (CHAMP) Program, which supports young amputees thanks to donations from the public.
Gabriel Ferron-Bouius, 21, is a right leg amputee who grew up with the support of the CHAMP Program since he was born, including financial assistance for artificial limbs, peer connections through CHAMP events and so much more.
“I had never met anyone else who was an amputee until my first CHAMP Seminar. There, I met older Champs that I could look up to and who showed me that my amputation didn’t have to limit what I could do. I learned to walk by watching Champs like me and learned all about life as an amputee,” Ferron-Bouius says. “Now that I’m older, I get to pass this knowledge along to the younger Champs I meet. I would not be the person I am today without the support of War Amps donors.”
The Key Tag Service is a free key return service for Canadians that generates funds for The War Amps many programs, including CHAMP. Since amputee veterans started the service in 1946, it continues to employ amputees and people with disabilities and has returned more than 1.5 million sets of lost keys to their owners.
Each key tag has a confidentially coded number. If you lose your keys, the finder can call the toll-free number on the back of the tag or place them in any mailbox in Canada, and The War Amps will return them to you by courier, free of charge.
The War Amps receives no government grants; its programs are made possible through the public’s support of the Key Tag Service. For more information, or to order key tags, visit waramps.ca or call 1 800 250-3030.
Photo: Gabriel grew up with the support of The War Amps Child Amputee (CHAMP) Program thanks to donations from the public to the Key Tag Service.
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