If you haven't yet, you may soon be getting your War Amps key tags in the mail.
The organization that helps pay for artificial limbs for children is celebrating it's 100th anniversary and is asking for your support.
Public Awareness Officer Jamie Lunn says the tags are a free gift you attach to your keychain.
"If you ever lose your keys, the person who finds them can drop them into any Canada Post mailbox or call the 1-800 number on the back and those keys can be returned to you for free."
Lunn is a former member of the Champ program and knows first hand what a difference an artificial limb can make. She was born without an arm and says she prefers a simple, passive arm she can use to hold things or hold open doors. But it also helps keep the rest of her body pain-free.
"What is the huge difference for me when I wear an artificial arm is that I'm balanced on both sides and that I sit up straight...We always want to be able to set our arms somewhere and when I'm not wearing an artificial arm my arm isn't long enough to set somewhere," says Lunn.
Artificial limbs can cost upwards of $20,000 for an arm and $50,000 for a leg, something Lunn says is out of reach for many families.
"And you know child amputees, they grow. So think about how often a child would grow out of a pair of shoes. That's about as often as they would grow out of an artificial limb because they fit so snug and they are so specific to every person," says Lunn.
Lunn stresses the War Amps does not share or sell your information to anyone and all information is kept private.
If you didn't get your key tags or would like more information you can visit waramps.ca or call 1-800-250-3030.
