April is Limb Loss and Limb Difference Awareness Month, a time when we come together to raise awareness about the challenges faced by those who have experienced limb loss and limb difference. At Wounds Canada, our mission is to improve the lives of people at risk for or living with wounds and by promoting wound prevention and care across our country.

As we recognize Limb Loss and Limb Difference Awareness Month, we want to highlight the connection between the risk of limb loss and wounds related to diabetes and peripheral arterial disease. In Canada, an estimated 3 million people have diabetes, and approximately 20% of them will develop foot ulcers, which can lead to limb amputations if left untreated. Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is another condition that can cause wounds that may lead to limb loss.

We believe that education and awareness are key to promoting better wound care and preventing limb loss. That's why we encourage all Canadians to take steps to prevent wounds and to seek appropriate care if they do develop wounds.

If you or someone you know is living with wounds related to diabetes or peripheral arterial disease, it's important to seek professional care as soon as possible. Wounds Canada has education, training, tools and informational resources to support you in your community as you move forward on your healing journey.

Let's work together to raise awareness about limb loss and the importance of wound prevention and care. Together, we can make a difference and improve the lives of people living with wounds across Canada.

Paolo Polese is responsible for Community Engagement & Partnerships at Limb Loss Connection, a nonprofit organization dedicated to connecting, supporting and empowering individuals living with limb loss and limb difference. Founded by people who have experienced limb loss first-hand, the organization addresses the physical, emotional and social challenges that come with limb loss. Their goal is to provide a trusted space where individuals and families can find information, peer support and community resources that foster recovery, confidence and independence. Visit them at: Home - Limbloss Connection

"For me, recovery wasn’t just about healing a wound—it was about rebuilding a life," Paolo Polese.

WC: What are some of the most important messages you would like to share with health-care professionals working in limb loss and limb difference?

On June 21st, 2018, my life changed forever. I lost my leg to a flesh-eating disease. One day, I was living my normal life, and the next, I was trying to understand who I was going to be moving forward.

The most important message I can share with health-care professionals is this: you are meeting people on the worst day of their lives.

In those moments, your words, your tone and your presence matter more than you may realize. I still remember the professionals who spoke to me with compassion, who slowed down, who treated me like a person—not just a patient.

Please understand:
We are scared,
We are grieving,
We are trying to process something unimaginable.

Take the time to listen. Include us in conversations. Give us honesty, but also give us hope. Because sometimes, one conversation can shape how someone approaches the rest of their life.

WC: What do you feel are the most important interventions concerning improvement in quality of life?

For me, recovery wasn’t just about healing a wound—it was about rebuilding a life. One of the most powerful interventions I experienced—and now provide—is peer support. Talking to someone who has lived it changes everything. It turns fear into possibility.

Alongside that, what truly improves quality of life includes:

-Mental health support, because the emotional trauma is just as real as the physical
-Rehabilitation and mobility training, which gave me back independence
-Education, so I knew what to expect instead of fearing the unknown.

But if I had to say what mattered most—it’s connection. Knowing you’re not alone is what helps you move forward. That’s why I’m now a certified peer support worker and working toward teaching others—because I’ve lived how powerful that connection can be.

WC: How can health-care professionals best assist your community?

The best way health-care professionals can support our community is by seeing recovery as more than a medical process—it’s a human journey. When I went through my amputation, what made the biggest difference wasn’t just treatment—it was the people who helped guide me through it.

Health-care professionals can:

-Introduce peer support early in the process
-Work alongside organizations like Limbs Lost Connection
-Truly listen to patients and value their lived experience
-Help patients focus on what they can do, not just what they’ve lost.

We don’t just want to survive—we want to live, to adapt, and to find purpose again.

WC: Please share some of the most inspiring interactions your community has had with health-care professionals. What made them so powerful?

-Doctors connecting patients with peer supporters early, giving them hope right away
-Nurses offering encouragement during the hardest days
-Therapists celebrating small wins like they were huge milestones

For Patients

• Talk about prevention of diabetes- and PAD-related limb loss, including risk factors, prevention, and available support, to increase awareness in your community as well as improve the lives of people at risk for limb loss—and their families. If you or your loved one is living with limb loss, use your voice to help raise awareness or share your experience with our team – by participating in the Our Voices, Our Stories project.
• If you have diabetes, taking care of your feet is crucial for preventing complications like nerve damage, ulcers and amputation. Don’t wait until it’s too late; do daily foot exams yourself (check out Caring for Your Feet: Safe Foot Care if You Have Diabetes to learn how) and get your feet checked regularly by an expert.
• Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) can cause wounds that may lead to limb loss. Don't ignore the warning signs! Learn how to prevent amputations and improve your quality of life. Check out If you think it’s JUST leg pain . . . think again to learn more.
• Don’t let delayed diagnosis put you at risk for limb loss associated with PAD and critical limb ischemia. If you have diabetes, talk to your health-care provider to make sure to get screened for PAD regularly to prevent negative outcomes and to lower your amputation risk.

For Health-care Providers

• Did you know that people with diabetes are 15 times more likely to undergo an amputation than those without? Promote diabetes education and prevention to change this statistic. Wounds Canada has a number of patient-focused resources, such as the Diabetes, Healthy Feet and You website and Care at Home series.
• Did you know that prevention is key when it comes to limb loss and limb difference? That’s why we’ve developed resources to help health-care professionals prevent and manage these types of wounds. Check out the updated best practice recommendations for Peripheral Arterial Ulcers and Diabetic Foot Ulcers for the latest research-based information that you can apply to your practice today.

For Policy Makers

• Advocate for policies that prioritize timely screening and prevention. See the Pathway for Preventing Diabetic Foot Complications and Pathway for Preventing and Managing Arterial Wounds for overviews of optimum care pathways for addressing the issue of limb loss caused by diabetes and arterial insufficiency.

For everyone

• Join the conversation and raise awareness about diabetes and PAD-related limb loss by getting involved with us on social media. Following, liking, replying to and reposting Wounds Canada’s messages on X, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn can amplify our message and promote important prevention resources throughout the month of April. Just use the hashtags #ActAgainstAmputation #LimbLossAwarenessMonth #PAD.
• Make a charitable donation to Wounds Canada to help us provide essential support and resources to those affected by limb loss. Your generosity can change lives! Donate here.

In 2023 Wounds Canada joined forces with the American Limb Preservation Society, the Canadian Podiatric Medical Association and D-Foot International to create a Limb Preservation Alliance to address, promote and advocate for limb preservation. The new alliance aligns with Wounds Canada’s mission to enable health-care providers to improve their practice and ensure the best possible care for persons with wounds or at risk for developing wounds. In 2024, the Caribbean Wounds Network joined the alliance.