In honor of Limb Loss Awareness Month, REHAB caught up with Eric Welton, the founder of Aloha Limbs Amputee Support Group (ALASG)! The group meets monthly onsite at REHAB Nuuanu and is a great resource for support and connection between people living with limb loss and limb differences, as well as their families and support crews.
“When I lost my leg, my family took it much harder than I did, and seeing people functioning in regular life with a prosthesis made them feel much better about my journey,” Eric shared.
The monthly meetings are a “talk story” format with no formal agenda, instead focusing on creating a space for the community to gather with others who face similar challenges. “Sharing experiences in life and every day activities helps to normalize life with a prosthesis,” Eric explained. “There are things I've figured out about getting in the water, hiking, skydiving, freediving etc., that I can share in five minutes and take months of trial and error out of the equation. Even simple things like how to carry a glass of water while using crutches can be greatly helpful.”
“A sense of community has been shown to have immense health and happiness benefits and we amputees often find ourselves excluded from the things we used to do and the people we used to hang out with. [At Aloha Limbs Amputee Support Group] we are changing that!” - Eric Welton
The ultimate goal of the support group is to build a community that can uplift one another as they take on life as amputees. “A sense of community has been shown to have immense health and happiness benefits and we amputees often find ourselves excluded from the things we used to do and the people we used to hang out with. [At ALASG] we are changing that!” Eric said. REHAB is proud to partner with ALASG to provide the amputee community with an intentional space for connection, understanding and encouragement.
Interested in learning more about REHAB’s services for amputees or the Aloha Limbs Amputee Support Group? Email us at community@rehabhospital.org!