Life and Limb

Despite facing her share of travel challenges as an above-knee amputee and someone living with rheumatoid arthritis, those experiences have fueled Tanya Rabe’s passion for making travel accessible to everyone. That passion includes finding detours around roadblocks to make for accessible adventures. Tanya does that for clients with and without disabilities through Right Foot Adventures, her own travel agency. For Tanya, it’s all about research, planning ahead, problem-solving and confidence. She shares how she helps take away the fear of traveling with a disability that so many of us can experience, and offers tips for choosing the right travel agent, and the right destination and accessible accommodations for peace of mind.

Dionne Chambers is a personal injury lawyer, experienced in claims for clients with a wide range of serious injuries including amputation, brain injury and psychological trauma. Her work with amputee clients has increased her awareness of the gaps in meeting their needs, particularly in the area of peer support. As such, she has partnered with a Niagara-area amputee to establish a peer support group in that region. Dionne advocates for her clients regularly throughout their recovery and rehabilitation and is now bringing insights from client experiences and needs to the Amputee Coalition of Canada as its newest board member.

Erez Avramov, nicknamed “The Man Who Refuses to Die”, is an internationally-recognized resiliency expert who’s been trained and shaped by life’s most challenging adversities. Three near-death experiences, and an elective amputation, have given him a unique perspective about life. Deeply driven to explore human potential, Erez has uncovered the inner workings of resiliency and is the founder of Life Rebuilder Academy. He shares proven methodologies that he developed to harness the power of adversity so others can transform their lives as well. Erez changes the conversation from “why did this happen?” to “how can I use this to transform my life?”

Greg Westlake was the long-time captain of the Canadian Para Ice Hockey Team, a five-time Paralympian and three-time medalist. He’s worked as a CBC broadcaster and was the host of AMI’s Level Playing Field program, showcasing para-athlete stories. Westlake had both legs amputated below the knee when he was just 18 months old. Now a dad of two, a video production company owner, and a spokesperson for numerous organizations, he shares with listeners what he’s still learning about disability, himself and other amputees.

Unstoppable Tracy is about more than inspiration. She provides life-changing action-able results. She has a #1 Best Selling Book and is a Female Transformational Global Leader winner. She’s earned awards as an athlete, businesswoman and for her work in underdeveloped countries. She has spoken to audiences in over 40 countries and is Toronto’s most virally viewed speaker with over 30 million views in three months in 2019. Born a four-way amputee, she’s climbed the Himalayan mountains, captained a towering 110-foot tall-ship, and conquered challenges that many would never dare attempt. Unstoppable Tracy has never let limits define her and promotes to others that they need not as well.

Rob Larman lost his right leg above-the-knee when he was 14 after a friend dared him to jump on a slow-moving freight train. He ended up under the wheels. But not long after, he became one of the early graduates of The War Amps Child Amputee Program. Forty-plus years after his injury he’s still part of the “CHAMP” program, with 25 of those years as the Director of the Association’s PLAYSAFE/DRIVESAFE program. An educator and role model, Larman talks about parenting with a disability, and support for families of child amputees.

Motivational speaker Michael Laughlin has brought his extraordinary story of trauma, loss, love, resilience, hope and triumph to readers with his new book “Untapped 60” to encourage others to face vulnerabilities and find strength in the face of adversity. Mike is a career firefighter with Kingston Fire & Rescue. He has faced unimaginable personal and professional challenges in his life, and defied tremendous odds to twice return to his career to become Canada's only full-time above-knee firefighter.

A nurse of 40+ years and an above-knee amputee of about seven, Kirsten Woodend has experienced healthcare from both sides - practitioner and patient - and shares the irony of how little she knew about amputation, let alone what a "prosthetist" is? She's an associate professor of nursing at Trent University and a two-time Dean of Trent’s School of Nursing. Today, Kirsten is the president of the Amputee Coalition of Canada (ACC). Her current research in osseointegration and peer visiting serves ACA's primary pillar of Peer Support very well. 

A talented hairstylist and a survivor of domestic violence, Larissa Camp found herself fleeing for her life when an ex-boyfriend shot her twice at close range with a shotgun. She suffered life-altering injuries, including the loss of four fingers on her right hand. But with strength and determination she’s found her purpose. She says, “I was given a story to share with the world in hopes of inspiring others to move forward despite challenges they may face.”

Tom Williams started STAND (formerly Legs for Africa) after a trip to The Gambia more than a decade ago. It was there where he met a gentleman in need of a prosthetic limg, a leg lost to diabetes. Tom sourced one for him, and 10 years later his organization has rescued and recycled over 18,000 prosthetic legs for others in need across sub-Saharan Africa. Listen to his remarkable story of humanitarian impact.