Each year 185,000 amputations occur in the United States, largely due to vascular disease, and 60 percent are preventable. Over 2 million Americans currently live with limb loss, and that number is expected to double by 2050 unless a major public awareness campaign and key preventive initiatives are launched. The Amputee Coalition is on a mission to increase awareness about those living with limb loss and limb loss prevention.The Amputee Coalition has asked President Obama to declare April as Limb Loss Awareness Month. 

"Limb loss is not uncommon and it affects every generation, from young to old, and people from all walks of life. Statistics show that those at greatest risk are people who have diabetes or a vascular impairment such as peripheral arterial disease."With over 28 million Americans living with diabetes, and with diabetes and peripheral vascular disease being the leading causes of limb loss, this is a significant public health concern," said Kendra Calhoun, Amputee Coalition president and CEO "If you are a smoker, your risk of limb loss increases 25 times. African Americans are four times more likely to lose a limb than non-Hispanic white people."