Let’s face it. Many of us are drowning in emails, have an almost endless list of ‚I should really read this article’ items, while simultaneously trying to keep up with interesting trends and new developments on social media and the news. And yes, it is great to be a well informed amputee. Someone who is on top of exciting research that has the power to positively affect the lives of hundreds of thousands of people with a limb difference. And yes, it can be a live-changing moment if you stumble across information about funding opportunities that open the door to a new activity, the possibility to participate in special events, or to finally be able to purchase the adaptive equipment you just couldn’t afford by yourself. And yes, there are pioneering initiatives out there that are worth learning more about. And often the best way to stay in the loop is by signing up to a number of newsletters from a wide range of organizations that deliver most of these news straight into your inbox. But these mails still need to be read. And we all know it’s not easy to find the time to do all that without it becoming a full-time job. 

To make things easier for you, I had a look at a whole range of newsletters, assessed their content for relevance and quality of information, and then eliminated one after another from my list so that in the end there was only one newsletter left. So if you only sign up to one of these newsletters, you might want to check out the winner of my - admittedly very personal - selection process.

So….drumroll please… here we go.

If you ask me, there is only one newsletter you really need to be well informed about relevant information for people with a limb difference. And the newsletter I am talking about is Amplitude by Amplitude Magazine. It is published on a weekly basis and is an amazing resource if you want information on a wide variety of issues from all aspects of life. Amplitude provides - and here I quote from their website - ‚valuable and unbiased news, information, and resources for amputees who want to live more fully, as well as articles and information relevant to their families and their caregivers. It offers content on a wide variety of topics, including peer support, active living, emotional issues, health and wellness, mobility, and adaptive living—anything that will help amputees enjoy all that life has to offer.’ That captures it nicely. No matter if we talk research and development, life style, personal stories, sports, you name it, the newsletter cover all the aspects and is a great one-stop-shop for people with a limb difference. So if you ask me, this is the one newsletter you should sign up to. And in terms of general information and being well informed, this is all you need.

To learn more about Living with Amplitude click here.

If you are interested in more information and in using resources from a variety of different organizations, maybe tailor-made to the region you are from, then here are a few other publications you might want to check out.

Generally speaking, The Amputee Coalition in the United States offers an amazing range or resources and services supporting its efforts to - and here I quote the organization’s mission and vision - ‚reach out to and empower people affected by limb loss to achieve their full potential through education, support and advocacy, and to promote limb loss prevention‘. Much of it is mainly relevant to amputees resident in the United States. But there is also plenty of much needed information all of us can benefit from. To learn more about The Amputee Coalition and to stay in the loop of what it has to offer, sign up to its quarterly newsletter called On the Move.

To learn more about The Amputee Coalition click here.

If you life in the United Kingdom, there are two newsletters that stick out from the crowd. The first one I can highly recommend - especially for being who want to be active and are always on the lookout to be physically active and try out something new - is LimbPower. The organization - and again I am citing them in their own words - ‚supports amputees, individuals with limb difference and their families to bridge the gap between hospital rehabilitation and community and school engagement to rebuild lives and improve physical, social and mental well-being.

To learn more about LimbPower click here.

The second newsletter I want to draw your attention to is by The Limbless Association. The organization has been around since the early/mir 1980s and is the largest civilian limb loss organization with a wealth of experiences and a wide range or services and resources offering information, advice and support for amputees, their family and friends and professionals.

To learn more about The Limbless Association click here.

For people living in Australia, I can highly recommend the newsletter from The Start Foundation. The organization focusses on empowering amputees through sport and active live styles. And its  newsletter is a great reflection about the work of The Start Foundation, sharing stories, informing about grant opportunities, and providing ands-on advice for amputees who want to be physically active.

To learn more about The Start Foundation click here.

Number two on my list of organizations from Australia is Limbs4Life, an organization whose work is build around the conviction that no one should have to go through limb loss alone. 

To learn more about Limbs4Life click here.

So much for the English speaking world. And as I am based in Germany, I tried hard to come up with good resources from here and in German. But to be honest I wasn’t very successful. So far, there is not a single newsletter that really convince me. I will explore this further and keep you in the loop. And if you know of interesting material I might have overlooked, please let me know. That would be ace. I will check it out and potentially share recommendations here on the blog as well as on social media.