Limb Loss and Limb Difference Awareness Month 2026: Ways to Get Involved
Reading Time: 5 minutes
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Summary:
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April is Limb Loss and Limb Difference Awareness Month, and 2026 marks the Amputee Coalition’s 40th anniversary
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Wear orange every Wednesday in April and post with #WearOrangeWednesday #LLLDAM2026
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Show Your Mettle Day is April 25—share a photo of your prosthesis, device, or symbol of strength
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Join the #40Challenge: create, move, donate, advocate, or connect in any way that’s authentic to you
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April is Limb Loss and Limb Difference Awareness Month (LLLDAM), and this year carries extra significance as the Amputee Coalition, the organization behind LLLDAM, celebrates 40 years of community, advocacy, and progress—and they’re inviting you to be part of it.
This month, every action, story, and voice shapes the next 40 years for the Amputee Coalition’s work and the limb loss and limb difference community in the U.S. Whether you’re a person living with limb loss or limb difference, a caregiver, a healthcare professional, or an ally, here are some of the meaningful ways to show up this month.
The #40Challenge
There’s more than one way to celebrate, and the Amputee Coalition wants to hear your stories. Whether you create, move, donate, advocate, or connect, your participation matters. Use the hashtags #40YearsStrong, #LLLDAM2026, #WeTHRIVE, and #ShowUsYour40 across social media to amplify your voice and join the movement.
Join the Proclamation Challenge
The Amputee Coalition aims to make April officially recognized as Limb Loss and Limb Difference Awareness Month across all 50 states. With your support, we can encourage action, increase awareness, and highlight the needs of the more than 5.6 million individuals in the U.S. living with limb loss or difference. Take the pledge today.
Share Your NLLRC Story
For four decades, the National Limb Loss Resource Center (NLLRC), through the Amputee Coalition’s work with the Administration for Community Living (ACL), has helped provide trusted information, resources, and support to individuals and families across the country. This campaign invites you to share how the NLLRC has supported you or your family. Share your story today.
Lead or Join A Support Group
Looking to strengthen connections in your community? Lead a support group and help create spaces for shared understanding and support. If you’re interested, you can sign up here.
Become a Certified Peer Visitor
This month, you can lend a helping hand by sharing your strength with others who are new to the amputee journey. If you feel called to help others, think about becoming a Certified Peer Visitor (CPV). The Amputee Coalition’s CPV Training Program prepares individuals to provide more than support, but also hope and a compassionate listening ear to people who are adjusting to life with limb loss or limb difference. You can register to become a CPV here.
Mixed-Medium Art Challenge
Art has the capacity to bypass intellectual resistance and engage people emotionally. This month, you can use art, photography, writing, or any creative medium to express your experience and perspective. Submit your creations here.
Weekly themes
If you’d like to further spread awareness to others outside the limb loss and limb difference community on social media, there are more ways to spread the word.
Each week in April focuses on a different theme to share stories, encourage participation, and build community.
Week 1: Your Story – Week 1 invited participants to share their story—how they became part of the limb loss and limb difference community, what the month means to them, and the moments that shaped their path. The week also kicked off the first Wear Orange Wednesday of the month on April 1.
Week 2: Growth and Perspective - #ThenVsNow – Week 2 reflects on growth and perspective, both personal and collective. Over the last four decades, the limb loss and limb difference community has expanded through shared knowledge, collective efforts, and resilience. This week’s theme provides an opportunity to reflect on the changes you've experienced, lessons you've learned, and aspects of living with limb loss or limb difference that you want others to better understand. Share your #ThenVsNow using #LLLDAM2026.
Week 3: Community and Connection – Week 3’s theme highlights the individuals and relationships that have sustained this community for four decades. Caregivers, mentors, allies, and peers have shaped both personal journeys and the broader movement. Take this time to acknowledge those who have supported you and reflect on what community truly means to you.
Week 4: Carrying It Forward – This final week is about what we carry forward—the traditions, lessons, and values built over the past 40 years that will continue to shape the future of the limb loss and limb difference community. Awareness doesn’t end after April 30th; it continues through action, involvement, and connection.
Additional ways to spread awareness
Wear Orange Wednesdays
Every Wednesday in April, wear orange to show your support. Snap a photo and post it using #WearOrangeWednesday and #LLLDAM2026, and tag @AmputeeCoalition. Upcoming Wear Orange Wednesdays fall on April 8, 15, and 22.
Show Your Mettle Day – April 25
The final Saturday of April is designated as Show Your Mettle Day, a day dedicated to encouraging people to showcase their “mettle”—including wheelchairs, prosthetic and orthotic devices, crutches, and other assistive equipment. On April 25, post a picture in your mettle and tag @AmputeeCoalition. Share what it symbolizes on your journey using #LLLDAM2026 and #ShowUsYour40.
Download the LLLDAM Toolkit
If you want to include visuals or need help crafting your social media posts, the Amputee Coalition has created a toolkit, featuring printable posters and banners, social media images, and sample posts. You can download the toolkit here.
Related Reading:
Coping With Limb Loss: Community Awareness is Crucial
Nationwide Peer Mentorship Network Helps People Thrive After Limb Loss
