Peggy Chenoweth and David McGill founded the amp’d podcast (www.ampdpod.com) in 2013.
Chenoweth is a former consultant in the prosthetics industry and the founder of the Amputeemommy blog (http://amputeemommy.blogspot.com). McGill is an attorney who co-founded a prosthetics facility and works for a global prosthetic components manufacturer, where he specializes in reimbursement and issues that affect access to appropriate prosthetic care. He also authors his own limb loss/difference blog, Less Is More (https://limblogger.com).
Following is our conversation with Chenoweth and McGill:
Amplitude: How did amp’d begin?
amp’d: We [Chenoweth and McGill] first met in 2007, while jointly preparing to brief Medicare coding officials about the possibility of expanding amputees’ access to certain prosthetic components. We stayed in touch, and following many in-depth conversations, we realized that our post-amputation experiences had some similarities but also many key differences, resulting in different but equally valid perspectives on the same issue. Years later, someone who overheard one of our spirited discussions commented that it would be fantastic for more people to hear this kind of dialogue. We looked at each other and asked, “Why aren’t we doing that?” The amp’d podcast was born shortly thereafter.
Amplitude: What are your goals and some of your main accomplishments?
amp’d: Our mission is to provide individuals with limb loss/difference information and resources that improve their lives. Focusing on a single topic in each podcast allows us to delve deeply into issues, helping our listeners better understand their complexities.
In January, we launched our website, which provides tools and resources that logically flow from our podcasts. Since then, our biggest accomplishment has been the development of a crowdsourced Amputee Bill of Rights. We think it is the best document anywhere listing the fundamental rights that every individual with limb loss/difference is entitled to.
Also, we’ve issued three Calls to Action for amp’d activists—two centered on healthcare reform and protecting the community’s access to appropriate medical care, and one focused on a bill that would provide greater transparency into the process by which Medicare contractors can change the coverage requirements for prosthetic devices. Our podcasts explain the issues in detail, and the tools on our website help amputees make their voices heard.
Amplitude: How can others get involved?
amp’d: Amputees can help amp’d grow by subscribing to our podcast and newsletter, by following us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/ampdpod) and Twitter (@Ampdpod), and by telling others about our resources.
