For the Townsman
Nicole Byford, 16, and Reese Fichten, 9, of Cranbrook, have just returned from The War Amps 2015 BC Child Amputee (CHAMP) Seminar in Vancouver, which brought together young amputees from across the province. This year marks the 40th anniversary of CHAMP which has provided generations of child amputees, with financial assistance for artificial limbs, regional seminars and peer support.
Nicole was born a partial left hand amputee and Reese was born a double arm amputee. They attended the three-day seminar with their moms where they learned about the latest developments in artificial limbs, dealing with teasing and bullying and parenting an amputee child. Nicole was also a Junior Counsellor at the Seminar, acting as a role model and offering advice to the younger Champs.