KENS-TV Ch. 5 CBS - Amputee Coalition of America - BAMC offering new program for amputees

Brooke Army Medical Center is hosting a new program to help its wounded warriors. Recovered amputees and their spouses act as mentors to the newly injured.

In Sept. 2005, in a northern Iraqi city, Sgt. Steve Robison was ambushed by enemy small-arms fire. He ended up losing his left leg below the knee and having part of his right leg muscle removed. It was a life-changing moment.

"In order to keep a foot, you need to have one artery to maintain that foot," Robison said. "All four of my arteries that lead down to my foot in my leg were all blown. They couldn't repair it, so they had to amputate in Iraq."

Limb loss is one of the hallmark injuries of the Iraq War. Now the dozens of amputee soldiers recovering at Brooke Army Medical Center will be getting some welcome help.

The Wounded Warrior Project and the Amputee Coalition of America are teaming up to help soldiers make a difficult transition. They're training this week and will soon be sending people to meet one-on-one with injured troops relearning how to do everyday tasks.

"They have incredible physical rehabilitation," said Pat Isenberg, with the Amputee Coalition of America. "And what we're trying to do is, through pairing them with a peer who's been through a similar experience, focus on their emotional recovery and make sure that's every bit as successful as well."

The Peer Visitor Program has been successful at Walter Reed Hospital in Washington, D.C., and Balboa Naval Hospital in San Diego. It's expanding now to San Antonio.

Robison, who now lives in San Antonio, says a positive outlook on your new prosthetic limb can mean the difference between defeat and success.

"You know, having an injury doesn't mean that you're disabled," he said. "I think disability really comes into your mind and not because of your injuries."

Robison says he has been able to do some things he didn't do before he was an amputee. He has been downhill skiing and ran the entire San Antonio Rock 'n' Roll Marathon.

By Wendy Rigby - KENS 5 Eyewitness News

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• Amputees