6 - Wednesday, January 4, 1989 - Capilano Chronicle

Capilano man
has spent 44
years helping
other amputees

“IT’S WHAT’S left that counts.”

That's the message Capilano res-
ident Jack Agnew has been pro-
moting for 44 years as a member
of the War <Amputations of
Canada.

Having lost a leg after being in-
jured overseas in
spent a year in Italian and British
hospitals before his return to
Canada. Upon his arrival in
Halifax, he was met at the dock by
an amputee from the First World
War, a member of the War Am-
putations of Canada who wanted
to tell him that ‘‘just . because
you've lost a leg doesn’t mean
your life is over.””

Agnew joined the War Amps’
Vancouver branch that same year,
and since then has volunteered in a
variety of roles. In 1962 he was the
first person out of the Toronto
area to be elected to the organiza-
tion’s national council, and has
subsequently served as vice-presi-
dent and, for the past six years,

_ President.

As national president, Agnew’s
duties include chairing the annual
meetings which are held in dif-
ferent Jocations each year, and he
also takes on many speaking
engagements throughout the coun-
try. .

He and other members of the
organization —- who all lost limbs
in the First or Second World Wars
or the Korean War —- also spend
time visiting people in hospitals
who have experienced amputation.
Members visit the patients prior to
their operation, do a follow-up
afterwards and guide them in the
use of their new prosthesis. ‘It's a
big help to them,"’ said Agnew.

While the provincial government
pays’ 80 per cent of the cost of an
artificial limb, if the patient has
difficulty in paying the remaining
20.:per cent, the War Amps
organization will be able to assist
financially. .

Since 1975, another major focus

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1362 Marine Drive
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1943, Agnew,

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of the War Amps has been their
Child Amputee (CHAMP) pro-
gram, which provides counselling
and financial help to children who
have lost limbs.

**They're in a winners” circle,"
Agnew said of the child amputees,
whose extra effort and determina-
tion he sees as they conquer activi-
ties that their able-bodied peers
may undertake with ease.

Agnew says PLAYSAFE is
another program that grew out of
CHAMPS when the War Amps

recognized how many children lost
arms or legs through accidents.
PLAYSASE sees. CHAMPS
spreading the message to all other
kids their own age:. don’t play
around train tracks, machinery,

hydro towers or other hazardous —

areas. The safety education takes
the form of videos .on_ which
CHAMPS appear, safety floats in
parades across the country and
public service television ap-
pearances by Astar, the organiza-
tion’s futuristic safety. hero, a
character designed io appeal
directly to children.

Agnew said he is currently sit-
ting. on a committee, set up by
Rick Hansen’s, Man in Motion
organization and the ministry of
education, which is designing an
elementary school curriculum
about people who live with a varie-
ty of disabilities. Agnew said he
hopes the program will be im-
plemented in September 1989.

Other projects undertaken by
the War Amps include fighting for

legislative improvements in war- :

disabled veterans’ pensions, the
sponsoring “of . sporting activities
for amputees, CHAMP seminars,
the development of new, specializ-
ed prosthesis and Never Again, a
four-part video series that © il-
lustrates war’s dehumanizing hor-

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JACK AGNEW, an amputee from World War II, has been a member of the War Amputations of Caneda for

: photo Torry Paters

44 years and currently serves as the volunteer organization's national presidert. He displays pamphlets that

describe only a few of the War Amps activities, which inclu

awareness and specialized prosthesis development. ‘ .

ror. Never Again, like the other
video productions produced by the
War Amps, can be borrowed free
of charge from the organization.

In recognition of his many years
of service with the War Amps,
Agnew this year received the fed-
eral government’s Canadian Vol-
unteer Award, and has in the past
been given the Meritorious Award
and the Distinguished Service
Membership from the War Am-
putations of Canada. The Veterans

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M-F 8:30-5:30
Sat. 8:30-5:00

980-9115.

Association of Canada, on whose
national council he also serves, has
awarded him their National Coun-
ci) of Veterans Merit Award.

Agnew, who retired in 1981 after
36 years with the B.C. Forest Ser-
vice, has lived with his wife Mary
in their home near- Edgemont
Village for 39 years.

He has served on the board of
directors at Highlands United

ide counselling, video production, children's safety

Church for the past 30 years, and
has coached . soccer and Little
League baseball.

Agnew shows no sign of easing
up on the amount of time he
Spends on his many service activi-
tles — when you retire, there's just
not enough hours in the day, he
says. As for his work with the am-
putces of Canada, he said, ‘‘I’ll
never give up. I'll do it till I die.”

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