A Grande Prairie woman is looking to collect signatures for a petition to have computerized prosthetics funded for amputees. Angela Oakley says after having over 30 surgeries in the past five years and spending two years in the hospital to try to save her mobility she had an above-knee amputation in 2020.
She says the hope of the petition, in addition to a letter she drafted to Health Minister Tyler Shandro and Alberta Health, is it will lead to the costs of computerized prosthetics being covered by the Province of Alberta. She adds the computerized prosthetics she requires runs anywhere from $50,000 to $80,000, which has to be paid out of pocket.
“I can’t use a regular mechanical knee, I have too much damage to my leg… so, I have to use one of these joints, and even trying to fight with my private insurance, they don’t want to cover it,” she says.
Oakley says since being in a wheelchair, she has been unable to continue her work as a veterinarian, or be involved in the community as she had previously.
“Now I’m confined to places my wheelchair can go, and in a place like Grande Prairie, that’s actually pretty limited. I can’t even get into my own office.”
A GoFundMe has since been started by friends of Oakley to help pay for her new joint, but, in the end, she says the goal will be to work with the government into making long-lasting, substantial change.
“They don’t have an appeal process in Alberta to fight for it… we’re just behind the eight ball; we’re living in the dark ages when it comes to prosthetics.”
Oakley says she is demoing several different prosthetic knees to help her decide on one that works for her. You can find the petition here.