Each Remembrance Day, like many others, Selena Smakal visits the cenotaph in Vancouver to pay her respects. This year was different for Smakal who, now back in her hometown of Crofton, reflected at the cenotaph in Chemainus.
“It was really special to come back to my hometown and show my support where my roots are, especially with my mom and my young son,” Smakal says.
For Smakal and her family, Remembrance Day is more than just a yearly opportunity to reflect. She became an amputee when she was less than a year old and joined the War Amps Child Amputee (CHAMP) Program soon after, a program that has had a lasting influence on her life.
“Honestly, I think it's made me the person I am today and given me the confidence to go after certain things in life and not hold back,” Smakal says. “I 100 per cent attribute the characteristics that I have to growing up with that support system provided by the CHAMP program.”
Founded in 1918 by veterans of the First World War, War Amps supports Canadian amputees of all ages through funding, advocacy, and education. CHAMP equips child amputees with tools for future independence. It’s a program Smakal credits with giving her resilience and an invaluable community.
“What's made the hugest impact on me is just that connection, that emotional support,” says Smakal. “You get to meet other kids that have gone through similar experiences as amputees, whether they are arm amputees, leg amputees. You get to talk about your experiences — the good, the bad, the funny — and just connect on a level that you might not be able to connect with other people.”
As an adult, Smakal serves as a B.C. representative for CHAMP, showing her gratitude by supporting the next generation of child amputees and their families. She meets with local child amputees and their families to share her experiences, visits schools to give presentations on the work of the organization, and supports Operation Legacy, an initiative that sees child amputees honour the sacrifices of veterans and the organization's founders by participating in wreath laying and other commemorative activities.
“I want to honour and remember what they've done, for me specifically, and for so many other people,” says Smakal. She invites others to honour veterans' sacrifices by supporting War Amps, ensuring their legacy lives on.
