Throw-back to early April 2017. Back then, I sat in my office, all excited, and pressed the 'publish' button on this blog for the very first time. After a long night, polishing the first four blog articles, fixing bugs, checking links, and preparing all my material for the big day, it was finally time to launch The Active Amputee. So in two days, we are celebrating the fifth birthday of this resource page (the blog and the podcast). And we celebrate in style by adding a German version, thus reaching out to a new audience and making all the information, hundreds of articles, and new podcast available to an even wider community. Some of it right now, and more over the coming weeks and months.

What is new? What can you expect from The Active Amputee from April 1st, 2022?

Well, that is easy to answer. As in the past, you will see more amazing and highly relevant content here for people affected by limb loss as well people working with the limb loss community, but in more languages.

For the English-speaking audience, nothing will change. I will publish new articles regularly to inform you about new developments, share inspiring stories, and encourage you to be active. In addition, I will continue to produce a monthly podcast. The April episode is already in the making. And - a little teaser - this time you can look forward to an interview with Nate Denofre, the first double amputee to canoe the entire Mississippi. 

For the German-speaker among you, things will get easier. While many people from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland are able to understand Englisch, I have been approached over and over again by people who were struggling, thus not fully benefiting from the information I provide and the support I aim to offer. So the idea of also publishing in German has been on my mind for some time. But...

And that is a big but. I run The Active Amputee as a side hustle, mainly in my spare time and with my own resources. As a father of three, a husband, a freelancer and entrepreneur, with a whole range of interests and the urge to be out in nature as much as possible, I just didn't manage to free up the time, energy, and headspace such a new commitment needs. Not until now, that is. 

But starting on April 1st, 2022 (no, not an April fools day joke) things will change. The first 15 articles in German are translated, inserted into my content management system for the blog, and are ready to go. More material is in the making and will be added over the coming weeks and months.

Similarly, the first four episodes of the German edition of the podcast have been recorded, edited, and wait on my hosting side to find their way to you from Friday onwards. Episode number 5 is almost there and will be available in May. More interviews are schedules and things look great.

I chose April 1st, 2022 to launch this new venture of mine for the following two reasons. 

First and foremost, this page - The Active Amputee - and everything that grew out of it turns five on that very day. Five full years. Wow. I must admit I had no clue where the journey would lead me to when I started. I had an idea, I played around with it for a few weeks, I started to work on a concept, and then I just got going. That's the way I like it. And so far, it worked well.

In addition, April is limb loss awareness month. So it's a good time to add more value to this page, more it a better resource, reach out to an even wider community, and see where it will lead to.

Let me be blunt. There is no way I could have come this far without you. Not in the past. Not in the present. And there is no way I can continue to provide interesting and valuable content regularly in the future without your help and support.

Back in the early days of The Active Amputee, people like the always amazing double amputee circus artist Erin Ball, bomb-blast survivor turned disability activist Malvika Iyer, and my good friend and member of the British paraclimbing team Joana Waterton volunteered articles to get this page off the ground. Many others followed in their footsteps. 'Thank you all! You rock!'

The readership grew, people reached out with feedback, new ideas, concrete questions, and plenty of encouragement to keep going. And let me be honest: Keeping things on track was not always easy. And there were days when I questioned myself, wondering if it is all worth it. If the time is well spent? If the resources are well invested? If anyone actually benefits from what I am offering.

But looking back and recalling the countless amazing chats I had with you, the mails I get, the feedback people leave here as well as on social media speak loudly: The Active Amputee is a used. It's a well-respected and much read resource for the wider limb loss community. It provides information people enjoy. Shares stories that give people hope. And it encourages all of us to be active and live a rewarding life. And hopefully, the new German edition will further strengthen The Active Amputee, make it even better, more relevant, and all in all more interesting.

I want to encourage you to...

...give me feedback and let me know what you like about the page and the podcast, what can be improved, and how, what is missing, and the like!

...be proactive and approach me if you have a story to tell, information to share, offer events and provide other opportunities for people with limb differences.

...tell others about The Active Amputee.

...last but not least: Let me know if you know someone who want to support my work financially.