Group Projects

The group share their own experiences with each other as well as providing support and advice to other amputees and their families, both prior to and after their amputations. There are four registered volunteers within the group that provide this service at Sunderland Royal Hospital. T.A.G.S. is unique as it is the only group of its kind in the North-East of England.

Outreach Project

Some members of the group have been working with professional writer Fiona Evans. There were three two hour sessions writing a script for a play which was performed by student actors at the Seaburn Centre on Thursday the 23rd March 2006. This was an outreach project lead by Amanda Gould from Sunderland City Library. The students from Monkwearmouth School Drama Group worked with the Royal Shakespeare Company who performed Canterbury Tales in the area.

Joyce Owens

Grandmother Joyce Owens was determined not to be beaten after having her left leg amputated to save her life. Joyce 71 of Concord Washington lost her left leg below the knee because of circulation problems associated with her diabetes.
Joyce who is married to Stan 72 said “this is not going to beat me, I will fight this.
I was just so glad to be rid of the pain, you can make an illness of it if you want to but I was determined to be positive and walk again”
Joyce who has two children, three grand-children and a great granddaughter was fitted with an artificial limb and now walks very well, enjoys holidays and generally enjoys life with her family. Both Joyce and Stan joined T.A.G.S. at the groups very first meeting and have been members ever since. Joyce said “It’s lovely, I’ve met some very nice people in similar circumstances to me and it makes you realise that you are not alone. I would definitely encourage other people to come along.
Joyce is now secretary for T.A.G.S.

Ken Bruce

Courageous grandad Ken has battled back three times from the devastation of amputations. Ken from Seaham is learning to walk for the third time after losing both his legs below the knee and then most recently his right knee joint because of complications associated with diabetes. He was only 37 when his right leg was amputated. Ken admits he was terrified but said “this is not going to beat me, I will walk again. Now 58 years old and after his most recent amputations, amazingly Ken still lives a very active life devoting much of his time to T.A.G.S.
During his recuperation at Sunderland Royal Hospital Ken discussed setting up a support group for amputees with vascular nurse specialist Ruth Chipp.
T.A.G.S. was launched four years ago with Ken as chairman; his partner Jeannie Glendinning also does a lot of work for the group. Ken said “we try to make other amputees feel that they are not alone and that they are part of our family because that is what the group feels like, a family”
Ken is a volunteer for the NHS trust and recently received a special award at a National Volunteers Week celebration hosted by Sunderland social services and NHS trusts. He said” I enjoy talking to amputees if they want to talk to me, at least I can offer some much needed advice and share experiences with them”