Launch of "Association to Change the Future of Prosthetic Legs" to Share Real Life on SNS Started discussions with the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, the prefecture and the city ～We want to tell people that even if their legs are amputated, they have a bright future ahead of them.

Kazuki Otsuka (resident of Gifu City), who has now positively returned to society as a prosthetic leg user and established the "Association to Change the Future of Prosthetic Legs," transmits the real life of those involved through his blog and SNS. He has begun to receive sympathies and advice from people who are going through similar experiences.

Blog "Steps of a father with a prosthetic leg

https://gisoku-life.com/

●Instagram (Kazu, the father with the prosthetic thigh leg)

https://www.instagram.com/gisoku_maemuki/ @gisoku_maemuki

Representative of Association to Change the Future of Prosthetic Legs

■The reason why I started disseminating information on prosthetic legs was because "there is not enough information about prosthetic legs.

The reason why I started to disseminate information about prosthetic legs is because of my own experience. When I was told by a doctor that my right leg was going to be amputated, my fear and anxiety led me to search for real voices and information from prosthetic leg users, but I could not find much. Based on this experience, I decided to start sending out information on social networking sites and blogs, hoping that my messages would be a guide for others.

Real voices of prosthetic leg users, sometimes consulted by those who are suffering from problems

He wants to convey the message that "even if your leg is amputated, your future is bright," so he shares his real daily life, such as traveling, watching soccer games as a hobby, and living with his children. She also provides information on the advantages and problems of wearing a prosthetic leg, which she understands only because she is a person with a disability, as well as information on job hunting and marriage hunting for people with disabilities. Then, we began to receive inquiries from people who were facing the same decision of amputating their legs. They wanted to know if they should have a prosthetic leg, what life is like with a prosthetic leg, and which hospitals were recommended. It was the moment I realized that my message might be useful.

Piling up issues related to the prosthetic foot system - collecting signatures and lobbying the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare

I have learned about some things only because I have become a prosthetic leg user. The current welfare system is riddled with problems. That is why we launched the "Association to Change the Future of Prosthetic Legs. We collected signatures from prosthetic leg users all over Japan, and in January 2025, we were able to meet directly with Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare officials to discuss the issue.

We also believe that it is important to change the system from the local level, so we are also in discussions with the city hall. It is not easy to change the system, but we will continue to work steadily, one step at a time.

Future Activities: Providing Opportunities for the Future Generation to Learn about Prosthetic Legs

In the future, we would like to give more lectures at elementary, junior high, and high schools, as well as at medical universities (especially for students who aim to become doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, and prosthetists). We want people to first become aware of the existence of "prosthetic legs," as there are few opportunities to see prosthetic legs in person, even though they may see wheelchairs on the street. I would also like to convey the message that amputation is not the end of life, and that it is possible to live a bright life.

＜Profile of Kazuki Otsuka

Kazuki Otsuka was diagnosed with osteosarcoma (cancer) as a high school student and experienced 10 months of anti-cancer drug treatment. Once he returned to society with an artificial joint, but at the age of 34, he had to have his right leg amputated above the knee due to an infection. After rehabilitation with a prosthetic leg, he returned to work. He is now a two-year prosthetic leg user and a father of two children. His hobby is going all over Japan to support FC Gifu. Even with his prosthetic leg, he is active and has a wide range of activities.

His motto is "Enjoy life, it's a win-win situation.

Cheering for FC Gifu at Axis Bird Stadium in Tottori Prefecture