The 2017 AOPA World Congress was a whirlwind of excitement, generating a contagious buzz throughout the educational sessions and exhibit hall.  With over 2,500 people registered (from 41 different countries), the show hit record attendance.

Hosted in Las Vegas, Nevada, the show offered a broad range of product showcases, extraordinary special events, presentations on innovative technology, and an abundance of continued education courses covering topics like Osseointegration, Exoskeletons, Gait Salvage, and the latest in clinical research.

Unique to the show was AOPA’s 100 Year Anniversary, tagged by the team as a celebration of a century envisioning the next. Attendees had the opportunity to Walk-through Time  with AOPA in a special showcase located in the Exhibit Hall.  Historical perspectives, artifacts, and photos were on display, inviting attendees to learn about the origin and growth of the O&P Industry.

– See below for a Cascade Recap of the 2017 AOPA World Congress Highlights –

Vegas Spirit Contest

The Welcome Reception kicked off in true Vegas style, with a performance by the Las Vegas production of La Reva – the Dream. The “Cascade Pack” was a sight to be seen in 1920’s flapper dresses and traditional paper boy drabs. Along with full costumes, a lot of time and effort was put into perfecting a 1920’s Vegas booth design and decor. The biggest complement to the effort was the 1^st Place Vegas Spirit Award in the Medium Size Booth category.  Thank you to all those that voted for the Cascade booth.  Congrats to those who received awards in additional categories.

Spirit Awards

Large Size Booth: College Park Industries                                                                       Medium Size Booth: Cascade Orthopedic Supply, Inc.                                                          Small Size Booth: LimbTex Ltd.

Win with Cascade Contest                                          

Attendees had the chance to stop by the Cascade booth and pick up a “Win with Cascade” scratcher! Along with a fun assortment of prizes, customers had the opportunity to win a Grand Prize Trip to Cascade and a tour of the local Chico area!   The lucky Grand Prize Winner was Bio Tech Limb and Brace of Birmingham, Alabama.  Cascade is excited to host Bio Tech in lovely Chico, California.  Thank you to everyone who participated…it goes to show that everyone is a winner with Cascade!

Award Winning AOPA Members

Ralph R. “Ronney” Snell Legislative Advocacy Award Recipients

The Ralph R. “Ronney” Snell, CPO, FAAOP, Legislative Advocacy Award recognizes individuals who have made valuable contributions toward advancing the legislative and regulatory goals of the O&P field by motivating members of Congress and other decision makers to take action on behalf of O&P. – AOPA

Arron Holms – founder of Wiggle Your Toes, a non-profit organization that assists individuals who have suffered limb loss, by offering consultation, planning and referrals.

As an amputee, Arron has been a longtime advocate and participant in the AOPA Policy Forum. He has participated in the fight against the draft Lower Limb LCD in 2015 and has testified at a Congressional briefing on his own experiences.

Adrianne Haslet, a Boston Marathon bombing victim, below the knee amputee, and an outspoken advocate.

Adrianne has worked hard for the advancement of O&P advocacy agency by testifying before Congress on the behalf of AOPA, as well as a plethora of additional briefings. Hopefully, you had a chance to hear her speak and meet her adorable dog Fred Astaire.

Edwin & Kathryn Arbogast Award, and Otto & Lucille Becker Award Recipients

The Edwin and Kathryn Arbogast Award and Otto and Lucille Becker Award were founded in 2012 and made possible by a special endowment by Becker Orthopedic and WillowWood. These awards are granted to scientific papers submitted for the Poster Presentation at the AOPA National Assembly. – AOPA

Elizabeth Bell, University of Maryland-College Park, presented her poster on the topic of “A Mixed-Methods Examination of Limitations to Physical Activity as Reported by Individuals with Lower Extremity Amputations”. Elizabeth is the proud recipient of the Edwin and Kathryn Arbogast Award.

Kierra Falbo, Northwestern University, presented her poster on the topic of “Characteristics of Delphi Processes in Orthotics and Prosthetics Research”. Kierra is the proud recipient of the Otto and Lucille Becker Award.

We are so grateful for our customers who continue to support Cascade.  The future looks bright and we are glad you are part of it!

We will see you in Vancouver, BC next year for the 2018 AOPA National Assembly!