By Kym McNicholas, Chairman/CEO, Global PAD Association
It was a moment I’ll never forget.
Watching Representative Kim Schofield of Georgia’s House of Representatives declare September 2025 as Peripheral Artery Disease Awareness Month during our virtual presentation – the FIRST such proclamation in Georgia’s history and a groundbreaking moment for PAD advocacy across the South.
“Make them hear PAD. That’s what we’re on a mission to do,” Rep. Schofield announced with the conviction of someone who truly understands what it means to fight for patient rights.
If you’re reading this and experiencing leg pain when walking, numbness in your feet, or wounds that just won’t heal – please don’t ignore these symptoms. They could be signs of Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD), a condition that affects approximately 21 million Americans – making it more prevalent than prostate, breast, and colon cancer COMBINED. Yet studies show over 70% of Americans don’t even know what PAD is.
PAD occurs when fatty deposits build up in your arteries, reducing blood flow to your limbs – most commonly your legs. Your body is sending you warning signals that something’s wrong when you experience:
- Leg pain or cramping when walking that goes away with rest
- Numbness or weakness in your legs
- Cold legs or feet compared to the rest of your body
- Sores on your toes, feet, or legs that take weeks or months to heal
- Hair loss or slower hair growth on your feet and legs
- Shiny skin on your legs
Here’s what breaks my heart: Too many of you are told these symptoms are simply “old age,” “arthritis,” or “complications from diabetes” when they’re actually signs of a serious vascular condition that can lead to amputation if left untreated. Many patients tell me, “I thought this was just part of getting older” – until they faced the possibility of losing a limb.
Why This Matters: Georgia’s PAD Crisis
For Georgians, this proclamation comes at a critical time. Your state ranks among the top 20 with the highest diabetes prevalence, with 12.7% of adults living with diabetes and approximately 35% living with obesity – both major risk factors for developing PAD.
These alarming statistics contribute to Georgia’s particularly high amputation rates, especially in communities with limited healthcare access. Rep. Schofield’s district encompasses the area around Atlanta’s airport in Fulton County, where these health disparities are acutely felt by families just like yours.
This proclamation isn’t just a piece of paper – it’s the first step in addressing a public health emergency affecting your communities disproportionately. It puts a spotlight on a condition that’s too often overlooked until it’s too late - leading to amputations that could have been prevented. This is particularly devastating in Black communities, where amputation rates are significantly higher.
The Harsh Reality of Health Disparities
The proclamation presented by Rep. Schofield highlighted a disturbing truth that affects many of you reading this: Black patients are 2.02 times more likely to undergo amputation compared to white patients, while Hispanic patients face 1.36 times higher amputation rates.
These aren’t just cold statistics – they represent real people, perhaps your family members, friends, or neighbors, losing limbs unnecessarily. As Rep. Schofield powerfully stated: “We’re not going to call these disabilities because we’re not dissed anything. What we are is we’re able to determine what our challenges are, but also we can work on our barriers.”
The Economic Burden We All Share
Beyond the personal suffering, PAD imposes a staggering economic burden on all of us. Major amputations cost approximately $13.4 billion annually in direct medical costs alone, with Medicare and Medicaid covering almost 80% of these expenses.
That’s $13.4 BILLION of our tax dollars spent on procedures that could often be prevented with earlier detection and intervention. The American Diabetes Association reports that 85% of PAD-related amputations are preventable – a statistic that should give all of us hope that change is possible.
It’s why Rep. Schofield was quick to jump into action the moment we met at a Clinic To Community event in Atlanta recently.
How Our Paths Crossed: The Beginning of a Partnership
“It was no accident that we met,” Rep. Schofield noted during our virtual exchange. Our connection began at a community health event in Atlanta, where free testing was being provided for people in some of Atlanta’s most vulnerable communities – perhaps even some of you reading this now.
“Your name, first of all, is Kim, so it’s a Kim thing,” she joked. “But second of all, it is the contagious, infectious spirit from which you drew me in with your amazing work on peripheral artery disease.”
That initial in-person meeting sparked a conversation about the devastating impact of PAD on Georgia’s communities – your communities – and led to this historic proclamation. It shows how quickly meaningful change can happen when passionate advocates connect.
From Patient Advocate to Legislative Champion
Rep. Schofield understands what many of you are going through because she’s been a patient herself. For 25 years, she has lived with lupus, an experience that ultimately led her to the Georgia General Assembly.
“I understand the importance of making sure that those that have invisible or hidden disabilities have a voice,” she shared during our virtual presentation. “And that’s how I ended up in the General Assembly through work like yours with advocacy.”
Her journey from patient to advocate to legislator shows what’s possible when people who understand health challenges from the inside work to create systemic solutions. She’s spent eight years serving in the legislature, primarily focused on health committee work, fighting for health as “a human right and not something that is selective.”
It’s why she says this proclamation will be just the start of bringing better care to you and your loved ones!
What’s Next: From Proclamation to Legislation
Rep. Schofield isn’t stopping with a proclamation. During our conversation, she expressed interest in exploring legislation similar to a groundbreaking Illinois bill that would require your insurance to cover early PAD testing if you’re at high risk.
She says a PAD test should be a no-brainer for your healthcare provider. All it takes is just two fingers to feel the foot pulses at the very basic level and blood pressure cuffs placed on your arms and legs for a more advanced diagnosis – simple tests that could save your limb.
“This [proclamation] is the first step of many initiatives that we’ll do together,” she promised. “Let’s work together. Let’s work across these states in your legislative body and get people to recognize us.”
The proclamation will be officially adopted in January by the House of Representatives, but the work begins now. Our partnership aims to make Georgia a leader in PAD prevention, potentially creating a model that could help patients in other states too.
How You Can Join the Movement
If you or someone you love has been affected by PAD, especially in Georgia, Rep. Schofield wants to hear your story. Your experiences provide the ammunition needed to fight for better policies. Contact her at 404-656-0298 or Kim.Schofield@house.ga.gov.
For everyone else, here’s what you can do to protect yourself and your loved ones:
- Know the symptoms of PAD and don’t dismiss leg pain or cramping as “just getting older”
- Talk to your doctor about PAD risk factors, especially if you have diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoke, or are over 40
- Ask for screening if you have risk factors – a simple pulse check or ABI test could save your limb
- Spread awareness about PAD in your community – most people don’t know what it is until it’s too late
- Contact your representatives about supporting PAD awareness and early screening legislation
Most importantly, call the Global PAD Association’s Leg Saver Hotline for more education on PAD, to discuss your symptoms, to get help finding a testing site or advanced limb salvage specialist near you, and for assistance in critical lifestyle modifications such as walking, diet, and smoking cessation. Here is the number:
1-833-PAD-LEGS
You can also join our PAD Support Group for emotional support and our PAD Walking Group for ways to prevent and manage PAD symptoms through supervised exercise.
A Personal Note
As the Chair of the Global PAD Association, I’ve held the hands of too many patients facing amputation who told me, “If only I had known sooner.” I’ve witnessed the life-altering consequences of delayed diagnosis in people just like you.
But connecting with Rep. Schofield, first at that community health event in Atlanta and now through this historic proclamation, I felt something I haven’t felt in a long time: hope. Real, substantial hope that we can change the narrative around PAD and save your limbs and lives.
As Rep. Schofield so beautifully put it, “Kim stands for keep it moving.” And that’s exactly what we’re going to do – keep moving forward in this fight against PAD until no one loses a limb unnecessarily.
Together, we can ensure that PAD finally gets the attention – and action – it deserves. Your legs matter. Your mobility matters. Your life matters.
References:
Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) prevalence data: Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases, Vol. 33, Issue 3, March 2023, Pages 516-522
- PAD awareness statistics: American Heart Association PAD National Action Plan, 2024
- Racial disparity data: Georgia House of Representatives Proclamation for PAD Awareness Month, 2025
- Economic burden of amputations: Journal of the American Heart Association, 2023
- Preventable amputation data: American Diabetes Association, 2024