Boyle Street Community Services is asking the public to donate socks to protect homeless people from infections so severe they can lead to amputations.
Dr. Francesco Mosaico with the Boyle McCauley Health Centre says foot problems are a major issue for the city’s homeless population.
Some people keep wearing the same pair of socks, day in and day out. Some wear shoes without socks, which Mosaico says makes sore feet worse.
“You know they just rub on the wrong parts of your feet, you get ulcers …and that can lead to ulceration and skin breakdown,” he said.
Mosaico says complications from infections lead to foot amputations every year.
That’s why Boyle Street Community Services is asking the public for donations of brand new, clean socks.
Outreach worker Aidan Inglis says some homeless people live outside all year round. If they don’t have a clean, dry pair of socks, they never take their shoes and socks off, which means they may not be aware of trouble until it’s too late.
Inglis recalls one man who had developed such severe frostbite that he lost part of his leg.
“He didn’t even realize how bad it was. It wasn’t until our team was able to get a look at his skin and identify that we needed to take him to the hospital right away.”
Socks can be donated at the Boyle Street Community Services building at 10116 105th Avenue.
People can also drop off never-worn, new socks at CBC in Edmonton City Centre Mall east starting Friday morning. Socks can be donated during regular mall business hours until 6 p.m. Monday.
