SoldierStrong Donates Exoskeleton for Advanced Stroke Rehabilitation to Tampa’s James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital

STAMFORD, Conn., Aug. 13, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — SoldierStrong, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing advanced medical technologies to veterans, today announced that it is donating an EksoGT™ exoskeleton to Tampa’s James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital to make advanced stroke rehabilitation available to Tampa-area veterans for the first time. The state-of-the-art device will be dedicated to mobilizing stroke patients earlier, for optimal outcomes.

James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital, part of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), will host a donation ceremony, and a veteran will demonstrate walking in the device, on Monday, August 13that 2pm.

This donation marks SoldierStrong’s 17th exoskeleton donation, and 13th exoskeleton donation to the VA system.

“We appreciate this generous donation, as it allows us to dedicate this device to offering advanced stroke rehabilitation. We look forward to seeing our veterans benefit from its use and recover quicker after suffering a stroke,” said Joe D. Battle, Medical Center Director of the James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital and Clinics.

The EksoGT, by Ekso Bionics®, is the first exoskeleton cleared by the FDA for use with stroke and spinal cord injuries. The exoskeleton suit enables patients to move earlier, more frequently, and with a greater number of high intensity steps during their rehabilitation.

Each year, 15 million people suffer a stroke worldwide. Stroke rehabilitation is a critical part of recovery and helps people to regain their strength and function.

“Florida has the third largest veteran population in the nation, and the James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital is a leader in rehabilitation with a commitment to the integration of assistive technologies in caring for its patients. We are proud to provide these clinicians with the EksoGT as a tool they can use to help veterans regain their independence and mobility following a stroke,” said Chris Meek, co-founder and Chairman of SoldierStrong.

About the James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital
Activated in 1972, the James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital is a tertiary care facility classified as a Clinical Referral Level 1 Facility. JAHVH is a teaching hospital, providing a full range of patient care services, with state-of-the-art technology as well as education and research. Comprehensive health care is provided through primary care, tertiary care, and long-term care in areas of medicine, surgery, psychiatry, physical medicine and rehabilitation, spinal cord injury, neurology, oncology, dentistry, geriatrics, and extended care. JAHVH consists of five Veterans Health Administration facilities located in Tampa, New Port Richey, Zephyrhills, Lakeland and Brooksville, serving four counties in Central Florida. It is a part of the Veterans Integrated System Network (VISN) 8 that also includes facilities in Orlando, Gainesville, Lake City, Bay Pines, West Palm Beach, Miami and Puerto Rico.

SoldierStrong and Iowa State Fraternal Order of Eagles Donate Robotic Exoskeleton to Younker Rehabilitation

STAMFORD, Conn., July 26, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — SoldierStrong, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing advanced medical technologies to veterans, has joined forces with the Fraternal Order of Eagles–Iowa State Aerie & Auxiliary to donate an EksoGT™ exoskeleton to Younker Rehabilitation at Iowa Methodist Medical Center. The robotic exoskeleton is used in rehabilitation to help people—including veterans—who have had a stroke or spinal cord injury walk again.

Younker Rehabilitation, part of UnityPoint Health – Des Moines, will host a donation ceremony and a patient will demonstrate the exoskeleton on Friday, July 27th beginning at 10:30 a.m. Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds will provide remarks at the event.

“We are excited about the addition of the EksoGT at Younker Rehabilitation for our patients to improve their ability to function and become as independent as possible,” said Dan Shamir, MD, medical director of Younker Rehabilitation.

The EksoGT, by Ekso Bionics®, is the first exoskeleton cleared by the FDA for use with stroke and spinal cord injuries. The exoskeleton suit enables patients to move earlier, more frequently, and with a greater number of high intensity steps during their rehabilitation.

“For over a century, our mission has been to help provide adequate care to those who need it most. We’re extremely proud to know that through the work of more than 10,000 Fraternal Order of Eagles members across the state of Iowa, the patients of Younker Rehabilitation will have access to the quality of care they deserve,” said Carl Burnett, Grand Worthy President of the Fraternal Order of Eagles.

This donation marks the 16th exoskeleton SoldierStrong has donated to rehabilitation centers and Veterans Affairs hospitals.

“Iowa is home to roughly 200,000 veterans, some of whom were injured while serving our country and deserve access to the most advanced medical technology,” said Chris Meek, co-founder and Chairman of SoldierStrong. “SoldierStrong remains committed to supporting injured veterans and others affected by strokes and spinal cord injuries, and we are honored to continue our work with the Fraternal Order of Eagles to help as many people as possible.”

About UnityPoint Health – Des Moines
UnityPoint Health – Des Moines provides comprehensive, coordinated care to patients throughout the Greater Des Moines area through our clinics, hospitals and home care services. UnityPoint Health – Des Moines includes Iowa Methodist Medical Center; Iowa Lutheran Hospital; Methodist West Hospital; Blank Children’s Hospital including pediatric sub-specialty clinics; Grinnell Regional Medical Center, John Stoddard Cancer Center; Eyerly Ball, UnityPoint Clinic; UnityPoint at Home and UnityPoint Hospice. UnityPoint Health – Des Moines has more than 7,500 employees and 850 physicians providing care to care to patients throughout central Iowa.

About the Fraternal Order of Eagles
The Fraternal Order of Eagles unites fraternally in the spirit of liberty, truth, justice, and equality, raising nearly $10 million annually through the FOE Charity Foundation for service organizations and research institutions across the United States and Canada. Our 1,400+ locations throughout North America offer all service men and women, active or retired, their first year of membership free as a thank you for their service.

About SoldierStrong
SoldierStrong, previously known as SoldierSocks, helps American patriots literally take their next steps forward. Through educational scholarships and by harnessing the most innovative technology in advanced rehabilitation, we help our returning service men and women to continue moving in the only direction they should know – forward. Nearly every dollar SoldierStrong receives goes towards direct support of American patriots so that they can re-acclimate to civilian life. Our organization works to remind those men and women who sacrificed so much that we are forever thankful.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Rachel Harrison
CYNYPR, Inc.
rachel@cynypr.com
soldierstrong@cynypr.com

SoldierStrong featured on Martha MacCallum’s ‘The Story’

SoldierStrong Making an Impact

 SoldierStrong founder Chris Meek featured on Fox News “The Story” with Martha MacCallum (transcript)

Chris Meek (on Capitol Hill): “On September 11 2001, I was running floor trading operations for Goldman Sachs at Ground Zero in New York City. As I watched the first responders running into the carnage of that day, I resolved to do something to give back to those who serve. April 27th, 2011 was my daughter’s fifth birthday. We celebrated like many families with cake and ice cream and without a care in the world. 6,800 miles away army sergeant Dan Rose was being medevacked from the battlefield to Kandahar. The vehicle he was it was in hit an IED and his injuries would rob him [of] the ability to walk again. Dan’s experience that day was a personal reminder of how much we owe our veterans and how their sacrifices allow all of us to take for granted the lives we were blessed to live here.”

Martha MacCallum (on Capitol Hill): “I will never forget the day that sergeant Dan Rose came to our studio to demonstrate how his soldier suit allowed him to get up from his wheelchair and take the steps that he never dreamed he would be able to take again. As Americans, we must make sure that we give back but give back in a way that is uniquely American that relies on this cutting-edge technology and never take no for an answer.”

Martha MacCallum (in Studio): “So that was part of an interesting experience that we had on Capitol Hill this week exploring new ways to empower the lives of our veterans through cutting-edge technology and I had the privilege of speaking on behalf of SoldierStrong, an organization that I have been on the advisory board of since 2014 and it aims to help injured heroes get back on their feet using this amazing new development in rehabilitation technology and joining us Chris meek. He is the chairman and the co-founder of SoldierStrong he founded it he works on it every single day and he is a hero to me and to many who are helped by his work. Chris great to see you this evening thanks for being here. You know we were there to talk to the House Science and Technology Committee about this cutting-edge technology and how it can be integrated into what our into how we continue to serve our veterans, and you feel that the way that we work on technology for the battlefield has to be extended across that bridge to after they come home.”

Chris Meek: “Absolutely and a lot of devices that we fund were originally funded through DARPA which is a part of the Department of Defense, and as you mentioned, we give our warfighters the absolute best technology we can on the battlefield but once they come home and they face the VA system there’s really no DARPA for veterans back here. And so we’re trying to fill that what I call the death valley gap. What they have in the battlefield versus the care they received back here at home.”

Martha MacCallum: “…And there are American companies that are making you know as I said during the hearing it’s that you know “Ironman isn’t just in the movies” I mean they’re creating arms that are fully usable from the elbow to the wrist all the way down to the fingers tell people a little bit about what can be done now that is so new and incredible.”

Chris Meek: “Well, now it’s even going a step further so the one device you mentioned actually is the only full range that includes the shoulder but now they’re hardwiring them into your brains so you actually just think about it and it moves other things like virtual reality. There’s one veteran we worked with at Vanderbilt University where he lost his arm in Vietnam and through technology, he put on through virtual reality actually turned a doorknob and he started crying it was the first time he actually felt a doorknob in 25 years and so to your point science fiction is becoming science fact.

Martha MacCallum: “Let’s just watch a moment with Dan Rose when he was in our studio a while back.”

Dan Rose: “Standing up was surreal like you know the act of like actually you know pushing up standing up and being high level with people again was just an amazing experience.”

Martha MacCallum: “The other side of this is government spending, and how it’s used right this technology is so psychologically beneficial as Dan says and it can turn people’s lives really talked about the fact that 20 veterans commit suicide every single day this technology helps to improve their lives and we hope to prevent some of those lives from being lost in that horrific way.”

Chris Meek: “Absolutely, and it’s one thing to think about being able to stand and bi-level with the world again it’s something that unites would take for granted but going that step further we’re actually working with some VA medical centers on a mental health study showing those benefits obviously the medical benefits are there things like reducing urinary tract infection increasing a muscle and bone density which the things that you don’t think about the unseen wounds of war that they talk about.

Martha MacCallum: “We’re going to see SoldierStrong this weekend at the Indy 500 right?”

Chris Meek: “We are, we are. We’re very fortunate to work with United Rentals one of our major sponsors and they are a sponsor of Indy car team Rae Hall Letterman Lanigan and they launched a program called turns for troops. the website is turnsfortroops.com and what they do is for every lap that driver Graham Rahal completes throughout the entire IndyCar season United Rentals donates $50 to our program thanks to them and to him.

Martha MacCallum: “It’s an extraordinary event you’re gonna be there this weekend so have fun send us some pictures and in the meantime, we’ve been putting on the bottom transfer troops in soldier strong org please make it part of your Memorial Day to log on and to check this out we hope you’ll help.”

Support our Mission

UNITED RENTALS REWARDING TURNS FOR TROOPS FOR ALL RAHAL DRIVERS’ LAPS IN MAY

Group Photo With Turns For Troops Driver Graham Rahal.

INDIANAPOLIS – Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing will be making more meaningful turns at Indianapolis Motor Speedway this May.

A Turns for Troops drive that began in 2016 with United Rentals donating $50 for each lap Graham Rahal completes in the Verizon IndyCar Series was expanded Friday to apply to fellow Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing drivers Takuma Sato and Oriol Servia. That’s for Rahal and Sato in today’s INDYCAR Grand Prix, then all three drivers in the 102nd Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil on May 27.

“I have spent a lot of time with wounded vets and I have spent a lot of time over the years working with programs like this, but I’ve never had one that’s this in-depth,” said Rahal, who was joined in making the announcement by team co-owners Michael Lanigan, David Letterman and Bobby Rahal (all pictured above with Graham Rahal), as well as Chris Hummel, chief marketing officer for United Rentals, and Stephanie Turzanski, executive director of SoldierStrong.

United Rentals, the primary sponsor on Rahal’s No. 15 Honda, has donated $274,376 since 2016, which includes $22,376 for 445 laps completed in the first four races this season. The SoldierStrong program funds access to education, state-of-the-art rehabilitation programs and technologies that address a variety of combat-related injuries for military veterans.

Rahal’s personal connection includes a special bond with two retired U.S. Army veterans, Sgt. Dan Rose and Staff Sgt. Dan Nevins. Rose, who met Rahal at the Sonoma Raceway race in 2016, is paralyzed but uses an exoskeleton to walk. Nevins, who became a close friend after meeting at a PGA Tour event, is a scratch golfer with the use of prosthetic legs.

“A lot of people just don’t really realize how bad it can be,” Rahal said. “We all know that troops go overseas, no matter what branch of military you’re in, and sometimes you don’t come back in the same condition you left in. But people don’t realize what that means.

“It’s easy for us to say, but a lot of people including myself will never understand what it’s actually like to live that each and every day. Our team and United Rentals, we try to work together to just continue to make a difference for those people as best we can.”

That poignant point was also made by RLL co-owner and late-night talk-show icon David Letterman, who typically amuses with his sense of humor and then drives home a message that’s most important.

Letterman shared a story about a trip to visit veterans at Walter Reed Hospital in Washington, D.C., where he met U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, a retired lieutenant colonel who lost her legs and part of an arm after being shot down in a helicopter. She joined Letterman visiting several wounded veterans, including a man who lost his legs below the knee. Letterman recalled how Duckworth told the wounded veteran how he was lucky because the injuries were below the knee and he’ll be able to walk out of the hospital with the use of prosthetics.

This whole process that I witnessed, it makes you a little weepy when you’re right there and the guy’s family is sitting there and he’s in the bed thinking, ‘I don’t have a life ahead of me. I’m 35 years old, I’ve got kids, I have a wife, I have a family, I have a responsibility, what am I going to do?’” Letterman said. “(Duckworth) comes in and within 10 minutes, she changes his life back to the sunny side, if you can use that expression.

That’s the thing that I like about this affiliation is that awareness. You’re not alone. Maybe you’ll get the exoskeleton suit, maybe you won’t, but there’s a whole team of people who are looking out for you, a whole team of people who know about you and a whole team of people who are willing to contribute to help get you back on your feet.”

With today’s INDYCAR Grand Prix running 85 laps and the Indianapolis 500 set for 200 laps, the RLL drivers could add $38,500 to the Turns for Troops coffers this month. Donations from the public are also welcome at the Turns for Troops website, which promotes its cause as “Helping vets take their next steps forward. One lap at a time.”

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