SoldierStrong and Myomo Team up to Enable Paralyzed Veterans to Regain Ability to Support and Move Their Arms Again

SoldierStrong and Myomo Team up to Enable Paralyzed Veterans to Regain Ability to Support and Move Their Arms Again

Myomo, a supplier of myoelectric orthotics, recently announced with SoldierStrong, a 501(c)(3) dedicated to working with veterans and veteran organizations, that they have entered into an agreement to supply paralyzed veterans with the MyoPro powered arm brace.  Over the next three years, SoldierStrong has established a goal of purchasing 120 MyoPro braces for veterans outside the VA healthcare system.

SoldierStrong’ co-founder and Chairman, Chris Meek, stated, “SoldierStrong is expanding the range of medical devices that we are delivering to veterans to include the MyoPro arm brace for individuals with an upper extremity impairment due to traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, brachial plexus injury, stroke, ALS, MS, and other neurological disabilities. We wish to support our veterans by enabling affected individuals to support and move their arms again so that they can function more independently at home and reduce their overall healthcare costs.”

At a joint announcement during SoldierStrong’ first annual awards ceremony in New York City in December, Myomo CEO Paul R. Gudonis praised the organization’s support of our nation’s veterans.  “The sponsors and donors of SoldierStrong are going to have a significant impact on the lives of veterans who will now be able to receive a MyoPro device.  Our mission is to overcome paralysis with our myoelectric orthoses, and by teaming up with SoldierStrong, we will be able to reach a larger number of individuals who can benefit from this proven technology, which is already being provided to veterans through a number of VA facilities.”

About SoldierStrong

SoldierStrong, a 501(c)3 not-for-profit, was founded in 2009 to provide basic necessities such as baby wipes, socks and sunscreen to American soldiers fighting for our country in the trenches of Afghanistan and Iraq. As more of our soldiers return home to the U.S., SoldierStrong continues to assist our nation’s heroes in re-acclimating to civilian life by providing scholarships for colleges and trade schools and offering paralyzed soldiers an opportunity to gain mobility outside of a wheelchair and in their homes.

About Myomo

Myomo, Inc. is a medical device company leading the way in extending myoelectric prosthetic technology to powered braces (orthotics) that help restore function in individuals with neuromuscular conditions such as stroke, brachial plexus injury, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, Multiple Sclerosis, and ALS.  The company’s myolectric orthortics have been clinically shown to help restore function by enabling individuals to self-initiate and control movement of their partially paralyzed limbs using their own muscle signals.  The Myomo technology was originally developed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology in collaboration with medical experts affiliated with Harvard Medical School.  The Company is privately held and is headquartered in Cambridge, MA.

Martha MacCallum to Join SoldierStrong Advisory Board

Stamford, CT, Jan. 30, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) – The SoldierStrong Advisory Board provides counsel on ways to better serve and assist members of the U.S. Armed Forces. In addition to Ms. MacCallum, the Advisory Board is comprised of former United States Senator Joseph Lieberman, Philanthropist John H. Linnartz, Former CEO Linda McMahon, Special Advisor to former Joint Chiefs of Staff and Secretary of State General Colin Powell, Colonel Bill Smullen, Dr. Kathleen H. Hicks and Retired Vice Admiral Bob Murrett. [Read more…] about Martha MacCallum to Join SoldierStrong Advisory Board

“Resiliency Translates Well from Military to Academia,” says Soldier for Life, Scholar

“Resiliency Translates Well from Military to Academia,” says Soldier for Life, Scholar

Guest post by Lt. Col. Wenceslao Angulo, Strategic Communications Director, U.S. Army Soldier for Life. Learn more about Soldier for Life.

“I was an infantry officer who knew how to operate in a platoon, deploy, and lead troops,” said Jesse Campion, who served nearly six years, separating in 2009. “Every time you get to a unit there’s one guy who will square you away and I feel that support element is just as important for Veterans in the academic environment” he added, of the team-oriented mentality that the Army epitomizes. [Read more…] about “Resiliency Translates Well from Military to Academia,” says Soldier for Life, Scholar

[Video] FOX News – America’s Newsroom: Martha MacCallum accepts award from SoldierStrong

FOX News – America’s Newsroom: Martha MacCallum accepts award from SoldierStrong

Martha Maccallum accepts award from SoldierStrong (then SoldierSocks)

On December 8, 2014, SoldierStrong held its second annual event and inaugural Awards Ceremony at the Union League Club of New York. At the event, the organization donated an Ekso Suit to the James J. Peters VA Medical Center located in the Bronx, NY. SoldierStrong also announced it had selected Cambridge, MA-based Myomo, a supplier of myoelectric orthotics, as its provider of arm braces to donate to veterans with paralysis in their arms due to TBI and other causes.

SoldierStrong also awarded its 2014 Commitment to Service Award to FOX News anchor Martha MacCallum and the 2014 Corporate Leadership Award to Stamford, CT-based United Rentals, Inc. The awards were in acknowledgment of both Ms. MacCallum’s and United Rentals’ continuing support of helping returning veterans tackle the challenges they face here at home.

Learn more about SoldierStrong and how you can help our mission here.

Dan Rose to be featured on WWE SmackDown

Dan Rose to be featured on WWE SmackDown

Dan Rose was in the Army Reserves for 10 years and served in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in the Zahri District and Horn of Panjiwae in the Kandahar Province of Afghanistan until he was injured by an Improvised Explosive Device on April 27, 2011. The blast was estimated to have come from approximately 1,000 lbs. of explosives and he was left paralyzed from the chest down. Dan teamed up with SoldierStrong, who provided him with the Ekso Bionics GT™ robotic exoskeleton, which enables individuals with any amount of lower extremity weakness or paralysis to stand up and walk.

“The first time I stood up and looked across the room, it was like reaching the summit of a mountain and looking down on the world,” SGT Rose says. “I’m so grateful for my partnership with SoldierStrong and as a WWE fan, I’m looking forward to sharing my story at SmackDown.”

SoldierStrong co-founder Chris Meek speaks to the importance of raising awareness for wounded veterans.

“Every day, members of the military put their lives on the line to help protect our country,” SoldierStrong co-founder Chris Meek says. “When they return home, they are faced with the challenges of re-acclimating to civilian life. Additionally, some have been critically wounded or paralyzed in the line of duty. We are honored to be raising awareness with partners such as WWE to help wounded veterans stand strong in the face of adversity.”

WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon is excited to have Sergeant Rose at SmackDown.

“WWE has a longstanding commitment to the military and we are extremely grateful for the sacrifices of our nation’s heroes,” McMahon says. “We are proud to host Sergeant Rose as our special guest at SmackDown and humbled by his perseverance and will to push through any obstacle that he faces.”

Ekso Bionics designs, develops and commercializes exoskeletons, or wearable robots, which have a variety of applications in the medical, military, industrial, and consumer markets. Exoskeletons are ready-to-wear, battery-powered robots that are strapped over the user’s clothing, enabling individuals to achieve mobility, strength, and endurance not otherwise possible. Ekso has redefined rehabilitation for people living with the consequences of stroke, spinal cord injury and other neurological conditions affecting gait.

With nearly 800 original episodes, SmackDown is the second longest-running weekly episodic program in U.S. television history, behind only WWE’s other flagship program, Monday Night Raw. Averaging 3.1 million viewers each week, SmackDown beats all Friday primetime viewing on any cable network.

SoldierStrong was founded in 2009 to provide basic necessities such as baby wipes, socks and sunscreen to American soldiers fighting for our country in the trenches of Afghanistan and Iraq. As more of our soldiers return home to the U.S., SoldierStrong continues to assist our nation’s heroes in re-acclimating to civilian life by offering scholarships for colleges and trade schools and offering paralyzed soldiers an opportunity to gain mobility outside of a wheelchair.