One of the most rewarding parts of operating a nonprofit is meeting the men and women our organization exists to serve. Today, we want to talk specifically about mobility-impaired veterans. From time to time, we all see or meet people in wheelchairs. Some of these are veterans. In fact, there are 250,000 veterans in wheelchairs—disabled as a result of combat-related wounds, accidents, or disease.

In traveling to some of the country’s specialized medical facilities for mobility-impaired veterans, we are amazed by what we see. The state-of-the-art rehab equipment and modern architecture of these facilities are eye-catching, but the most striking thing is the faces of the vets themselves; the faces of men and women who are dealing with life-altering trauma or disease. In many we see great courage and determination. In some we see heartbreak, fear, anxiety, loneliness, and physical pain. In a few we see despair, resignation, and hopelessness. After speaking to many of these men and women, it is clear that the difficulties they experience go far beyond the injury itself. An accident resulting in wheelchair placement can have exponential effects on the veteran’s everyday life and that of his or her family.

Many of these mobility-impaired individuals are young active duty. Others are veterans who previously served in the military. They’ve incurred their disability primarily through accident, such as a vehicle crash, a diving incident, or some sort of fall. A smaller number become disabled as a result of enemy attack. For those who have experienced their disability through trauma, life changes are sudden and radical. In addition to the trauma experienced by the veteran, their close family is thrown into turmoil, especially the caregiver if they are a spouse, compounding the situation. During these circumstances—while physical care for the mobility-impaired veteran is being provided—new stressors can immediately emerge for the veteran and their caregiver: anxiety; fear; isolation; altered and inadequate communication among family members; financial troubles; changes in marital experience; transportation and scheduling headaches; job demands; poor nutrition and sleep. Over the mid- and long-term, such stressors can lead the veteran toward substance abuse, depression, divorce, and in some cases, suicidal ideation. While government agencies deal very well with the physical recovery of mobility-impaired veterans, many of the secondary consequences of trauma remain troubling. This is how—and where—we can help big time!

Typically, after a veteran experiences a traumatic event or disease causing disability, they can receive many weeks or months of treatment, surgeries, rehabilitation, and therapy in select Veterans Administration (VA) hospitals. There are currently 25 VA Spinal Cord Injuries and Disorders (SCID) Centers around the Country designed to care for such veterans. Some SCIDs are purposely collocated with the VA’s five regional Polytrauma Rehabilitation Centers or smaller Polytrauma Network Sites, facilities designed to provide complex care for service members experiencing multiple injuries. Such is the case in Tampa, Florida—home of Forward Free.

Forward Free seeks to support mobility-impaired veterans and their caregivers through its education, advocacy, and service mission areas. This includes programs to fund travel; companion care; Christian counseling; in-home healthcare; and specialized facilities. All of these are designed to offer quality private-sector support and care for the veteran in order for the caregiver to receive much-needed respite time off.