A Bigger Vision

Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) is one of the great non-profit organizations out there assisting our nation’s veterans. Through a variety of different programs, they help honor and empower wounded soldiers. “We raise awareness and enlist public aid for our nation’s warriors,” says Natalia Rankine-Galloway, WWP public relations coordinator and spokesperson. “We also help them help each other. Our logo is a soldier carrying another and we try to get our participants to a point where instead of being a guy on top, they’re now the guy on bottom.”

WWP has 13 programs and services that help take returning soldiers through the entire process of recovery. For instance, the backpack program, “WWP Packs,” offers all of the essential care and comfort items that an injured solider would need—all designed to make their hospital stay more comfortable. The backpacks are provided to severely wounded service members arriving at military trauma centers. “When a solider is injured, their clothes are cut off, so the backpacks contain essentials like underwear, socks, and tee-shirts,” explains Rankine-Galloway. “They also include items like phone cards and playing cards.”

The Project also offers a program called “Soldier Ride,” a WWP initiative that provides adaptive cycling opportunities for wounded warriors. Typically three to five days long, rides are geared toward warriors for all abilities. In addition to physical benefits, the program also raises public awareness of the issues warriors face through public events held throughout the ride. “Warriors to Work” is another program, which assists warriors in their transition into the workforce. The program offers warriors a complete package of employment assistance services including resume help, interviewing skills, networking, and job training.

These are just some of many services and programs offered through WWP. And now, in addition to many of these essential recovery opportunities, WWP has partnered with LCA Vision Projects to also offer LASIK services to wounded soldiers and their primary caregiver. LCA wants to do their part in helping these men and women alleviate one less daily burden and enhancing their quality of life.

“It’s been a wonderful alliance,” says David Thomas, COO of LCA Vision, who announced the partnership last December. “The recipients of the procedure have been extremely happy with the results.”

One such recipient that Thomas shares the story of is a Captain who had become a left leg amputee. He and his wife were given the opportunity to receive LASIK. His wife went through the procedure first. “She was overcome with emotion at the results,” says Thomas. “She told us that because of her poor vision and her husband’s wheelchair and prosthetics, she was often bumping into him or tripping over things while trying to tend to their two small children. That issue is now eliminated and she’s able to better care for him and her family.”

And the Captain has seen an improvement in his quality of life as well. “He is in a lot of pain and still undergoing additional surgical treatments,” explains Thomas. “But he’s found that the best place to achieve comfort is in the water and he loves to scuba dive. Now that he’s had the treatment, and can see properly, he’s able to scuba dive much more easily. That’s the kind of story that motivates us—when we’ve had an impact on a soldier’s quality of life.”

While the stories of returning soldiers who have been helped with LASIK are an inspiration, Thomas says that he’s actually driven by a bigger vision—one where soldiers would have perfect eyesight before even stepping on to the battlefield. “It’s a vision of mine that no soldier should be on the battlefield without being able to see 20/20 or better—especially considering we have the technology available to do this,” he says. “It would be a huge advantage against our enemy that our soldiers have perfect sight. I want to eliminate glasses on the battlefield. So I saw the Wounded Warrior Project as a stepping stone toward that much larger goal. We are helping those that come back to improve their quality of life. Some are missing hands or arms and have a difficult time using their contacts or glasses. We want to provide them with the ability to fully function, particularly visually, and with this modern technology we can do that for them.”

Thomas also decided that he wanted to help primary caregivers through the program as well. “Helping caregivers to function visually allows them to better care for their spouses or children,” he explains. “Our desire is to help soldiers with their transition into a new life with as few handicaps as possible. Vision is something we have the technology to improve, so it’s our way of helping.”

LCA’s involvement in this program has had a positive impact all around, says Thomas. The soldiers and their caregivers are grateful and happy with the procedure. But the providers are impacted as well. “Our people are moved by these soldiers’ stories,” explains Thomas. “They feel good that they can provide a procedure that can help change and enhance these warriors’ lives. Our surgeons agree to do this work pro bono, and with the help of some of our partners, we’re able to provide this service completely free for the solider and their primary caregiver.”