WASHINGTON, July 24,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- US Army Veteran Matthew
Brown, a single-leg amputee, will testify as a representative of
The Independence Fund before the House Committee of Veterans'
Affairs Subcommittee on Health on Tuesday,
July 30, 2024, to shed light on the experiences of wounded
and injured Veterans seeking medical prosthetics.
The oversight hearing, entitled "Life After Limb Loss: Examining
VA Prosthetics Care," is open to the public and will examine the
Department of Veterans' Affairs (VA) ability to provide essential
care to amputees like Brown.
Brown, a single-leg amputee, lost his left leg in August 2021 due to bone cancer. He was
wheelchair-bound for seven months while waiting to receive his
first prosthetic. When Brown received his prosthetic, it was
not properly fitted, and the wait to return to his daily activities
continued until he contacted The Independence Fund for assistance
in October 2023.
In November of 2023, The Independence Fund's advocacy team began
working with Brown and US Rep. David Rouzer's office to assist
the VA in finding a resolution.
"The Independence Fund's advocacy team serves as a powerful
voice for our nation's Veterans by working to ensure they receive
the care and support they are entitled to," said Clark Pennington, Chief Operating Officer of The
Independence Fund. "Through legislative action, policy development,
and community outreach, we are dedicated to empowering Veterans
like Matthew Brown to receive the
care they need." 
Due to the strong advocacy of Brown and The Independence Fund,
Brown later received a properly fitted adaptive socket for his left
leg in May 2024 and is walking again.
His decision to reach out to The Independence Fund was
life-changing - now Brown actively participates in daily life with
his family once again, and advocates for other Veterans like
himself.
"I am very happy to finally have the socket and leg I need,"
Brown said. "I am able to be much more active and able to try
activities I could never attempt before. I feel like I have freedom
and mobility again."
The hearing begins at 1:30 PM in
Room 360 of the Cannon House Office Building to provide a platform
to examine how the VA is ensuring its ability to provide
quality care to amputees and impacts Veterans' quality of life and
mental health. The Subcommittee will also examine
alleged failures in the prosthetics department and
review the effectiveness of direct VA amputee care and community
care provisions, ensuring all Veteran amputees receive the support
and quality of care they need.
To learn more about Matthew
Brown and The Independence Fund, reach out to
tifcommunications@independencefund.org. Our team will
be able to facilitate interview opportunities.
ABOUT THE INDEPENDENCE FUND:
Founded in the halls of Walter Reed National Military Medical
Center, The Independence Fund was born to care for our nation's
most catastrophically wounded surviving service members from the
Global War on Terror. With an expansion to caring for the
warfighter's family and all generations of wounded, ill, and
injured heroes. The Independence Fund stands in the gap to help
combat Veterans, active military, and wartime Allies with unmet
needs. By restoring independence to those who sacrificed their
independence so that we can remain a nation of freedom, The
Independence Fund deploys tangible programs to restore our
Veterans' and families' physical, spiritual, and emotional health.
Known for the hallmark all-terrain track wheelchair program, The
Independence Fund has provided over 2,600 trackchairs to severely
wounded American heroes.
ABOUT THE INDEPENDENCE FUND ADVOCACY TEAM:
For Veterans returning with the scars of war, the fight doesn't
end upon their arrival home. Unfortunately, some of the biggest
battles are with the very institutions that are supposed to be on
their side, whether it be the Department of Defense, the Department
of Veterans Affairs, or Congress, when they simply don't understand
the challenges Veterans face or when they turn a deaf ear. The
Independence Fund's Advocacy team assists where the needs are
greatest, amplifying the voices of those who fought for us.
Media Contact:
TIF Communications
tifcommunications@independencefund.org
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SOURCE The Independence Fund