Wounded Warrior Project Veterans Run to Home Base in Southwest Florida
Although founded in Boston, Home Base has a presence in Southwest Florida through the Red Sox organization.
FORT MYERS, Fla. (April 18, 2017) – Hundreds of veterans and supporters crossed home plate at JetBlue Park in Fort Myers, finishing a run that raises awareness and funds for the mental health needs of veterans.
“One of my friends was killed in action, so I run for him,” Laura Hartman said.
Laura is more than a participant in this story; she is also a beneficiary of mental health care. She was one of the first patients in Warrior Care Network® (WCN), a partnership between Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP); the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA); Home Base, a Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital program; and three other academic medical centers around the country. WCN connects veterans across the U.S. to world-class care, aimed at healing the invisible wounds of war. Laura’s experience started with a fitness program to promote overall wellness, which Home Base brought to Southwest Florida.
“I started working out with the guys for six months, then I learned about the intensive clinical program with Warrior Care Network,” Laura said. “I went to Boston for treatment, and then my life changed.”
Laura’s experience in Warrior Care Network helped her reconnect with family and get her life back in line.
“One of my sisters flew from Ohio, and the other drove from New York. They all took part in my healing journey,” Laura said. “The doctors are so knowledgeable about how to relax, how to calm down.”
Although founded in Boston, Home Base has a presence in Southwest Florida through the Red Sox organization. It’s in the area surrounding JetBlue Park – an area referred to as “Fenway South.” Area veterans can take part in its free fitness program to improve overall wellness. Those who need more serious care for service-related issues have a direct pipeline to the intensive clinical program in Boston – part of Warrior Care Network. In this program, veterans receive close to a years’ worth of therapy in two weeks’ time. All treatment, lodging, meals, and transportation are covered at no cost to the veteran and accompanying family member.
The charity event at JetBlue Park was Home Base’s inaugural Run to Home Base presented by Florida Community Bank. Proceeds benefit Home Base in the Southwest Florida area.
WWP brought more than two dozen warriors and their families to take part in the run. By connecting these veterans with one another and their communities, WWP can serve warriors and their families with life-saving programs, empowering them to live life on their terms. These events also introduce warriors to valuable WWP mental health services, including Warrior Care Network.
“Not only was it changing my life, but it was also a process to get me where I am going,” Laura said.
“We are grateful to the folks at Wounded Warrior Project for their commitment to Home Base – and veterans and military families on the whole,” said Brig. Gen. (ret.) Jack Hammond, Home Base executive director. “The life-changing care provided at Home Base and our Warrior Care Network partners across the country would not be possible without their steadfast support.”
To learn and see more about how WWP’s programs and services connect, serve, and empower wounded warriors, visit https://newsroom.woundedwarriorproject.org/, and click on multimedia.
Contact: Rob Louis – Public Relations
Email: rlouis@woundedwarriorproject.org
Phone: 904.627.0432
About Wounded Warrior Project
Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) connects, serves, and empowers wounded warriors. Read more at http://newsroom.woundedwarriorproject.org/about-us.