Wednesday, October 21, 2015

Student-doctors raise money for local veterans

Wed, 21 Oct 2015Shelley Andrews :: LUCOM Marketing and PR

Student-doctor Matt Ryther, class of 2018, drives past the American Legion Post 16 in Lynchburg every day on his way to Liberty University College of Osteopathic Medicine (LUCOM). During one of his routine commutes, he had an idea.

“I saw the pavilion and pond out back and thought it would be a great location for an event,” said Ryther, member of the LUCOM-Association of Military Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons (AMOPS).

Ryther and his group decided to partner with the American Legion and hold a fundraiser at the post earlier this month. According to Ryther, students could come out for food and games in exchange for either a monetary donation or a donation of any clothing item a homeless veteran could use during the upcoming winter.

“As future physicians, we will be serving veterans regardless of our chosen specialty. We believe that it is imperative to foster a culture that addresses veterans’ needs and exposes student doctors to opportunities which promote better understanding of veterans’ culture, experiences and perspectives,” said AMOPS president, Jane Song Nzuna, class of 2018.

LUCOM-AMOPS raised $330 for the American Legion Veterans Relief Fund, which provides aid to local veterans who are unable to meet a certain financial obligation. The group also collected near 15 pounds of winter clothing items.

“I hope the student-doctors walked away from this event more aware of the significant number of local veterans in need and that even a small individual investment in time or money can have a tremendous gain in the life of a veteran,” said Ryther. “This event was a small first step in building a long-term relationship between AMOPS and the local American Legion.”

LUCOM, along with 30 other Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine, is a member of the Joining Forces Initiative, a partnership between the osteopathic profession and the U.S. Department of Defense. The purpose of the initiative is to expand awareness about the medical challenges of military members and their families and expand access to health care services for members of military families, the service men/women themselves and discharged veterans. A special emphasis of the initiative is to provide education to health care professionals on the mental health needs of these men and women and to provide increased access to mental health care for those suffering from PTSD and other combat and conflict-induced conditions.