Update: As of July 24, 2024, the House Committee of Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Health has postponed the oversight hearing, entitled "Life After Limb Loss: Examining VA Prosthetics Care." The hearing will not proceed on July 30, 2024, but may be rescheduled for a later date.

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