Veterans Affairs Team
When: Mondays 3pm – 4pm ET
Co-Chairs: Gill Garcia (living with ALS), Lara Garey (wife/caregiver to a veteran with ALS) and Mandi Bailey (stepdaughter of a veteran with ALS)
Mission Statement: To raise awareness for veteran-specific ALS issues and connect veterans with resources to improve their quality of ALS care.
What do we do:
Team members use our voices to network with veteran-centered organizations and services to identify unique needs and concerns of the veteran community. This includes working with other I AM ALS teams to facilitate legislative action.
Goals:
- Educate and empower veterans with ALS and their loved ones on navigating the healthcare system.
- Raise awareness of the prevalence of ALS among veterans.
- Support policy that improves the lives of veterans with ALS and their loved ones by providing them with resources, increasing funding for ALS research and/or providing easier access to clinical trials.
Accomplishments:
- Developed a directory of resources for veterans with ALS and their caregivers.
- Alongside the I AM ALS staff, helped develop the “Understanding Your Risks” and “Understanding and Navigating the VA” resources. (See https://iamals.org/veterans/)
What are we working on:
- Developing ongoing collaborative relationships with veteran-centric organizations.
- Creating an outreach strategy to raise awareness about the prevalence of ALS among veterans.
- Working with the I AM ALS legislative team on ALS-related legislation.
- Conducting a survey of veterans’ and their caregivers’ experiences to provide constructive feedback to the Veterans Affairs Hospital’s executive committee on ALS. If you are a veteran or veteran’s caregiver and receive care at the VA, fill out their survey!
Co-Chairs

a family member of someone we've lost to ALS,
someone who cared for a person we've lost to ALS

a U.S. military veteran living with ALS,
living with ALS
Team Members

a family member of someone we've lost to ALS,
someone who cared for a person we've lost to ALS

family member of someone we've lost to ALS, ALS advocate

a U.S. military veteran living with ALS,
living with ALS

a family member of someone we've lost to ALS,
someone who cared for a person we've lost to ALS

a U.S. military veteran living with ALS

a U.S. military veteran living with ALS,
living with ALS

a U.S. military veteran living with ALS,
living with ALS

living with ALS