Supporting Troops (3/365) Fisher House

Now here is an organization near and dear to my heart:

Fisher House

www.fisherhouse.org

When I was a pediatric surgeon in Texas at the Wilford Hall Medical Center on Lackland Air Force Base, I took care of troops' children from far and wide. I received patients from as far away as Japan. Many of my child patients came from just three hours north, Ft. Hood in Kileen, TX. The base has the highest number of births in any military treatment facility (with big peaks 9 months after a division comes home to their families!)

When my patients came from far away, their parents were welcome to stay at the Fisher House. It was kind of like a home away from home for families who had to be at the hospital. While I was deployed, I learned that Fisher House wasn't a local San Antonio phenomenon that was there just to help the parents of my patients, it was an amazing institution with over thirty houses on three continents, helping out families of troops who needed medical treatment for any reason.

Fisher house was started by Zachary Fisher, a construction magnate in New York. He was unable to serve in the military because of a bad leg, but he had a deep admiration and appreciation for military families. He also saved the Intrepid aircraft carrier and preserved it as a museum.

Because of Zachary and Elizabeth Fisher's dedication and vision, carried on by present Fisher House Chairman Ken Fisher, over 120,000 families have been hosted at the Fisher Houses.

When I returned from deployment, I felt like I had been taken out of the game. I had been working day after day helping the troops, and suddenly I was doing nothing for them. I found Fisher House and I was amazed to find that 100% of donated funds went straight to troop services, largely because the Fisher family continues to provide the operating funds. My wife Meredith and I have been able to raise over $1000 for Fisher House, and it gives me a little sense of still doing my tiny bit for the troops.

Check out the Fisher House site:

http://www.fisherhouse.org

for ways you can help. If you live near a Fisher House, there are many ways to participate: donate supplies or food, cook a meal for the families of injured troops staying there, visiting to decorate for holidays or give clothing and Christmas gifts to the kids.

Here are the locations of the 43 Fisher Houses, and more are being constructed:

California

Palo Alto VA Health Care System
San Diego Naval Medical Center (2)
Travis Air Force Base
West Los Angeles VA Med Ctr.

Colorado

Denver VA Medical Center
District of Columbia
Walter Reed Army Medical Ctr (3)

Florida

Bay Pines VAMC, St. Petersburg
Haley VA Hospital, Tampa
West Palm Beach VA Med. Ctr

Georgia

Eisenhower AMC, Fort Gordon

Hawaii

Tripler Army Medical Center (2)

Kentucky

Blanchfield ACH, Fort Campbell

Maryland

Andrews Air Force Base
Bethesda Naval Medical Center (2)

Minnesota

Minneapolis VA Medical Center

Mississippi

Keesler Air Force Base

New York

Stratton VA Medical Ctr., Albany

North Carolina

Womack Army Medical Center

Ohio

Cincinnati VA Medical Center
Wright-Patterson AFB, Dayton (2)

Texas

William Beaumont AMC
Darnall Army Medical Center
DeBakey VA Med Center, Houston
Brooke Army Medical Center (4)
Wilford Hall USAF Med. Ctr. (3)
North Texas VA Health Care, Dallas

Virginia

McGuire VA Medical Ctr., Richmond
Portsmouth Naval Medical Center

Washington

Madigan Army Medical Center
Puget Sound VA Health Care, Seattle

EUROPE

Landstuhl Reg. Med. Center, GE (2)

Thank you (Support the Troops 2/365)

People often ask me what they can do for the troops. The simplest things are often most effective. My advice, is just say "Thank you"

Believe me, it is appreciated. I think anyone, having a tough day, struggling through the demands of work, missing home and family, would get a little lift out of hearing a friendly "Thank you." For a troop, they may be far from home, months since they saw their wife or husband, and under the stress of living with danger or having lost a brother.

You might get the same response I used to give, "I'm just doing my job." That's really how I felt. Everyone has their job, show up and do what you have to, til the job is done. When you think about it, really everyone deserves a "Thank you." For troops, they deserve a "Thank you" from every citizen in the country.

If you feel shy about stepping up to a stranger and saying "Thank you", consider the advice of the Gratitude Campaign.

http://www.gratitudecampaign.org/

Simply sign "Thank you" by touching your heart with your right hand, then lowering your hand. It doesn't take a word to do it.

I'll admit, when I first saw this, I thought it was the Arabic "Salaam" which is a slight bow, and touching the hand to the forehead or the heart. In Iraq, it is usually to the heart. It means simply "Peace" or "Hello". But even that would be appreciated. After months in the middle east, it had become a familiar and friendly gesture.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gr9Zb3sTfYg

Our book website is live www.coppolathebook.com

Our book website is now available:

http://www.coppolathebook.com

The site is a multimedia exploration of the book.

There are two benefits of purchasing the book on the website:

1) It will be available there in NOV, and widely available in FEB

2) Starting in NOV, 10% of of book purchase will go to benefit child and troop organizations. In NOV, our partner is Warchild.

Let me know here if you have any comments about the site!

Take care,

Chris