[upbeat instrumental music]
[martial drumming]
- HEY, Y'ALL, I'M STEPHEN COCHRAN,
COUNTRY SINGER-SONGWRITER AND VETERAN.
THE INJURIES I SUSTAINED WHILE SERVING ALONGSIDE
MY COMBAT BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN AFGHANISTAN
LEFT ME WITH LITTLE HOPE OF EVER WALKING AGAIN.
AFTER THREE MONTHS IN A WHEELCHAIR,
I HAD AN EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE
DONE AT THE NATIONAL V.A. MEDICAL CENTER
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY.
THE PROCEDURE WAS A SUCCESS,
AND I CAN TRULY SAY I AM WALKING TODAY
THANKS TO THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.
IT'S NOW A MISSION OF MINE TO REACH OUT TO FELLOW VETERANS
AND LET THEM KNOW ABOUT MY EXPERIENCE
AND TO HELP BY OFFERING THEM HOPE.
RECENTLY, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY
TO TALK TO FELLOW VETERAN SHANDA TAYLOR BOYD.
HERS AN INSPIRATIONAL STORY OF SUCCESS.
LET'S TAKE A LOOK.
SO HOW DO YOU THINK THE MILITARY
STRUCTURED YOUR LIFE AS IT IS TODAY?
- I REALLY HAVE TO SAY I ATTRIBUTE IT--
JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT HAS HAPPENED IN MY LIFE,
ESPECIALLY REGARDING THE SUCCESS
AND THE WAY THAT I'VE BEEN ABLE TO BE
SOMEWHAT OF AN INSPIRATION TO OTHER PEOPLE
WHENEVER I SHARE THE THINGS
THAT I'VE BEEN THROUGH IN MY LIFE
JUST WITH, YOU KNOW, RECEIVING THE ROTC COMMISSION
AND GOING TO BASIC TRAINING, JUMPING OUT OF AIRPLANES,
THINGS THAT PEOPLE TYPICALLY DON'T GO THROUGH
UNLESS THEY'VE BEEN IN THE MILITARY.
- SHANDA, I WANT TO CHANGE A LITTLE BIT
AND TALK ABOUT YOUR INJURIES AND HOW--HOW YOU WERE INJURED.
- ACTUALLY, I'D BE HONORED TO,
ESPECIALLY IF THIS IS GOING TO
LET SOMEBODY ELSE KNOW OUT THERE, ANOTHER VETERAN,
THAT ONCE YOU DO SUSTAIN A LIFE-CHANGING
OR A CAREER-ENDING TYPE OF INJURY,
IT'S NOT ALL OVER.
IT'S--SOMETIMES, THOUGH, IT MAY FEEL LIKE THAT FOR--
AND SINCE-- WHEN I FIRST SUSTAINED
THE TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY IN 2004,
I KNEW SOMETHING WAS WRONG.
HOWEVER, AT THE V.A. IN SEATTLE,
I AM SO FORTUNATE TO BE THERE
BECAUSE NOT ONLY HAVE I RECEIVED SPEECH PATHOLOGY,
WHICH HAS TRULY ENHANCED MY QUALITY OF LIFE,
BUT I'VE ALSO HAD RESEARCH-BASED THERAPY.
THERE WAS A PROGRAM BEING OFFERED CALLED "TAKING CHARGE."
I WAS REALLY STRUGGLING WITH ISSUES
WHICH WERE COMPLICATED BY THE TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY.
I NOW KNOW HOW TO DEAL WITH THINGS
AND FACE THEM HEAD ON AS A RESULT OF "TAKING CHARGE."
I AM LIVING PROOF
THAT RESEARCH THAT'S DONE BY THE V.A.
CHANGES LIVES, SAVES LIVES, IMPROVES LIVES.
IF YOU WANT A LIFE,
DON'T WAIT ANY LONGER.
- SHANDA, I THANK YOU FOR TALKING TO ME TODAY
BECAUSE AS A FELLOW VETERAN,
I'VE LEARNED A LOT FROM TALKING TO YOU,
AND I HOPE THAT OUR FELLOW VETERANS
THAT GO ON AND SEE THIS DO ALSO.
WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO SHANDA'S FAMILY
AND REALIZED THAT THEY WERE THE ONES
WHO NOTICED HER IMPROVEMENTS THE MOST.
- I THINK WITH THE HELP FROM THE V.A.
AND THE GROUPS THAT SHE ATTENDED,
SHE IS PUTTING IT BACK TOGETHER,
AND I DO SEE A LITTLE BIT MORE SPUNK
AND, YOU KNOW, THE SPARKS IN HER EYES.
- SHE'S MADE GREAT, GREAT STRIDES,
GREAT STRIDES, AND WE'RE HAPPY,
AND WE'RE PLEASED THAT WE'RE GETTING OUR SHANDA BACK.
WE JUST WANT TO ENCOURAGE ANYONE
TO DON'T JUST SIT BACK AND LET THINGS HAPPEN
AND JUST LOOK AT SITUATIONS.
TAKE THE STEPS. ASK QUESTIONS.
GO TO THE V.A. AND SEE WHAT THEY CAN DO FOR YOU.
I'M SURE THERE'S SOMETHING THAT--THAT THEY CAN HELP WITH,
LIKE THEY HELPED US.
- SHANDA IS LIVING PROOF
THAT V.A. RESEARCH IMPROVES VETERANS' LIVES
AND OFFERS HOPE FOR A BRIGHTER TOMORROW,
AND NOT JUST FOR THE VETERANS, BUT FOR THE FAMILIES.
LEARN MORE ABOUT V.A. RESEARCH AT RESEARCH.VA.GOV.
I'M STEPHEN COCHRAN. THANKS FOR WATCHING.