ALT In 2007, General Mik warned: "We are currently exposing hundreds of thousands more service members to the elevated risk of this disease. There will be young men, women and families celebrating a return from Iraq and Afghanistan alive, who have no idea that they may soon be facing a certain death from ALS. We will have to answer to those families when they ask what their government has been doing to prepare for this onslaught." Because of his advocacy & his Congressional testimony, the VA now recognizes ALS as a service-related disease. This has profoundly impacted the services to which Veterans are entitled. His words changed their quality of life and services that Veterans have today. His words are still linger in the Halls of Congress, demanding that Veterans are entitled to a "medical arsenal" to fight ALS.
ALT Andy and Matt Bellina. Andy was an F18 fighter pilot. Matt was a EA-6B Prowler pilot until he was medically retired at 32 yrs old when he got 100% fatal & paralyzing ALS. Matt received 7 doses of a therapy called NurOwn that was developed from his own stem cells. When Matt received NurOwn, he regained 6 points of function on a 48 point scale. Matt is fighting for FDA approval of NurOwn. He knows it worked for him. Matt needs more. Matt deserves more. At a minimum, for all Matt has sacrificed for our country, he deserves a right to be and a right to tell his story to the FDA in a public advisory committee meeting.
