The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Group seeks to help veterans’ families
Denise Gula is launching a new nonprofit called Heart of Patriots to help spouses and families of veterans.
An array of resources available to veterans suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI) are plenty.
But where’s the help for spouses and families dealing with veterans suffering from these medical conditions?
Denise Gula, executive artistic director of the Ohio Dance theater, is launching a new nonprofit called Heart of Patriots.
The mission behind Heart of Patriots is to provide education, resources and support to spouses and families of veterans suffering from PTSD and TBI, according to Gula.
“Nine percent of veteran’s spouses commit suicide from distress,” she said. “We want to provide education for spouses and family members on PTSD and TBI, so they can now how to deal with it.”
Spouses are amazing because they continually ignore their own needs so they may care for the needs of their disabled veteran and their children, according to a media release from Hearts of Patriots.
It is this sacrifice that often goes unnoticed, the release said.
Heart of Patriots plans to partner with other nonprofits to provide the education and a guide to resources, Gula said.
The nonprofit also looks to provide financial support to veterans and their families, whether its sending flowers to them or providing funding to send them to the movies, she said.
Gula invites the public to the launch of Heart of Patriots with a free performance of “Blood Stripe, A Spouse’s Story,” at 7:30 p.m., March 4, at the Stocker Arts Center Hoke Theatre, 1005 N. Abbe Road in Elyria.
The show brings attention to the long-term impact of war on the spouse and family of a veteran of the 3/25 Marine Battalion who served in Iraq and survived the War on Terror, shedding light on the challenges faced by spouses and families who live daily with the consequences of war.
Gula said the production is based on her daughter’s experience when her husband came home from serving in Iraq.
“The motivation behind the show is my daughter’s story with her husband,” she said. “After eight years of dealing with her husband’s condition, she decided to do some research on PTSD and was able to use the information found to know what to expect and how to cope with it.
“And she also reached out to a veterans group where she realized other families were living her exact life. This is where the show comes into place because we want to educate the general public, so they understand there is a way to manage the situation.
“It does not go away or disappear, but we can help people find a new normal piece.”