Help Our Heroes - Mr. Shopen's Medical Bill

Help Our Heroes had another veteran raise their hand asking for some help with paying for NSSD -- Non Surgical Spinal Decompression treatment! Please take a second to read and share his story.

 

My name is Louis Shopen. I am a 40-year-old, 100% disabled Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) veteran living off disability alone. I developed several medical issues while in service, including bulging neck and back disks that lead to severely restricted mobility. Unfortunately, the only treatment services supported by the Department of Veterans Affairs for these issues are pain management regimens that do not address the underlying condition. This lack of adequate care has only caused my mobility problems to worsen with time. Over the last few years, the pain in my back and neck has become severe enough to make me adopt a sedentary lifestyle, much to my dismay. I am a trained yoga teacher and have been lifting weights since I was a teenager, but due to my injuries, I can only engage in these activities to a minimal degree.

 

Before being sidelined by my injuries, I enjoyed a very active lifestyle. I studied martial arts, lifted weights at the gym, and became a certified yoga teacher. Whether doing solo strength training in the gym or yoga training, being physically active is essential to my physical, mental, and emotional health.

 

This new mode of treatment that I hope to be able to complete is a much less invasive procedure than disc surgery, spinal fusion, or nerve blocks. Furthermore, as the only treatment that addresses the root cause of the issue, it has a much better long-term prognosis. Unfortunately, this newer treatment does not have the same research backing it as older methods. Although the body of research supporting this treatment is growing yearly, and I am lucky enough to receive Medicare coverage through Social Security Disability, neither the VA nor Medicare will pay for this treatment.

 

I am optimistic about my future and itching to return to the activities I enjoyed; I am very hopeful you can help me reach this goal.

 

Thanks in advance for contributing to this cause, which means so much to me!

 

Very respectfully,

 

Louis Shopen

 

100% of the proceeds will go directly to the treatment facility, and any additional funds will be sent to Mr. Shopen.

 

Help Our Heroes is a non-profit organization (501c3) whose purpose is to help first responders and those who have served or are currently serving.

 

Help Our Heroes Inc

Website: helpourheroes.org

Tax ID: 85-0967436