To all those in the TreatNOW Coalition and Network:

Thank you from all of us across the US and even around the world. We are winning. Our advances continue to build recognition, support, science, and successes. 

Few of us back in 2008 would have imagined that it would be this HARD. This eleven-year effort has resulted in progress that mounts:

1. We have over 100 clinics in 32 states and Canada and Australia and Israel loosely organized and informed about efforts around the world that relate to HBOT, and which are willing to treat veterans for free or at reduced rates. In the last decade, those Coalition clinics have successfully treated over 7,500 brain-wounded patients using HBOT. Over 2,400 are veterans. The daily work to match the injured with resources and facilities remains overwhelming.
2. We have shepherded national legislation for a decade, The TBI / PTSD Treatment Act, finally getting Senate recognition in this year’s Veteran Affairs Bill that HBOT is an alternative therapy that has proved it needs more emphasis and funding (S.785). That work includes building and sustaining the network of Congressional staffers and briefing their members on a recurring basis.
3. We have followed and helped shape VA efforts in the HBOT-for-PTSD  Demonstration Pilot that is stalled by COVID, but nevertheless shows near total success in five sites in reversing major symptoms of PTSD in veterans who need more help than in VA programs;
4. We have helped shape legislation in seven states calling for the use of HBOT for TBI/PTSD:  OK, TX, IN, KY, AZ, FL and NC, with more states crafting legislation modeled on earlier successes. Eric Koleda and BG Jim Bauerle in KY and IN are on the cusp of using monies allocated to the program to start treating veterans under protocol and in coordination with Purdue University.
5. The Wounded Warrior Battalion at Camp Lejeune is allowing us to use our own funds to treat their patients suffering from brain wounds/TBI/PTSD/PCS/mental health. Thanks to Ed DiGirolamo at EXTIVITA in Durham NC, we continue to show near-total success with those who have gotten 40 dives.
6. Special Operations units have come around to realize that what has been happening – their wounded warriors getting treated with HBOT – should be brought to light and encouraged. With the help of Debbie Lee and America’s Mighty Warriors [ https://americasmightywarriors.org/ ], over 50 SEALs, Force Recon, FACs, EOD, SPECOPS/SOCOM are reluctantly but progressively allowing use of HBOT off-base for “those who qualify.” No surprise that active duty don’t want to be stigmatized with mental health labels where clearances can be revoked. An active duty Functional Medicine Team, of which we are a part, are coordinating SpecOps groups to formulate a plan to provide wellness and preparedness protocols using HBOT, and to treat and heal suicidal service members through outreach directly into the Teams, assisted by former members who are HBOT advocates. Results of a few of the over 85% successes can be seen in videos on the web site.
7. Increasingly, TreatNOW is collaborating with Functional Medicine proponents out of Ft Bragg, NC. They see HBOT as integral to a broad, personalized, root-cause focused treatment plan for Special Operations, and the DoD writ large. Their MISSION is to accelerate dissemination and implementation of innovative solutions to address Holistic Brain Health & Suicide Prevention by sharing best practices and lessons learned among clinical systems conducting clinical care, education, and research to support the Warfighter Community. There is no silver bullet. See: Functional Medicine – Geoff Dardia, Founding Director SOF Health Initiatives Program   https://bit.ly/37REiFU
8. The Martin R Hoffmann fund within the TreatNOW Coalition is helping sponsor Kent MacLaughlin’s research at Wisconsin to help prove the absurdity locked in the Army’s “sham” arguments. Kent is demonstrating medicinal properties for HBOT at levels sufficient to disprove arguments that “HBOT does not work.”
9.   The Coalition has worked with a consortium of clinics in the Northeast to build studies into both HBOT-for-TBI and HBOT-for-COVID.
10. We are solidifying relations with the Pro Football Retired Players Association in teaming to provide HBOT to players and veterans with brain wounds. The Board of Directors voted to provide HBOT to a select number of retired players who they identify as needing help. TreatNOW is facilitating the treatments in Coalition clinics. The Executive Director of PFRPA, Mr. Robert Schmidt, reiterated their goal: “Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) greatly improves cognitive ability and pain relief for Traumatic Brain Injury. We hope to convince Congress, the DOD, and the VA to recognize the beneficial use of HBOT or, at a minimum, to fund such additional studies as they feel necessary even though we feel the evidence already exists to justify mass treatment. Football players will also benefit from action by the DOD and VA but that is secondary to our desire to help heal our combat veterans.” See Joe Namath’s latest: https://tinyurl.com/yxkwdb27. PFRPA essentials can be found at pfrpa.com.
11. We continue to work with Duane Pohlman, Investigative Reporter out of Cincinnati’s WKRC, and CNN, completing Parts 1-4 of his multi-part series on the use of HBOT for brain wounds and COVID.  One of the Subjects of the video is the now-retired former Marine Simon leMay. He is the first USMC Wounded Warrior out of the WW Battalion/East, Camp Lejeune. See: Duane Pohlman’s Investigative Series on HBOT 

Part 1: Spotlight on America: Dying for a cure

Part 2: A breakthrough that may reverse concussion damage

Part 3: New treatment promises hope during pandemic

Part 4: Hall-of-famer says treatment is curing disabling effects of concussions

12. Members of the Coalition present at conferences worldwide. We have been coordinating papers on BLAST injury, the history of HBOT, and building relations with VSOs for social media and educational purposes. That social media campaign kicked off last month with on-going BLOG posts aimed at parents, legislators, and the media. A worldwide conversation with Dr. James and European colleagues continues for data-sharing re: HBOT-for-COVID.

The TreatNOW Coalition will continue to work toward its Mission and Vision: TreatNOW Mission:  Stop suicides by identifying and treating veterans and others suffering from TBI/PTSD/Concussion.

TreatNOW Goal:  Ensure that over 1.5 million brain injured veterans and active duty service members, along with millions of citizens, get insured access to Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy and other proven alternative medical treatments for their Invisible Wounds.

We have much to be thankful for. Blessings on your endeavors.