David Shulkin: Invictus Games showcase healing power of sports

Next week more than 500 wounded warriors from around the world are competing in Toronto for the 2017 Invictus Games. The games provide an opportunity for military members and veterans who have suffered physical and emotional injuries to compete in adaptive sports against teams from other nations.

I’m proud to join first lady of the United States, Melania Trump, at this year’s games in support of Team USA. I had the opportunity to attend the games last year in Orlando, Fla., and I was struck by the courage and resiliency of athletes like Will Reynolds, a former Army Captain who lost his leg while serving in Baghdad in 2004. Will suffered devastating injuries while serving our country. But if you saw him compete, you didn’t see his injury. You saw his drive, passion and unbreakable spirit.

{mosads}Will is one of 90 athletes on Team USA at this year’s Invictus Games competing for medals of bronze, silver and gold. But the real prize is the physical and psychological benefits of participating in adaptive sports. And no one knows this better than the doctors, nurses and therapists at the Department of Veterans Affairs.

I’ve spent 25 years in the private sector as a physician and hospital administrator and I’ve run some of the largest health systems in the nation. I knew running VA, which is a federal health system, would be different; I was quite surprised at how different it was.

The key difference is in the comprehensive nature of the services VA offers that you don’t normally find in the private sector. The private sector is generally focused on the physical condition of the patient. But the VA system looks at much more than that.

At VA hospitals across the country, we are addressing veterans’ physical, emotional and psychological needs. We view health care from veterans perspective and integrate services from across the Department into a holistic approach that is much broader than what you find in the private sector.

This holistic approach includes recreation therapy and adaptive sports, which started in VA hospitals in the 1940s following World War II. Today VA is the largest employer of recreation therapists in the United States, with more than 850 nationwide. These therapists are often the first to introduce veterans to sports during their rehabilitation. They’re also among the greatest advocates for sports to aid in recovery from traumatic injury, illness or disease.

It was a group of VA therapists who organized the first National Veterans Wheelchair Games in 1981 at the Richmond, Va., VA hospital. Today, we partner with the Paralyzed Veterans of America to host the event annually, with up to 600 veterans competing in events such as basketball, quad rugby and swimming.

In 1987, therapists from the Grand Junction, Colo., VA hospital took a group of veterans snow skiing. They quickly discovered that their outings weren’t just about skiing. They were about regaining independence, trust and confidence. That was the start of what became the National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic, which VA continues to host each year with the Disabled American Veterans (DAV).

Veterans who participate in these programs say sports are more powerful than anything a doctor could prescribe — it actually gives them a new perspective on life. Marine Corps veteran Jon Lujan rediscovered his love for skiing at the Winter Sports Clinic and went on to compete in the Sochi Paralympic Games. Past DAV National Commander David Riley credits the clinic with helping him overcome perceived limitations after losing both arms and legs.

These events are just a few of the adaptive sports programs VA offers. We also administer an adaptive sport grant program providing up to $8 million annually to national, regional and community organizations. Thousands of veterans participate in ongoing sports activities at VA hospitals and grant-funded programs throughout the year. For veterans striving for elite-level competition, we offer a monthly training allowance for those selected for or competing for a spot on the U.S. Paralympic Team.

Veterans who participate in sports tend to lead healthier lives and spend less time in the hospital. They also report greater independence, more fulfilling relationships, greater job satisfaction and less stress than those who don’t, according to a Harris Interactive study of more than 1,000 adults with disabilities, including more than 200 wounded warriors.

In a competitive health care market, veterans have a choice of where and when they receive care. We want them to choose VA and experience our holistic approach to health care, with treatments like adaptive sports and complementary medicines. We are striving for VA to be a life-long partner and trusted advocate for all veterans, their families, survivors and caregivers.

Congratulations to the members of Team USA for making it this far. I look forward to watching you compete in the 2017 Invictus Games.

Dr. David Shulkin is the U.S. secretary of Veterans Affairs.