Samantha Hance, Blind Rehabilitation Outpatient Specialist at the Kansas City, Missouri, VA Medical Center, recently expressed gratitude in return to BVA and veterans with sight loss for the Certificate of Appreciation presented to her at the 78th National Convention.  “It is with sincere gratitude I offer my appreciation of recognition at the BVA Conference this past week. I have worked at the Kansas City VA Medical Center for nearly 13 years as an Intern and […]

VA’s Whole Health content focuses in September on both conventional and Complementary and Integrative Health (CIH) treatments—and how the two approaches converge. The tools provided will help BVA members and their families share how CIH, along with conventional treatments, results in better outcomes for veteran health and well-being.  More than 40 years ago, U.S. Army Veteran Dr. Norman Gallimore suffered a stroke that affected his appearance. He credits a Whole Health CIH treatment known as […]

All past, present, and future dog handlers among BVA’s blind and low vision veterans are encouraged to join the September 19 meeting via Zoom at 4:00pm Eastern Time. The meeting is open to all veterans with sight loss who are interested in topics and issues associated with guide dogs.  Attendance at previous meetings is not required to join and participate. Although interested dog handlers met in person at the 78th National Convention last month, the […]

September is National Service Dog Month. Created in 2008, the idea for this appreciation month came from actor Dick Van Patten, who was impressed by the great help he had observed service dogs perform to humans with certain ailments and disabilities. To further the cause, he also launched a fundraising initiative to benefit the animals who worked hard every day in service dog training schools.  Van Patten also became an honorary board member of the […]

Using the example of a recent BVA advocacy effort on behalf of Waymo’s driverless vehicle service, Deputy Director of Government Relations Alek Libbin elaborates on the potential influence individual BVA members can exert on a public policy decision. In a July message for BVA Happenings, I referenced Waymo’s efforts to gain approval from the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to operate in San Francisco. I mentioned the frequently understated importance of local and state politics […]

BVA has joined several other organizations in the ITEM (Independence through Enhancement of Medicare and Medicaid) Coalition to support an initiative of the United Spinal Association urging the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to improve Medicare mobility equipment coverage and reassess the interpretation of the “in the home” requirement.  Under its current interpretation, CMS covers only mobility assistive equipment (wheelchairs, canes, and scooters) that is considered reasonable and necessary for daily life activities […]

Join BVA’s VetTech Team this Wednesday, September 13, at 2:00pm Eastern Time as the Weekly Wednesday Webinar welcomes Liz Whitaker, Product Manager for User and Education Outreach for Vispero. In Windows 11, Microsoft changed many of the core elements of Windows, including the Start Menu, Explorer, Notification Center, and several more.  The alterations require users to learn how to interact with the new elements. Fortunately, Freedom Scientific updated JAWS and Fusion, simplifying how individuals interact […]

By Timothy Hornik, BVA Chief of Staff The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Civil Rights has proposed an update to the implementation of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended. The update directly impacts several key provisions of BVA’s legislative priorities regarding the accessibility of medical equipment and devices; rights to self-determination and autonomy in medical decisions; and mandating conformity to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) for […]

By Teresa Galgano, Director of Member Relations We are thrilled to share some fantastic news with our membership: The Blinded Veterans Association family is growing stronger than ever! We are proud to announce that 46 remarkable individuals have recently joined our esteemed organization, and their commitment to our mission is truly inspiring. We also thank our BVA Ambassadors and other recruiters who are volunteering at VA facilities and spreading the word about the Association.  Our […]

Korean War veteran and former BVA National Chaplain of 32 consecutive years (1979-2011), the Reverend Neftali Sanchez, passed away this past Wednesday from causes incident to age at his home in Grand Terrace, California. He was most recently a member of the Southern California Regional Group and, astonishingly, a BVA member for 68 years. Memorial and burial services are pending and will be shared later.  Tali, as many knew him, attended 31 conventions as Chaplain, […]