Tequila Classic Benefits the Veterans Research Alliance

For many of our San Diego veterans, the war does not stop when they come home. Many war heroes have to fight battles with medical issues that become apparent once they are relieved of duty such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, prosthetics due to loss of limb, or psychological disorders such as post-traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD). These medical problems are often related to their military service, and government funding for medical help is either insufficient or too slow for many of our veterans to receive timely help. The Veterans Research Alliance closes the gap in funding from the government and raises the money needed to help our brave veterans. 

The Veterans Research Alliance is one of the finest research programs in the areas of prosthetics, spinal cord injuries, PTSD, blindness, and hearing loss. Researchers at the La Jolla facility have earned the prestigious national Middleton Award for outstanding achievement in biomedical and behavioral research. For example, lead researchers are working to repair the nervous system by supporting the regrowth of nerve cells. Strategies such as gene therapy and adult stem cell transplantation are being investigated. Behavioral methods currently being studied are Prolonged Exposure Therapy, where patients are asked to recall traumatic events to receive supportive counseling, Virtual Reality Simulations, where computer simulated environments are created in order to understand how the stimulus inhibits behavior, and Hypertension Drug Found To Help Nightmares, so that patients can have improved sleep. 

In the field of prosthesis, the Veterans Research Alliance is using technologies such as robotics, tissue engineering, and nanotechnology to create lighter limbs that mimic natural movement. They not only study the prosthetics mechanical function, but also how the prosthetic matches the needs of the amputee, especially if the person has a more active lifestyle. Part of the research in prosthesis goes to the prevention of such surgeries. Therapies like complex tissue engineering is being studied in order to regenerate cartilage. Much of the research goes towards improving the care and treatment of wounds, so that the need for amputations is reduced. 

Cardiovascular disease is another major medical problem plaguing veterans. Research from the Veterans Research Alliance has helped to identify genetic and lifestyle causes and rehabilitation methods for those who have had a stroke. They have put time and energy towards testing a disposable microchip that can diagnose a heart attack in minutes by sensing molecules in the saliva. This microchip is an alternative to blood tests or electrocardiograms, which take more time to complete and can miss the mark. Many times patients have to be on anti-clotting drugs to prevent heart attacks which can lead to serious bleeding in other areas. Research for alternative medication to counter-balance this effect is currently being studied by the Veterans Research Alliance to help gastrointestinal complications.

Considering that twenty-five percent of our veterans have diabetes, the Veteran’s Research Alliance puts funding towards improvements in diabetic health care. As part of the program, they study strategies that include group visits, telemedicine, peer counseling, and internet-based case management. The idea is that these methods will help enhance access to diabetic care and improve outcomes for patients. 

All of the funds given to this charity go directly to the research that supports veterans in the San Diego area. Please help by donating to their cause; your donation could save the life of a San Diego veteran and help fund research conducted by scientist within the healthcare system. You can also help out by contributing to FINE magazine's Tequila Classic on May 19th in the Del Mar Plaza. Tickets cost $85 dollars and can be bought via our Tequila Classic event page!