Post-Traumatic Stress is an anxiety disorder that comes from a Veteran who has experienced traumatic events.

According to the National Center for PTSD, the number of Veterans with Post-Traumatic Stress varies by service era:

Operations Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Enduring Freedom (OEF): About 11-20 out of every 100 Veterans (or between 11-20%) who served in OIF or OEF have PTSD in a given year.

Gulf War (Desert Storm): About 12 out of every 100 Gulf War Veterans (or 12%) have PTSD in a given year.

Vietnam War: About 15 out of every 100 Vietnam Veterans (or 15%) were currently diagnosed with PTSD at the time of the most recent study in the late 1980s, the National Vietnam Veterans Readjustment Study (NVVRS). It is estimated that about 30 out of every 100 (or 30%) of Vietnam Veterans have had PTSD in their lifetime.

When Veterans come back to civilian life and are struggling with Post-Traumatic Stress, it can cause some serious concerns of safety for themselves and others.  The alarming statistic is that 22 Veterans a day are taking their own life due to Post-Traumatic Stress and other mental disorders. Veterans with Post-Traumatic Stress commonly also struggle with:

  • Drinking or drug problems
  • Feelings of hopelessness, shame, or despair
  • Employment problems
  • Relationship problems, including divorce and violence
  • Physical symptoms

What Light Up To Live is Doing to Help! 

Light Up To Live Foundation is a 501 (c) (3) public charity based in Addison, TX and founded by Randall and Sherry Reed. As a military family,  they are dedicated to raising awareness about the members of our U.S. Armed Forces and Veterans living with the effects of Post-Traumatic Stress, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), tissue injury, pain and depression. The foundation funds polychromatic light therapy systems that have been shown to increase blood flow in the body and reduce associated minor pain for active military and Veterans that we identify could most benefit from its use. Light Up To Live helps connect these military members and their families to other organizations that are in alignment with our mission to provide direct aid and assistance. We want to light a path to better health.

Along with funding polychromatic light therapy systems, Light Up To Live has a partnership with The Patriotic Service Dog Foundation , a foundation that provides highly trained service dogs to those in need that can benefit from a service dog at little or no cost to the recipients, including, but not limited to, wounded servicemen and women of the United States Military Forces.
Light Up To Live Events
Light Up To Live’s three annual events funds raised go toward donating:
  • Polychromatic LED Light Therapy Kits are purchased and donated to other charities that provide physical and emotional therapy to veterans learning adaptive skills.
  • Polychromatic LED Light Therapy Kits are donated for personal use by veterans who can use the kits at home or away from their physical therapy center.
  • Funding of Service Dogs trained specifically for use by Veterans living with Post-Traumatic Stress, TBI and physical injuries to enhance their daily adaptive living needs – including 18 months of training and five years of canine food and veterinary care.

Our next Light Up To Live charity events will take place September 12-14th. The weekend will include our annual golf tournament, clay shoot and gala. More details are coming soon. Please make sure to follow our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for the latest information. If you are looking for a way to give back to our Veterans in need, lightuptolive.org always welcomes donations as well as volunteers during our events. Click donate, to learn more.