Wounded Warrior Honored for Disability Advocacy

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A young combat veteran from Arlington, Virginia who returned from Iraq with brain injuries was honored today for his "tireless quest to help other veterans" by the prestigious HSC Foundation, a Washington nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting teens and young adults with disabilities.

Ryan J. Lamke, 24, was selected by The HSC Foundation for its Advocates in Disability Award. The HSC Foundation's annual recognition promotes and awards young individuals between the ages of 14 and 25 "who have dedicated themselves to positively impact the lives of individuals with disabilities and their families in the Washington, DC metropolitan area."

The HSC Foundation presented Lamke with a check for $5,000 and a plaque recognizing his post-military achievements in advocating for persons with disabilities. The awards presentation, co-sponsored by the law firm of Nixon Peabody LLP, took place in a rooftop ceremony atop a Washington office building near the Capitol.

"We strive to recognize young men and women like Ryan who take it upon themselves to push for better policies and legislation for people with disabilities, for equal access to quality education or to educate an employer about workplace accommodations," said Thomas Chapman, President and CEO of The HSC Foundation. "Those are big tasks and take persistence, follow-through - even rejection - but they ignore the odds and keep pushing forward due to their belief and commitment to bettering the lives of other young persons with disabilities."

The HSC Foundation has presented its recent annual awards to such young advocates as a college student with intellectual disabilities who pressed her school authorities to allow students with disabilities to attend college and take courses with their non-disabled peers; to a former Russian orphan with spina bifida who advocated for the inclusion of youth with disabilities in school sports; and to a 21-year-old autistic student working on his masters in public policy who has been active in the autistic culture and disability rights movement, fighting for inclusion and access to high level academic coursework.

Ryan was nominated for the award by Mike Turner, chief of Congressional Affairs for the Wounded Warrior Project, where Lamke works 20 hours a week.

"While Ryan works part time for us, he spends most of the rest of his time volunteering to help other disabled veterans," Turner said. "Whether attending activities on Capitol Hill furthering the interests of disabled veterans and meeting with members of Congress, or reaching out to fellow Marines, he is tireless in his quest to help others."

"As distinguished as Corporal Lamke's combat record is, what defines his character for those of us who are privileged to know him is his singular optimism and enthusiasm which is both ever-present and infectious," Turner added.

About The Wounded Warrior Project

Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to honor and empower wounded warriors. WWP serves to raise awareness and enlist the public's aid for the needs of severely injured service men and women, to help severely injured service members aid and assist each other and to provide unique, direct programs and services to meet their needs.

About The HSC Foundation:

The HSC Foundation is dedicated to improving access to services for individuals who face social and health care barriers due to disability, chronic illness, or other circumstances that present unique needs. The Advocates in Disability Awards is part of its Youth Transitions Initiative, for which it received the US Secretary of Labor's New Freedom Initiative Award in 2008. The Foundation also serves as the supporting organization to The HSC Pediatric Center, Health Services for Children with Special Needs, Inc., and HSC Home Care, LLC. Together, the System offers a comprehensive approach to caring, serving, and empowering.

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Cite This Page (APA): HSC Foundation. (2009, June 4 - Last revised: 2010, July 8). Wounded Warrior Honored for Disability Advocacy. Disabled World. Retrieved September 13, 2024 from www.disabled-world.com/news/veterans/wounded-warrior-honored.php

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