8 July The Fraternal Order of Eagles and Ekso Bionics Highlight the Revolutionary Ekso GT Suit Allowing Paralyzed Veterans to Walk July 4 at Arlington Cemetery July 8, 2016 By The Fraternal Order of Eagles Ekso Project 0 Austin Reese, a Navy veteran with spinal cord injuries and lower extremity paralysis, highlighted American innovation enabling significant recovery and enhanced health. The Fraternal Order of Eagles (F.O.E.), an international nonprofit community organization, and Ekso Bionics, a California-based pioneer in the field of robotic exoskeletons, partnered for a special ceremony honoring veterans at Arlington National Cemetery July 4. Along with Austin Reese, they placed a focus on this extraordinary development during a demonstration on America’s birthday. Ekso Bionics Ambassador Austin Reese, along with representatives from both companies, toured the cemetery, with Reese placing a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The two groups united along with Reese, a veteran, on the nation’s birthday to bring awareness to the technological efforts of Ekso Bionics and the fundraising efforts of the F.O.E. as the groups continue their push to provide Ekso GT rehabilitation exoskeletons to Veterans Affairs facilities across the United States. “When the opportunity arose to help provide hospitals with this incredible new technology, we, as Eagles, felt we owed it to the men and women who protect our freedoms to lend a hand,” F.O.E. Grand Worthy President Bud Haigh said. “We’re extremely proud to be involved in this endeavor and to see the difference it’s making in so many lives firsthand.” In May, the F.O.E. and Ekso Bionics, along with veterans-support organization SoldierStrong, donated an Ekso GT suit to the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Hospital. Members of the F.O.E. raised $75,000 toward the purchase of the suit. During the 2015 F.O.E. International Convention in Milwaukee, WI, the organization unveiled its Ekso Project with a live demonstration of the Ekso GT suit on stage and a feature in the October 2015 edition of its SOAR news publication. The project continues the Fraternal Order of Eagles’ commitment to veterans, which also includes Operation Eagle, an annual fundraising campaign to provide much needed supplies to Eagles members and the children/grandchildren of Eagles members currently serving the United States and Canada overseas; the Those Who Serve program, which offers a free year of membership to current and former servicemen and women; and the Eagles’ Memorial Foundation, which provides health and educational benefits to the children of Eagles members who lose their lives in service to their country. Ambassador Reese says, “I first started using the Ekso GT at the Richmond Veterans Affairs hospital in October of 2014 during rehab from a surgery that I had. It was at this time that I knew there was more out there. Even if I wouldn’t be able to fully walk under my own power again then at the very least I could hopefully help veterans and others who are paralyzed become aware and gain access to this amazing technology. “Since I have been using the Ekso GT I have maintained a great deal of flexibility, muscle tone and when I am walking and talking to people standing up it gives me a great deal of pride to feel like I am an equal again. The Ekso GT has helped me to feel like a normal person again and I have seen it give hope to people who have been newly injured and feel like nothing is going their way. It is an honor to be able to demonstrate the Ekso not only to civilian hospitals but to try and get as many devices into VA hospitals as possible to help out my fellow vets.” For more information about the Fraternal Order of Eagles Ekso Project, visit the Ekso Project page at foe.com. Donations can be sent to the F.O.E. at 1623 Gateway Circle South, Grove City, OH 43123. Donations should be made out to the F.O.E. Charity Foundation with Ekso Project noted in the memo line. About the Fraternal Order of Eagles The Fraternal Order of Eagles, an international non-profit organization, unites fraternally in the spirit of liberty, truth, justice, and equality, to make human life more desirable by lessening its ills, and by promoting peace, prosperity, gladness and hope. Founded in 1898, the Eagles fund research in areas such as diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease and cancer, and raise money for neglected and abused children and the aged, as well as work for social and civic change. Related Articles Fraternal Order of Eagles & Soldier Strong Partner to Donate Ekso Bionics Suit to Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Hospital The Fraternal Order of Eagles, an international nonprofit community organization, and Soldier Strong, a nonprofit dedicated to assisting veterans, partnered to donate an Ekso Bionics Ekso GT suit to the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Hospital. The suit was formally presented to the hospital during a ceremony on Wednesday, May 18. Iowa State Eagles & SoldierStrong Partner to Donate Ekso GT Suit to Younker Rehabilitation DES MOINES, Iowa. - The Iowa State Fraternal Order of Eagles have partnered with SoldierStrong, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing advanced medical technologies to veterans, to donate an EksoGT™ exoskeleton to Younker Rehabilitation at Iowa Methodist Medical Center. The robotic exoskeleton is used in rehabilitation to help people—including veterans—who have had a stroke or spinal cord injury walk again. Iowa Leadership welcome the Fraternal Order of Eagles Board of Trustees On Monday, August 15, the University of Iowa Foundation (UIF) welcomed the Fraternal Order of Eagles (FOE) Board of Directors to the University of Iowa for their annual visit to the FOEDRC. Adams Named Fraternal Order of Eagles Diabetes Research Chair Christopher Adams, MD, PhD, has been named the Fraternal Order of Eagles Diabetes Research Chair. This position has been endowed by the Fraternal Order of Eagles (FOE) to propel and accelerate the pace of discoveries in the FOE Diabetes Research Center (FOEDRC), whose mission is to advance knowledge of the mechanisms of diabetes and its related complications through cutting-edge research. FOE, Soldier Strong Partner To Donate Ekso GT Suit to CHI Health Rehab Institute in Omaha STAMFORD, Conn., Aug. 28, 2017 -- The Fraternal Order of Eagles, a nonprofit organization dedicated to community service and philanthropy, today announced that in partnership with SoldierStrong, it will be donating an EksoGT™ exoskeleton, to the CHI Health Immanuel Rehabilitation Institute. The donation ceremony, which will include a patient demonstration, will take place at the center on Monday, August 28th at 1:30 p.m. “We are grateful for the generosity of these national organizations and for their commitment to helping veterans,” said Larry Niemann, Director of Rehabilitation Service, CHI Health Immanuel Rehabilitation Institute. “This heartfelt donation will help our rehabilitation program deliver even more leading treatments to our patients, many of whom are veterans, to help them to stand up and relearn to walk.” Eagles To Sponsor Clint Bowyer, HScott Motorsports in 2016 MOORESVILLE, N.C. - HScott Motorsports is pleased to announce that the Fraternal Order of Eagles (F.O.E.) will continue its relationship with HScott Motorsports by sponsoring Clint Bowyer, driver of the No. 15 Chevrolet in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for the 2016 season. The sponsorship comprises nine Sprint Cup Series races as a major associate sponsor including the Daytona 500 on Sunday, February 21 while serving as an associate sponsor for the entire season. Showing 0 Comment Comments are closed.