Press Kit
Brother’s suicide inspires founding of Hidden Wounds to help combat veterans cope with PTSD, TBI and depression
COLUMBIA, S.C. (March 4, 2010, 2010) – In the aftermath of her brother’s suicide, Anna Bigham vowed to find a way to help other combat veterans and their families battle the demons of war.
So, with friends and family, Bigham founded Hidden Wounds, a non-profit organization that offers a bridge to sufferers of post-traumatic stress disorder and depression to medical and psychological services while waiting to enter the over-stretched Veterans Affairs health care system.
Hidden Wounds seeks to stem the alarming increase in suicide among young veterans. It also aims to teach families about how to recognize symptoms of PTSD and depression so they can guide their veterans toward care.
Hidden Wounds is needed because the VA is struggling to provide psychiatric care and counseling for thousands of veterans returning home from Afghanistan and Iraq. For example:
– A federal study found one out of every five veterans has some form of PTSD, traumatic brain injury or depression.
– The VA recently reported that the suicide rate among veterans 18 to 29 years old rose 26 percent from 2005 to 2007.
- 20 percent of 30,000 suicides reported last year in the United States involved veterans.
- The suicide rate among veterans is nearly twice the rate for civilians, according to reports.
- It takes the VA an average of six months to process new claims, delaying veterans care.
Hidden Wounds is pursuing its mission with the blessing of the VA, founders say. Not only can Hidden Wounds provide stop-gap help, it also is a touchstone for service members who suffer from PTSD but are reluctant to notify commanders.
Anna Bigham illustrates the need for Hidden Wounds by telling the tragic story of her brother, Marine Lance Cpl. Mills Palmer Bigham.
A member of Weapons Company, 1st Battalion, 2nd Regiment, Mills Bigham was a veteran of two combat tours in Iraq. He also suffered from PTSD and depression – commonly referred to as the “hidden wounds” of combat.
Months after re-entering civilian life, Mills found it increasingly difficult to cope, believing people could see the fighting he had done in Iraq and would judge him harshly. On Oct. 19, 2009 — just a year after being honorably discharged — 23-year-old Mills Bigham took his life.
Educating veterans’ families about the symptoms and danger signs of PTSD is an essential part of the Hidden Wounds mission, Anna Bigham says.
“I truly believe that the primary advocates for stopping PTSD suicides among our military are the very people who suffered alongside of their loved one,” she says. “It is a different reality for the family members who did not see the suffering. It’s heart shattering to not do anything about it.”
ken@hiddenwounds.org / Cell 803-360-3433 / Call 803-403-8460 ext 6
Ken Carey, Director of Public Relations and former Lance Corporal, 2nd ANGLICO United States Marine. Hidden Wounds is a 501-3-C non-profit organization.
