Dr. Theresa Cheng with Rory Dunn, Iraq war veteran and Purple Heart recipient in 2010. Dunn’s survival story inspired Cheng to get involved with helping veterans. (Photo provided by Dr. Theresa Cheng.)
SEATTLE – How much do you know about the veterans in your community?
The Seattle Veterans Day Open Mic Town Hall will be held on Nov. 11 to help answer your questions. It will be from 2–4:30 p.m. in Washington Hall at 153 14th Avenue in Seattle.
The town hall is one result of Dr. Theresa Cheng’s extensive experience working with veterans returning to civilian life. When she volunteered a decade ago to help the family caretakers of a veteran who had been seriously wounded, Cheng learned that most veterans don’t have dental coverage. From that point forward, she focused first on finding free dental care for combat veterans, then expanded her efforts to include finding whatever else individual veterans needed. Along the way, Cheng got to know the veterans themselves. “There is a gap,” she says, “between veterans’ stories and the awareness of the larger community.” Hearing their stories, finding resources, she realized most people were willing to help once they learned of a local veteran’s need.