Redmond Caregiver Recognized By Elizabeth Dole Foundation

Redmond, Ore. – The Elizabeth Dole Foundation announced Tuesday the selection of military and veteran caregiver Christa Cox of Redmond as a 2016 Dole Caregiver Fellow. The Foundation’s Fellowship program is a nationwide initiative that gives a voice to military and veteran caregivers who have volunteered to serve as advocates and ambassadors for the 5.5 million spouses, parents, children and other loved ones caring for our nation’s wounded, ill and injured service members and veterans. Cox’s story is posted here on the Foundation’s website along with information about the other caregivers selected for this prestigious program.

The Dole Caregiver Fellowship is one of the Foundation’s principal programs for raising awareness and driving change for America’s military and veteran caregivers. In 2015, the Dole Caregiver Fellows provided insight and advice about the serious challenges encountered by their peers during face-to-face meetings with the White House, Department of Veterans Affairs, more than 100 Members of Congress, and dozens of leaders in the private, nonprofit, and faith communities.

“The stories and experiences of our Dole Caregiver Fellows are at the heart of our Foundation’s work,” said Senator Elizabeth Dole. “These caregivers contribute critical first-hand perspective and knowledge, and their personal experience serves to strengthen the work of the Foundation and our partners. I am grateful for these individuals who have found it in their hearts to extend themselves beyond the challenges of caregiving to shoulder the responsibility of acting as a voice for their peers, our nation’s hidden heroes.”

The 2016 Fellows join the Foundation as it prepares to launch the Hidden Heroes Campaign, a major national awareness initiative chaired by actor Tom Hanks. They will also pick up on the work of last year’s Fellows, who helped the Foundation launch seven impact councils around the most urgent caregiver issues, and advised the creation of new online training courses and respite care resources. They will also continue the advocacy efforts of their predecessors, who, by raising awareness on Capitol Hill, inspired two pieces of legislation and saw the approval of $605 million dollars for the VA’s Caregiver support program. This $50 million over the requested budget was a major victory for the caregiver community.

Together with the 2015 class of caregivers, this year’s Fellows represent nearly every state and territory. Their stories demonstrate the myriad challenges encountered by military and veteran caregivers, such as difficulty navigating complex benefits systems, lacking adequate caregiver training, and suffering moderate to severe emotional distress, financial strain and familial turmoil. 

2016 Class of Dole Caregiver Fellows