William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital

25/07/2025

Last call!
Play ball! ⚾️
Military/Veteran appreciation for those who stood tall 🇺🇸🫡
Don't stall
Make plans now - tonight we'll see y'all!

⚾️Visit us and our community Veteran organizations at the Madison Mallards Military and Veteran Appreciation Night on Friday, July 25 at 5:35 p.m.

We will answer questions and have representatives from:
- Eligibility and Enrollment
- Community and Specialty Care
- Community Relations
- Much more

There is no charge to attend the resource fair. Baseball game tickets are $5 for active duty military and Veterans and can be found here:
https://madison-mallards.nwltickets.com/SingleGame/Tickets/SelectSeats/7966

25/07/2025

🤩 Thank you to our volunteers for helping on "laundry day." They stepped up to help with some last minute folding of "loads" of clean scrubs.

23/07/2025

Check out U.S. Navy Veteran Jerry Knasinski getting his steps in with Physical Therapist Assistant Char James as part of the STRIDE program.

STRIDE began as a supervised walking program for hospitalized veterans designed to lessen functional decline by promoting daily mobility, providing safety education and falls education, and helping to find what motivates the Veteran. The goal is to increase the level of activity while in the hospital, translating to increased activity and independence at home, with improvement of quality of life.

Coach Char is originally from San Jose, California, but has been at Madison VA for over two years. She is committed to making sure Veterans have fun along the way. She has Veterans pick music and helps them with setting goals, obtaining and learning how to use assistive devices, and leading activities to ensure they are ready to safely return home.

Knasinski is a Tomahawk, Wisconsin, native and Oconomowoc High School graduate. He served on the USS Stonewall Jackson in the Vietnam era and worked as a machinist and maintenance mechanic after his military service.

Knasinski told Coach Char, “I requested to see you for this STRIDE program. You are such a sweetheart.”

21/07/2025

🌼 Congratulations DAISY Award recipient, Emily Downey! 🌼

The following is a portion of the nomination submitted by a patient and his caregiver:

“Emily is an outstanding Nurse Practitioner…No matter when it was- weekdays, weekends, or in office for an appointment. She was right there explaining in detail on what to do. If it was by phone, she returned our call very quickly and always offered to move our appointment to an earlier date if needed. Always making me (as the caregiver at home) feel confident of exactly what I needed to do [at] home on a daily basis until our next appointment. She was there from Day 1 until the end…A #1 in my book. As for the patient’s feelings, Emily took very good care of him while on the Wound Vac and before the Vac. She was very good at explaining the care and how to do it. While [he was] in the hospital for a heart issue, she came to the ICU to take care of the wound. Never once did we feel we were on our own throughout the time we were at home. We knew we could call Emily with any concerns we might have…Great and wonderful employee to have on board.”

Join us in congratulating our latest DAISY Foundation Award winner! 🙌

(Courtesy photo)

18/07/2025

From our neighbors in Iowa....great story!

After being together for 12 years, Mark and Carla Joos celebrate their love in the face of hardship.

18/07/2025

Great opportunity from our friends at Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs... 🪴

Join us for a rejuvenating experience at the William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital Peace Garden! This initiative invites male and female veterans to come together and tend to our beautiful garden, located in the Community Living Center (CLC). **Please register using the QR code in the image below**

Next Meeting: Monday, July 21 at 10 AM (please meet at the front desk)

By participating, you'll engage in meaningful activities such as watering, weeding, and nurturing the garden, creating a source of joy and tranquility for patients and staff. Connect with fellow veterans, enjoy the therapeutic benefits of nature, and help us bring a little more beauty to our community.

Don't miss this chance to make a difference and find healing through nature!

Women Veterans of Wisconsin

WDVA is sharing this event to promote positive connections with our state's veteran community and opportunities to connect with local and regional organizations. Thank you!

16/07/2025

⚾️Visit us and our community Veteran organizations at the Madison Mallards Military and Veteran Appreciation Night on Friday, July 25 at 5:35 p.m.

We will answer questions and have representatives from:
- Eligibility and Enrollment
- Community and Specialty Care
- Community Relations
- Much more

There is no charge to attend the resource fair. Baseball game tickets are $5 for active duty military and Veterans and can be found here:
https://madison-mallards.nwltickets.com/SingleGame/Tickets/SelectSeats/7966

15/07/2025

Congratulations to U.S. Marine Corps Veteran Mike Foster for winning a gold medal in air pistol at the 2025 National Veterans Golden Age Games in Memphis, Tennessee. He also placed 7th in air rifle despite this being his first-year of competition. The Wisconsin native is already eyeballing the 2026 games in Tampa, Florida, and is experimenting in other events like esports, archery and boccia.

“I didn’t know anything about the Golden Age Games until I happened upon a website and started asking questions,” Foster said. “It’s a great way to get involved and be active. It’s such a great program.” Congrats, sir! 🥇🇺🇸

(Courtesy Photos)

Adaptive Sports and Arts - U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

10/07/2025

Stop by and see our VA team next weekend, July 18-19, 2025, at Pistons & Props at the Wisconsin Regional Airport! 🇺🇸

08/07/2025

🌼 Congratulations DAISY Award recipient, Tamara Kerch! 🌼

Tamara was nominated by a patient:

“Nurse Tamara, in over the 15-20 years I’ve known her while being inpatient at the Madison VA, has always demonstrated all of the core values with excellence, dignity and respect.

She is very compassionate, sincerely caring for patients and values, communicates and diligently serving others exceedingly. She establishes trust, carries herself with distinguished I-CARE values driven by [her] genuine best interest for her patients, peers, & willingness to go above and beyond her responsibilities.

Tamara continues to grace and bless everyone with her time, dedication, leadership, and researches and troubleshoots in a team environment to provide her patients with the cutting edge information relating to her patient’s needs and unique physical, mental, and emotional [needs]; whole body, mind, and spirit. She loves being an RN and demonstrates her efficient and effective, “Best Integrity Standards,” at all times.”

Join us in congratulating our latest DAISY Foundation Award winner! 🙌

04/07/2025

America is the greatest nation on Earth. Today we honor our country, celebrate the freedoms on which it was founded and salute the brave Veterans who’ve protected the U.S.A. for generations. Happy Independence Day!

03/07/2025

Shout out to our Madison East VA Clinic! 🙌

This team has bolstered our new location for the last year since opening. Make your plans to visit them during their next Open House on Tuesday, August 19, 2025, from 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Bring your friends, introduce them to VA health care, learn about your VA benefits and/or just stop by for a brat. 🌭

Last year, one of our Veteran smoking cessation groups presented us with these metal signs on behalf of Veterans who were thankful for the outstanding care they receive. They donated one for each clinic, so our "Tour de Signs" stopped by the east clinic.

When these signs were presented, each Veteran had many wonderful things to say about their VA experiences. One Veteran summarized it best while fighting back tears:

"I'm grateful for this family. Because that's what we are. Without your help there's no way we would have gotten to where we are. The mental health, the whole health, it's helped me get a better relationship with my husband. It's helped me get through a lot of tough times. I love this place. I wouldn't get this anywhere else."