CHICAGO (WLS) — Katalin Rodriguez Ogren ready Sunday for a particular exercise that is altering lives.

“We actually attempt to say, ‘That they had our backs. Now, let’s have theirs,’” mentioned Katalin, the co-founder, of Leap for Vets. “Veterans are at all times one thing which have a spot in all of our hearts.”

Leap for Vets is a blood-pumping fundraiser for Rags of Honor, a nonprofit that is uplifting veterans who’re homeless or coping with post-traumatic stress. The West Loop Neighborhood Group helped host the occasion.

“Actually, this week, we will probably be scheduling veterans for procedures and paying for them to obtain the therapy,” Katalin mentioned.

That therapy is run within the type of a shot known as Stellate Ganglion Block, or SGB, which improves sleep and focus whereas decreasing irritability and nervousness.

“It has been known as the ‘God shot,’” mentioned Mark Doyle, the founding father of Rags of Honor1. “It’s a miraculous, miraculous process.”

Rags of Honor has raised tens of hundreds of {dollars} through the years to assist veterans and first responders get this life-saving and demanding shot. That is additionally the one nonprofit group that helps cowl the worth of this therapy, which has a price ticket of practically $2,000 and isn’t coated by insurance coverage.

“It is actually laborious to underscore the sensation you get when a veteran calls you, and this occurred two weeks in the past, to say, ‘thanks, Mark. My youngsters love me once more,’” Mark mentioned.

“I’m so grateful for the generosity of Rags of Honor to assist us as a result of actually it is saved many, a lot of our lives,” mentioned Chicago Police Officer Melinda Linas.

Melinda can also be an Military veteran.

“The cumulative trauma that you simply see on daily basis, it accumulates. After years and years of simply coping with hectic conditions, violent conditions, seeing youngsters which can be injured, and victims on daily basis, it takes a toll on you,” she mentioned.

Rags of Honor paid for Melinda to get the shot, which she mentioned has saved lives inside CPD.

“A few of these officers had been feeling suicidal, they had been feeling hopeless. Now, I speak to them, we communicate, they’ve had this shot and they’re doing properly. They need to dwell and know the way to cope with their stressors,” she mentioned.

In case you are experiencing suicidal, substance use or different psychological well being crises please name or textual content the brand new three digit code at 988. You’ll attain a skilled disaster counselor without spending a dime, 24 hours a day, seven days every week. You can too go to 988lifeline.org or dial the present toll free quantity 800-273-8255 [TALK].