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Milwaukee VA enrolls 21,000th Veteran in MVP program

Woman facing cameras with old photos of soldiers behind her
Melody Carranza, a U.S. Army Veteran who gets her care at the Milwaukee VA, recently signed up for the Million Veterans Program, becoming the 21,000th Milwaukee VA Veteran to do so.

As an Army Veteran and former VA volunteer, Melody Carranza knows the value of giving back. This desire to continue helping others is what drew her to join VA’s Million Veteran Program.

Carranza has been a patient with the Milwaukee VA for over 40 years and said her care here has allowed her to live her life to the fullest.  She said she is proud to be a VA patient and is willing to help in any way that can benefit other Veterans. 

Carranza is the 21,000th Veteran from the Milwaukee VA Medical Center to join the Million Veteran Program (MVP), VA’s largest research effort. MVP is working to improve Veteran lives by studying how genes, lifestyle, military experiences and exposures affect health. More than 1,085,000 Veterans across the nation have already joined MVP.

“I am always impressed at how many Milwaukee-area Veterans have stepped forward to help other Veterans in MVP and other VA research efforts,” said Dr. Jeff Whittle, local site investigator. “I think it reflects attitudes that these men and women brought into the service and the emphasis on looking out for your comrades that is part of military service.”

Every Veteran makes a difference in our research

Thanks to Veterans like Carranza and the more than 21,000 Veterans who have joined MVP in the Milwaukee area, we understand certain health conditions better than ever before.

Already, we have supported the largest genetic studies to date on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), major depression and heart disease. Other areas we’re researching include tinnitus, cancer, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, Gulf War Illness, endometriosis and suicide prevention.

What it means to join the Million Veteran Program 

Veterans can join MVP at a participating VA facility, like the Milwaukee VA, or online at www.mvp.va.gov. Participation in MVP is entirely voluntary.

Joining MVP involves:

  • Filling out surveys through the mail or online about health and lifestyle.
  • Providing a blood sample, either by mail or in-person at a participating VA facility.
  • Granting MVP secure access to health records on an ongoing basis.
  • Agreeing to future contact by MVP for additional research opportunities. 

To learn more and join today, visit www.mvp.va.gov or call 866-441-6075 to schedule an appointment.