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For wounded warrior group, diving is healing

Nancy MacPherson is excited about seeing the potential of her innovative scuba diving-based therapy, and about testing the waters when she and seven wounded soldiers travel to the Cayman Islands on March 24.

The Underwater Warriors, which MacPherson describes as a mind, spirit and body program, will head to Cayman Brac for “seven days of diving and healing,” a news release indicated.

MacPherson and her son recently founded Underwater Warriors, an innovative scuba diving-based wellness program in conjunction with Fort Campbell’s Wounded Warriors. She said the week-long trip has also been in the plans since the start.

“This is part of telling the world who we are,” MacPherson said, as their mission has gained media attention from across the world.

MacPherson also hopes to attract attention from the medical community, claiming she has witnessed the therapy remove shrapnel from participants’ bodies.

Shrapnel, a common plague of the war in Iraq, is dispersed from improvised explosive devices and is often challenging for doctors to extract from patients without further injuring them.

MacPherson said it may be the change in pressure that is working the shrapnel out.

“We are having documented results,” she said. “It’s working. Not only psychologically, but physically. We’re seeing it from testimonies, but we really need scientific proof.”

MacPherson is helping soldiers with a wide range of injuries, including paralyzation and amputation.

“Going on disability after being discharged isn’t enough for them,” she said. “We saw they needed something like our program to show them they can do anything.”

The trip is going to be paid in full by the Cayman Brac government and businesses on the island.

“The Carribean opened its arms towards wounded soldiers,” she said. “They are rolling out the red carpets for [the soldiers],” she said.

Making strides

Chief Warrant Officer 3 Lori Hill was riding shotgun in a Kiowa OH-58 Delta in Iraq last March when a bullet came through the helicopter’s floor, bit her in the heel and left two fractures in her fibula.

After spending two and a half months in a cast, she entered the Underwater Warriors in September, and quickly found she was experiencing results.

“My doctor thought it was fantastic — the strides I was making during the therapy,” she said.

Hill also gained a hobby, as she and her husband recently vacationed in Mexico, where she went scuba diving four times.

She started gradually in the program, learning how to put the scuba apparatus together and on, and how to move in the water with it on. She then started in the shallow end of the pool to get comfortable with breathing.

Before long she began snorkeling and got used to being underwater, then moved to the deep end of the pool, and then the open water.

Hill is 95 percent recovered and is expected to make a full recovery.

“I feel very lucky. There are a lot of soldiers who aren’t so fortunate.” she said.

She believes the program is a way for soldiers to get their confidence back and to rebuild.

Sgt. Erik Roberts will never fully regain use of his right leg.

He spent 72 days in the hospital after being wounded by an IED in April, shattering his femur and leaving shrapnel in his leg and shoulder. He has been through 11 surgeries and has a titanium rod in his right leg.

While in the hospital, MacPherson visited him and pitched the idea to him, and it sounded like it was worth a shot.

“I think it could be good for me,” he said.

His wounds only recently completely closed, a requirement of the program, and he has been able to make it into the water for training a few times.

He will be getting his scuba certification while on the island. Hill, who is six months pregnant, will only be snorkeling, but is thrilled to be along for support.

How it began

The group officially started in early 2006, when MacPherson visited Laura Boyd, public affairs officer at Blanchfield Army Community Hospital, to propose her idea.

“For some reason, she really believed in my vision,” MacPherson said.

A diving instructor of 18 years, MacPherson became interested in working with soldiers when she moved to Clarksville from Marshall County in 2001 and worked with her first soldier, a member of the 5th Special Forces Group, who really impressed her.

“He was polite, courteous and bright,” she said. “I kind of like the ‘Yes, ma’am.’ It was a real pleasure to have that sort of respect.”

Following deployments, she began working with more soldiers and found she really enjoyed it.

Underwater Warriors is a non-profit organization, and they do not charge for therapy.