The V.A. Poetry Project

Ten years ago I worked with Dr. Bruce Kelly, MD, a physician at the Charles George Veterans Administration Hospital in Asheville. We wrote a grant to be one of six pilot sites for a story-listening project. For this, college students listened to the stories of WWII veterans. The listeners had to listen actively. They could not take notes or make recordings. After, the student wrote up the story and shared it with the veteran and the veteran’s family. The student incorporated additions into the typed final draft. The story then was entered into the Electronic Medical Record, supplanting the vital statistics as the first information the doctor or nurse or PA saw at the start of a clinical encounter. Outcomes improved. Patients and Physician reported improved morale and sense of well-being.

Four years ago I was enjoying lunch at The Examined Life Conference at The Carver School of Medicine at University of Iowa. I asked a dining companion what aspect of medicine do they practice.

He replied, “I’m a listener.”

I said, “Can you tell me more?”

He said, “I listen to patients’ stories and write them down then if they like it the story goes in the Electronic—“

“Medical Record!” I said, or rather shouted.

He told me that the “Story Listener” is at every V.A.

Dr. Kelly’s name appeared in an email thread about a year ago. I thought he had retired. I saw that his email address had changed. It now read Bruce Kelly Director of Creative Writing@ you get the picture. I emailed him. Here is his reply.

Hi Laura.

Sorry for delay replying, takes being on vacation to catch up. It’s been one helluva year for all of us has it not?

In short, Joseph and I’ve continued to lead writing groups for Vietnam veterans with PTSD, most my patients, now 5 cohorts here, 1 at our Hickory clinic JB did by himself. We’ve done 13 staged readings regionally and across the state over the last 4 years, the guys doing smaller readings at a host of sites and occasions. With a new supportive Medical Center Director I’ve finally been able to call it an official Charles George program. 

This opened the door to being awarded VA Innovation Network funding to catalyze programs throughout our VA region, 5 all told. I had 17 VA’s across 12 states committed to participate but funding held it to NC and Virginia VA’s only. We intended to build an evidence base but the pandemic brought the effort to a halt. I created a primer for starting programs based on lessons learned which has been widely shared w other interested VA sites.

We got internal funding to start a program for women veterans though only got one under our belt before pandemic.

Several of the men w my support started a non-profit to continue the work outside the VA lane, the North Carolina Veterans Writing Alliance. They’ve continued to do new groups on their own, are creating a website and do podcasts. Twenty or so of them continue to have monthly calls where they share new writing. 

https://brothersandsisterslikethese.godaddysites.com/

http://brothersandsisterslikethese.buzzsprout.com/

The following link is to 5 of the veterans reading one of their pieces done for Veterans Day in 2019. They were picked up by USA Today and opened many doors for us. Also in the link is a video of our last staged reading at ACT as well as a short video about our most touching community spin off.

https://vimeo.com/showcase/5657419

As you would know so well it’s been a transformative experience for all of us. 

Great to see and hear how well your program is going and the impact you’re having. So very well done! Those G n T’s seem like a long time ago do they not?

I’m sure you know the quote of Rukeyser’s … “The world isn’t made of atoms, it’s made up of stories”. It’s good to stay connected to those of us who believe that. 

Hope all’s well for you and yours. Best for the new year in this time of so much afoot.

Thanks for the role you played in launching our effort here.

I never forget it was your initial grant that gave us our start.

It’s taken a village. You were first up. And so, deep thanks!

Respectfully,

Bruce