Throughout David Cohen’s home, there are plenty of pictures, constant reminders of what his life was like before his body started to fail him.
“It’s not how I envisioned my life at this stage,” he said.
The 78-year-old was emotional as he sat down with NBC6 Responds in February to talk about his ALS diagnosis and the challenges he was facing as he tried to get the help he needed. The progressive, neurological disease, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is rare and has no cure.
“There’s no telling how it’s going to be,” he said.
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Learning he had ALS was devastating for David.
“I’m type A,” he said, visibly emotional. “I do all sorts of projects. I travel. All of those things are gone.”
Just weeks into his diagnosis, David already had limited mobility. He used a walker to slowly get around inside his home, and an electric scooter to get some fresh air with his beloved dog. But perhaps the biggest changes were already happening with his voice.
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“My speech is much slower,” he said.
David served in the Army from 1965 to 1967 and is eligible for extensive VA benefits.
In 2008, the Department of Veterans Affairs announced ALS would become a “presumptively compensable illness for all veterans with 90 days or more of continuously active service in the military,” citing a study suggesting a link between military service and later development of the disease. The purpose of that designation was to make ALS claims easier to process for veterans.
Years later, David told NBC6 Responds he found the claims process to be frustrating and confusing.
“I’m not clear on how long things will take,” he said.
David filed his benefits claim in December. Emails he shared with NBC6 show about a month later, no decision had been made yet on his claim. So he reached out to NBC6 Responds for help. Our team emailed the VA on Jan. 24.
By Feb. 1, David’s benefit claim was approved.
When asked if he felt he would have still been waiting if he had not connected with NBC6, he said, “I’m sure I would have.”
The VA told NBC6 in late January that ALS claims are prioritized and that, on average, it takes about 92 days to complete an ALS benefits claim, which is more than two months faster than non-ALS claims.
“It needs to be faster,” David said when he learned about that timeframe.
The approval letter David received said he was entitled to “specially adapted housing” and other benefits, including a monthly stipend of over $3,700 he started receiving on Feb. 1.
“It was a huge relief,” David said about the stipend.
In a lengthy email, the VA said in part, “Since February, the VA has worked expeditiously to enroll Mr. Cohen and provide him with the timely health care he requires,” adding the VA was committed to guiding David and his family through this journey.
You can learn more about ALS and its potential link to service in the military, by clicking here.
