Once again the heavy-weights of the entertainment industry are lending a hand to the David Lynch Foundation (DLF) to help those in need. The DLF raises funds to aid veterans whose selfless service to the country has triggered a debilitating condition called post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
The benefit dinner that took place in The Plaza in New York City included the actor, producer and director Tom Hanks, the actress and author Mary-Louise Parker and the actor Kyle MacLachlan.
Tom Hanks is one of America’s most beloved and celebrated actors and one of only two people who have ever won the Best Actor Academy Award two years in a row. Hanks started practicing Transcendental Meditation when the comedian Jerry Seinfeld encouraged him to pick up the technique rather than take a year off, as Hanks had originally planned.
Mary-Louise Parker is an actress and an author who has enjoyed great success and popularity for her roles in both countless films and TV shows. She has also received numerous awards for her work including a Golden Globe for Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress and an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress.
In 2013, Parker was honored for her work in a whole different field: namely, her dedication to the organization Hope North which focuses on educating and healing young victims of Uganda’s civil war.
Kyle MacLachlan is loved for his charm and quirky sophistication which characterize his memorable roles in iconic films and TV shows. He is best known for his performance as FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper in David Lynch’s ground-breaking series Twin Peaks, for which he received two Emmy nominations and a Golden Globe Award.
At the benefit, Hanks, Parker, and MacLachlan joined the guests for dinner and talk about the benefits of Transcendental Meditation for their health, creativity, acting, and life.
The funds raised will be used by DLF to teach veterans Transcendental Meditation (TM): a technique proven to effectively relieve not only stress in general but also PTSD in particular.
PTSD develops when a person witnesses or experiences a traumatic event. It can lead to disturbing thoughts, feelings or dreams, mental and/or physical distress, and feelings of constant threat even in the safest of environments.
If left untreated, post-traumatic stress disorder impacts veterans and their families in the most devastating ways. It negatively affects their relationships, health, and ability to work and often leads to alcohol and drug addiction and even suicide.
The grim fact is that more American soldiers take their own life due to PTSD than die in actual war operations.
Research has shown that when veterans diagnosed with PTSD learn Transcendental Meditation their trauma symptom severity, psychological stress, and the use of psychotropic medications all decrease.
The benefit will also honor retired Major General Stephen T. Rippe and US Navy combat veteran Ken Falke. Rippe serves as a member of the Board of Military Advisers of the David Lynch Foundation’s Center for Veterans Health. Falke is the founder of the Boulder Crest Retreat for Wounded Warriors, a rural wellness center dedicated to helping veterans and their families.
To support DLF’s mission to save veterans and their families from the devastating effects of PTSD, get tickets or make a donation here.
