Homeless Army Veteran Gets Help After Story Airs On WUSA 9

Homeless Army Veteran Gets Help After Story Airs On WUSA 9
7:09 PM, Aug 5, 2011
Written by
Lindsey Mastis

GREENBELT, Md. (WUSA) -- Desiree Curtis, 50, is a homeless veteran determined to get back on her feet. But a surgery she desperately needs is the reason she's being kept out of one transitional housing program.

9 NEWS NOW's Lindsey Mastis first learned about this story on Facebook.

The Army Veteran left her job last October. Her savings ran out, and she became homeless in June.

Curtis says she found transitional housing that helps her with her job search at Perry Point, located North of Baltimore. But there's a problem.

"In the midst of my job search, that's when I found out I have to have two surgeries," she said.

Doctors discovered she has fibroid tumors. Curtis needs to undergo a hysterectomy in a month.

"It takes four to six weeks to recover," she said.

According to the VA Maryland Health Care System, Curtis cannot move into the program at Perry Point because "Veterans... must not need acute psychiatric or medical care."
read more here
Homeless Army Veteran Gets Help After Story Airs On WUSA 9