Mental Health Foundation to honor award-winning TV journalist Bob Woodruff at August Evening in Saratoga

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ALBANY, NY (06/15/2014)(readMedia)-- The Mental Health Foundation will honor award-winning TV journalist Bob Woodruff at its annual August Evening in Saratoga, Monday August 18 at the Saratoga National Golf Course.

Woodruff, whose miraculous recovery from traumatic brain injury suffered while on assignment for ABC TV in Iraq in 2006, will be recognized for his outstanding work with the Bob Woodruff Foundation. The Bob Woodruff Foundation helps returning veterans address their life challenges, including mental health issues.

First Lady of Saratoga Marylou Whitney and former New York State First Lady Matilda Raffa Cuomo are the Honorary co-Chairs of the event.

"The story of Bob's life changing experience and his tireless efforts to help returning veterans through the Bob Woodruff Foundation has inspired so many people and turned something very dark into something that provides hope," said Mrs. Cuomo who serves on the Mental Health Foundation Board. "Hope is so very important for individuals and families who struggle with their mental health."

"Mental Health challenges are just part of what returning veterans face every day" Woodruff said. "When people work together for better understanding of the challenges we can help change lives for the better."

While reporting on U.S. and Iraqi security forces for ABC's "World News Tonight," on Jan. 29, 2006, Woodruff was seriously injured by a roadside bomb that struck his vehicle near Taji, Iraq. In a miraculous recovery, just 13 months later, he returned to ABC News with "To Iraq and Back: Bob Woodruff Reports." Since then, he has reported from around the globe on a variety of subjects for the network. He was honored with a Peabody Award for his reporting on traumatic brain injury. In his bestselling memoir, In an Instant, co-authored with his wife, Lee, he shares stories about the fragility of life, the strength of family, and the bravery of those who helped save him.

The Bob Woodruff Foundation's mission is to ensure injured veterans and their families are thriving long after they return home. It finds and funds innovative programs in communities where veterans, their families and caregivers live and work.

The Mental Health Foundation is focused on ending stigma associated with mental illness and encouraging people to seek the help they need. In recent years, the Foundation has presented programs with former First Lady Rosalynn Carter, Tipper Gore, actor and filmmaker Joe Pantoliano and University at Albany President Robert Jones, among others.

Tickets for the event are $100 each and are available now. Information about the event, sponsorships and early RSVPs visit www.mentalhealthfoundation.net or call 518-694-5364.