John Mayer is sharing more about the veteran health research he has helped fund, including his work through the Heart and Armor nonprofit. According to Billboard, Mayer says he has donated about $5 million of his own money to support research into PTSD and related health issues.
Mayer said the effort began after he visited wounded-warrior barracks at Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville, North Carolina, in the late 2000s. He later launched Heart and Armor in 2019 to help advance research into both mental and physical symptoms tied to PTSD and to build resources for veterans who need support.
In a recent profile with The Hollywood Reporter, Mayer said seeing veterans and hearing their stories changed the way he understood PTSD. He said the experience moved him to keep funding studies and to help reduce stigma around struggles that can affect veterans, including self-medication.
Billboard reports that the studies Mayer has supported have looked at topics such as exercise, women’s eating habits and the psychological effects of military sexual trauma. Along with his philanthropy, Mayer is also working on a new album and said he is putting his time and energy into that project for his return to music.
