Bishstrong Foundation, Inc.

Just over a week away from showtime! We are excited to have the very funny Jessica Casciano be a part of the show. This fundraising event is always a fun one and what is better than laughter? All to support an awesome cause! Tickets are still available-Come out and join us for a great night!

We are less than 3 weeks away from Bishstrong Foundation’s 2nd annual Comedy Show Fundraiser! We are excited for Pete Costello to join us and bring the laughs. We also have some awesome raffle and silent auction items. All money raised continues to help us help others living with paralysis. Link below for tickets or contact us. https://lnkd.in/eJpQbhz5

One month away! We are excited to have Frank Santorelli headlining a cast of hilarious comedians. Come help support DJ and his foundation to continue to give back and help those living with paralysis. Click the link below for tickets or contact us at [email protected] https://lnkd.in/eJpQbhz5

?? Grantee Spotlight ?? Jemil Evans life changed in an instant in June of 2021 when he was just 19 years old. He had graduated from high school and was planning his future when an accident left him a C6 complete quadriplegic. As a result of his spinal cord injury, Jemil was unable to move his left arm at all and only able to shrug his shoulders. Jemil has gained some movement in his elbow through outpatient therapy. Continuing therapy at home after suffering paralysis is one of the keys to staying on track with recovery. Insurances limit the amount covered for at-home equipment and can make it hard for individuals to continue to recover outside of a dedicated facility. We purchased the Saebomas Mini Mobile Arm Support System which will help Jemil regain more ability to perform everyday tasks independently while using this device. This zero gravity mobil arm support facilitates movement and will allow him to continue to exercise the weakened arm and shoulder. If you'd like to help others continue to make every day count with grants like this, check out our social medias for information about our comedy show in March! We hope to see you there! #MakeEveryDayCount

SAVE THE DATE!! The Bishstrong Foundation is excited to announce our 2nd annual Comedy Show fundraiser is just 2 months away. Please consider joining us on Saturday March 15, for a night of fun all to support individuals living with paralysis. Four talented comedians including headliner Frank Santorelli who you may all know from the Sopranos, Pete Costello, Jessica Casciano and emcee Anthony Brooks. Contact us for details!

?? Grantee Spotlight ?? In 2020 at the age of 15, Amelia Pozza was involved in a motor vehicle accident where she was hit by a truck. She suffered a complete spinal cord injury at the T12 level leaving her a paraplegic. Prior to her injury Amelia was very active playing softball, basketball and gymnastics. Now 19 years old, Amelia is a full-time sophomore college student living on campus. She is studying nursing and hopes to work in the field of pediatric rehabilitation. She enjoys working out in the gym while at school. In the summer she works part time as activities director in a Senior assisted living facility and attends Journey Forward, an intensive exercise program for those with spinal cord injuries. Navigating a large college campus poses a challenge for anyone, and for someone who travels in a manual wheelchair those challenges increase. For this grant, the Bishstrong Foundation partnered with the Matt Brown Foundation to purchase a Smartdrive Power Assist. This device attaches to Amelia’s manual wheelchair and allows her to navigate hills and move around campus more efficiently. We were happy to provide Amelia with a device to help her be more independent as she continues to be active and make every day count. We wish her the best and look forward to following her journey.

?? Grantee Spotlight ?? Ed Newell’s life was turned upside down in an instant in February of 2023 while on a group mountain bike ride.? Ed was thrown over the handlebars of his bike and landed head first on the frozen ground. Upon impact Ed became a C3-C4 incomplete quadriplegic. ? Prior to his spinal cord injury, Ed was an avid outdoorsman who was motivated to challenge the elements and thrived in the outdoors. It is a lifestyle he truly misses as his current physical limitations prevent him from pursuing these activities, and today Ed is involving himself in adaptive programs where he can.? He is motivated and working every day at getting stronger as it is his goal to return to as many of his passions as possible in whatever way possible.? ? One of the impediments to achieving this goal is the loss of strength and coordination in the wake of his spinal cord injury. After being released from PT recently, Ed occasionally works with a trainer at the gym to improve in this area, rides a recumbent mountain bike with a local adaptive sports program, and he continues to work out at home. ? Ed applied to our foundation for a grant to help purchase equipment to expand his home gym. We were happy to fulfill Ed’s wishlist and we wish him all the best in his recovery journey. We know that Ed will make every day count, and we look forward to following his progress.

??Grantee Spotlight ?? Dung Do became a C1-C2 incomplete quadriplegic after being struck by a fast moving SUV as a pedestrian in 2014. Prior to his injury, he was a very active person who enjoyed outdoor activities like hiking, mountain biking, and skiing. Currently, adaptive exercise plays a critical role in his recovery, providing a positive impact on both his physical and mental health. Dung described himself as a very determined individual and his ultimate goal is to walk again. Since suffering this devastating injury, his mindset has always been to take affirmative action and persevere knowing that with hard work, the impossible can be possible. The motto Dung Do lives by is keep working, failure is not an option. Our foundation was able to purchase a Tonal - Intelligent Home Gym to help Dung keep moving forward and make every day count.

Looking to give back? We have some great opportunities to join our team! Email or message us if interested! #makeeverydaycount #volunteer #community #spinalcordinjury #spinalcordinjuryawareness

That’s a wrap! We are humbled to announce that we raised just over $18,000 at our Second Annual Bishstrong Fundraiser! A huge thank you to Sal and the Back Eddy Team for hosting us again, the Khoury Sisters for providing amazing entertainment, and Kayla Paiva for capturing so many amazing memories. None of this is possible without the generosity of all of you. A heartfelt thank you to everyone that attended, donated raffle & silent auction items, donated and has supported our mission every step of the way. Your support culminated as we were able to honor our first four grant recipients and share more about their stories and their amazing dedication in making every day count. Check out our website for the link to the full photo gallery and stay tuned for some grant recipient spotlights! #bishstrong #makeeverydaycount #bishstrongipa