Brain Injury Association of America

Giving Tuesday is next week! This international day of giving encourages the community to give back to causes they care about. This year, one of our generous donors has agreed to match donations up to $50,000 through the remainder of the year! That means you can double your impact when you donate to BIAA. Make your contribution today: https://bit.ly/499Atww

The latest version of BIAA's magazine, THE Challenge!, is now available for free online. This issue focuses on finding community after brain injury and contains articles on community in caregiving, tips for building community, and more. Access the magazine here: https://bit.ly/493fVWB

Page Melton Ivie, Chair of the Brain Injury Association of America Board of Directors, has been a caregiver for more than 20 years. This National Family Caregivers Month, she reflects on how caregivers can alleviate feelings of loneliness or isolation and find community among other caregivers: https://bit.ly/3OigToi

The Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA) held our inaugural Luminary of the Year celebration last week, during which 250 members of the brain injury community came together to honor Marilyn Price Spivack, BIAA’s co-founder and first-ever Luminary of the Year honoree. Marilyn was thrust into the brain injury world 49 years ago when her then-15-year-old daughter, Deborah Lee Price, sustained a brain injury while coming home from a skiing trip with friends. Recognizing that her daughter’s needs, as well as the needs of countless others in similar situations, could only be met by a nationwide organization dedicated to providing support for people with brain injury, she decided to take matters into her own hands. Five years later, the National Head Injury Foundation – now the Brain Injury Association of America – was born. From all of us at BIAA, thank you, Marilyn, for your unwavering commitment to the brain injury community, and congratulations on being our first-ever Luminary of the Year! Read more about the event and Marilyn's contributions to the field of brain injury here: https://bit.ly/40XowI8

Living with a brain injury can be isolating. Being part of a support group for people with brain injury offers survivors the chance to realize that despite their frustrations, losses, struggles, or negative experiences, there are others out there who can understand and empathize – and that they’re not alone. Read more about finding a support group after sustaining a brain injury here: https://bit.ly/492rhKb

We are excited to announce that registration is officially open for the 2025 National Brain Injury Conference and Awareness Day, BIAA's annual advocacy event on Capitol Hill. Click here to register, check out our agenda, and read over some frequently asked questions: https://bit.ly/3YX66Vu

Join us Friday, November 22 from 12:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. ET for Life After Stroke: Treatment and Recovery Strategies. This virtual symposium on stroke will increase awareness and understanding of the effects of stroke, explore effective treatment approaches and rehabilitation strategies for stroke survivors, and more! Register here: https://bit.ly/4eDHK9a

Donna O’Donnell Figurski unexpectedly became a caregiver to her husband after he sustained a brain injury in 2005. She likens the experience to being a part of a stage play, with everyone playing a particular role. Read her story here: https://bit.ly/3OsmSXP

On Veterans Day, the Brain Injury Association of America honors and thanks the veterans who bravely served our country and the military service members who serve today. Social Security benefits protect veterans when injuries, including brain injuries, prevent them from returning to active duty or performing other work. If you are a veteran, you may qualify for disability benefits through one or both programs. Learn more here: https://bit.ly/3AEd8pY

Join us on November 12 at 3:00 p.m. ET for our free webinar "Taking the First Step, No Matter How Small." Brain Injury survivor Nick Prefontaine will share his story of surviving a brain injury and how he used the Support, Trust, Energy, and Persistence (S.T.E.P.) system to make a full recovery and thrive. Register here: https://bit.ly/4f0lXsR