Brain Injury Awareness Day on Capitol Hill, March 18

One of the advocacy events that I loved being a part of when I lived in the Washington DC was Brain Awareness Day on Capitol Hill.    I have been working hard preparing for the event with a group called the Brain Injury Ambassadors Council.   We are a group of people with brain injury who are interested in raising awareness about brain injury and we have been working with the Brain Injury Association of America to this end.  Many of the members of our group will be present at the event, although I won’t be there this year.

Brain Injury Awareness Day is a tremendous opportunity to advocate to one’s Representative and/or Senators about the issues that are important to those of us who have experienced TBI.

Its also an opportunity to meet other people with traumatic brain injury and their families and to meet professionals people who are passionate about helping people with traumatic brain injury.    The first event of the day is an Brain Injury Awareness Fair where you can learn about what different organizations are doing to help people with brain injury including programs and treatments.     I will post a list of organizations that will be present at the Fair at the bottom of the blogpost

There is also a panel presentation every year to educate Members of Congress and their staffs about brain injury issues.

This year, Mac Fedge, and his mom and caregiver, Kathy Fedge, will be speaking on the topic of “Finding a New Normal”.

I have the pleasure of knowing Mac and Kathy and I know they will do a great job of telling it like it is.   I wish I could be there to see them speak!

Many years ago, Mac and I were both members of the Speakers Bureau at Brain Injury Services of Northern Virginia and I was always very impressed with how hard Mac worked at his recovery and I feel lucky to have gotten to watch and be part of supporting some of that progress.  Go Mac!

And the last event of the day is a Reception where there’s another opportunity to talk and get to know lawmakers, participants and the community around brain injury recovery.

Here’s the schedule for Brain Injury Awareness Day on Capitol Hill on Wednesday, March 18, 2015

Representative Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-N.J.) and Representative Thomas J. Rooney (R-Fla.), Co-Chairs of the Congressional Brain Injury Task Force in association with the Brain Injury Association of America cordially invite you to participate in the 2015 Brain Injury Awareness Day on Capitol Hill.

Brain Injury Awareness Day Schedule of Events
10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Brain Injury Awareness Fair
Rayburn House Office Building, First Floor Foyer

2:30 PM – 4:00 PM
Briefing: Finding a “New Normal” – Post Injury
Supports and Services that Make a Difference
Cannon House Office Building, Room 121

Bobby Silverstein
Moderator
Principal, Powers, Pyles, Sutter, & Verville

Mac Fedge
TBI Survivor

Kathy Fedge
TBI Family Caregiver

William Ditto
Chair of the NASHIA Public Policy Committee

Matt Breiding, PhD
Commander, U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps
Traumatic Brain Injury Team Lead

David Williamson, M.D.
Neuropsychiatrist & Medical Director, Inpatient Traumatic Brain Injury Program,
Walter Reed National Military Medical Center

5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Reception Celebrating Brain Injury Awareness Month
Rayburn House Office Building, Room B-33