In March every year the Congressional Brain Injury Task Force holds Brain Injury Awareness Day
I loved participating in this event every year when we lived in Arlington, Virginia.
Each year I would learn more about how to participate fully in the event and though that information, I was successful in bringing more and more fellow survivors of TBI to be a part of the event.
There are a number of activities to participate in and its noisy and there’s alot of activity in the House Office Buildings, so its a marathon event for someone with a TBI and sensory issues. I had to employ all my compensation strategies and help other survivors to remember to use them.
There are four parts to the day:
–There is the “Fair” where private and public entities who are providing services for rehabilitation and daily life and employment can educate congressional staff and the public about the issues and what they are doing to address them. There are people with information about promising therapies and new research. And there are people showing off the programs for athletes and civilians to help with concussion monitoring and concussion recovery. Over the year, the number of organizations at the fair has grown tremendously and each year, its exciting to learn from these people and their organizations about new ideas and new programs and new researcher.
–There is a Congressional Briefing on a topic. The topic for March 12 2014 is “Return to Work and the Road Ahead”. The briefing usually runs for an hour or so and its an opportunity to educate Members of Congress and their staffs on the topic as well as health professionals and the public. Briefing topics and panel members statements are validating and helpful for understanding what is being done to solve important issues and some of the important entities involved.
–During the day, survivors, families, professionals and researchers make appointments with their Representatives and Senators and/or their staffs to talk with them about issues and to bring attention to upcoming legislation or budget legislation requests and the position that would be helpful to survivors and their families. These requests are usually for improved services, research, reimbursement and funding.
–Lastly these is a reception for members of Congress, staff, survivors and their families and professionals and researchers. There are announcements there as well as an opportunity to mingle and network. There is food and its a lovely reception.
I first started going to Brain Injury Awareness Day in about 2003 when I volunteered at the Brain Injury Assocation of America. No doubt, Robert Demichalis, a longtime survivor and intern there, showed me the ropes. Over the years, I watched as Brain Injury Awareness Day grew and grew. I learned alot about what was going on in Washington DC at the federal level and about the innovative programs at the State level that are supported through federal monies.
I also watched and cheered and felt inspired when I saw survivors from be part of the Congressional Briefing Panel.
In 2009, I watched Chris Nowinski, a former pro-athlete and a survivor and leader and advocate in the Sports concussion world talk about the work he’s done along with representatives talking about football and boxing and other sports where concussion is an issue.
And then in 2011, I was asked to participate on the Briefing Panel as the first civilian survivor to speak on the Panel. It was an incredible honor and I was very proud to do it. The topic was “The Value of Rehabilitation”. It was a exceptionally meaningful topic for me to talk about for several reasons.
–I had to fight desperately to get to rehabilitation after my concussion (like many others have to), so I knew what my life was like without rehabilitation and how much my life improved with it.
–I had been told early on by medical professionals that I would never get better after two years. Since I never gave up and did not even get to formal rehabilitation until after 2 years, my personal experience proved that neuroplasticity existed.
–Dr Allen Brown from the Mayo Clinic reported the research on what we know about how long the benefits of neuroplasticity can be attained. He pointed to me as an example of anecdotal evidence that neuroplasticity last longer than the research has been able to show yet.
–Since I am trained as an economist, talking to the issue of “value” of services, was particularly meaningful. Much of my career as an economist prior to my injury was spent working on measuring value. Now my life story was being used as an example to inform others about the value of rehabilitation!
I was so proud to receive a standing ovation for my talk. And Peggy Horan, the wife of a Wounded Warrior named Captain Horan also spoke about their journey and received a standing ovation. The stories of survivors are important and meaningful in Congress, especially that year. You see, 2011 was also the year that Representative Gabrielle Giffords was shot. Brain injury and recovery were even more meaningful that year with the realization for persons in Congress that one of their own had fallen.
We moved to Austin that year, so I haven’t been back to Brain Injury Awareness Day since. I have followed it and I still work to get survivors that I know through the Brain Injury Association of America and from other areas to attend. I hope to go back soon.
Here is the agenda for the day:
Brain Injury Awareness Day 2014
Brain Injury Awareness Day on Capitol Hill is Wednesday, March 12, 2014. BIAA is committed to helping the Congressional Brain Injury Task Force plan a successful event. BIAA thanks Reps. Bill Pascrell (D-NJ) and Tom Rooney (R-FL), co chairs of the Congressional Brain Injury Task Force, for their leadership. As in years past, several events will be hosted throughout the day. A schedule of events is as follows:
10:00 AM – 2:00 PM Brain Injury Awareness Fair, First Floor Foyer of the Rayburn House Office Building
2:30 PM – 4:00 PM Briefing: “Returning to Work: Making Headway After Brain Injury”, U.S. Capitol Visitor Center Meeting Room South
5:00 PM – 7:00 PM Reception Celebrating Brain Injury Awareness Month, The Gold Room 2168, Rayburn House Office Building
Here’s the link to the advocacy section of the Brain Injury Association of America website www.biausa.org/biaa-advocacy.htm
For more information about vendors and researcher organizations and vendors at the Fair, please go to the BIAA website.
