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February 2024
Save the Date
BIAPA 2024 Annual Conference
Creating Roadmaps for Brain Injury Rehabilitation: The Journey from Initial Treatment to Community Inclusion
JUNE 24-25, 2024 Lancaster Marriott at Penn Square - Lancaster, PA
Brain Injury Awareness Day In Washington DC March 5 & 6, 2024
Brain Safety Fair - Westmoreland Mall Greensburg, PA - March 16, 2024 LEARN MORE
March is Brain Injury Awareness Month!!
The My Brain Injury Journey Campaign
The Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA) unveiled a new Brain Injury Awareness Campaign with the tagline "My Brain Injury Journey." The purpose of this year's campaign is to educate the public around the complexities of brain injuries—how each one is unique, that they’re more than simply a one-time event, and that for many, these are invisible disabilities that keep others from fully understanding the entire picture, or the “real story". Survivors will be encouraged to Share their story...their unique brain injury journey.
For more information, and guidance on how to submit your own personal story, visit the My Brain Injury Journey campaign page HERE.
Letter Writing Campaign - Make Your Voice Heard
On March 5-6, more than 200 advocates will be in Washington, DC for Brain Injury Awareness Day on Capitol Hill, including a large contingent from Pennsylvania. One of the main goals is to educate legislators about the importance of the Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Act and to ask for their support in reauthorizing it this year.
You don't have to be in DC that day to make your voice heard, though! You can participate in a letter writing campaign to ask your legislators for their support to ensure this bill is not only reauthorized, but that we improve the existing law to better serve persons with brain injury and those who care for them.
The Brain Injury Association of America created a template with a sample letter than you can personalize and have automatically sent to your legislators. A link to information about the TBI Act, a sample letter and instructions for sending your personalized letter can be found HERE.
Get ready! Registration for our highly anticipated annual brain injury conference in Lancaster is just around the corner! This year, we are thrilled to offer an exceptional lineup of speakers and presentations that promise to be both enlightening and engaging. In a special addition, we are introducing a brand new pediatric track designed for professionals and families of children with brain injury. Limited scholarships are available each year, and for those interested in supporting our scholarship fund, donations can be made to the David Strauss Memorial Fund
A $325 contribution will support a single scholarship. Any donation—whatever the amount—is applied and tax-deductible, to the fullest extent of the law.
How are you planning to raise awareness about brain injury in your community and beyond? Last year, Montour High School's Future Business Leaders held a pickle ball tournament to raise awareness and support BIAPA. Other groups have promoted a Brain Injury Dress Down or Denim Day in their workplace. This year BIAPA is hosting a Brain Safety Fair at Westmoreland Mall in Greensburg. Do you have an idea that you'd like to share and that BIAPA can promote? Send your ideas and plans to admin@biapa.org. #NotAloneInBrainInjury.
Sarris Candy Sales Will Benefit BIAPA
BIAPA is once again partnering with Pittsburgh's renowned Sarris Candies to offer Easter candy sales to benefit BIAPA. Order your holiday candy through the BIAPA link, and Sarris will donate 25% of all sales to BIAPA!
To order, CLICK ON THE BUTTON BELOW, enter BIAPA's Group ID: 10-0214 and start shopping. Your order will be shipped directly to you or another address for free, with a $5 packaging and handling fee.
Easter is early this year! This program ends on March 22, so place your orders now!
ReDiscover U is offering some great online learning experiences in the upcoming month!
Classes are held on Monday nights at 6 PM ET via Zoom. Use thislink to join any of the classes at 6 PM on Mondays.
March 4 : SHARE Night! Please join us for a special night of story-sharing. All brain injury survivors are welcome to share their life experiences as they look to empower themselves while inspiring hope in others. March 11: Finding the Next Step in your Recovery A workshop to assist in helping choose the right resources to rebuild your life. GUEST: Natanya Sortland March 18: Springtime Trivia Test your knowledge of spring while we challenge each other with trivia and celebrate the upcoming spring season! March 25: "My Brain Injury Journey" A guide on how to create and submit your own entries online. GUEST: Tracy Yatsko Onyekanne
For more information about ReDiscover U, CLICK HERE.
Support Group Corner
The BIAPA statewide virtual support group will meet Thursday, March 21 at 5 PM. This tight-knit community consists of survivors, caregivers, family and professionals from across the state of Pennsylvania! Please use thisZoom Link to access the meeting.
A message from group facilitators, Roberta Brooks & Joel Tumberello:
We are grateful to the PA Department of Health and The Brain Injury Association of Pennsylvania for supporting the expansion of the scope of topics covered within the Coping with COVID Support Group. In 2024, we will be expanding our scope to cover information of concern regarding a variety of health matters that often co-occur with COVID, as well as brain injury. The group will continue to meet the second and fourth Thursday of each month from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m.
BIAPA's next Caregiver Support Group will be held on Wednesday March 16 at 6 PM. This monthly, virtual meeting is open to all caregivers. The meetings are an excellent opportunity for caregivers to meet one another, share experiences and discuss topics of unique relevance to their roles. No pre-registration is required! To join this monthly meeting, use this Zoom Link.
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