March is Brain Injury Awareness Month

This month we’d like to recognize Brain Injury Awareness Month, brought to us by the Brain Injury Association of America.

There are more than 5.3 million individuals in the United States who are living with a permanent brain injury-related disability. That’s one in every 60 people. If you or someone you love is living with brain injury, you know that it is a misunderstood, misdiagnosed, underfunded neurological disease. And everyone’s experience is different.

There are 2 broad categories of Brain Injuries:

An acquired brain injury (ABI) is an injury to the brain that is not hereditary, congenital, degenerative, or induced by birth trauma. Essentially, this type of brain injury is one that has occurred after birth. There are two types of acquired brain injury: traumatic and non-traumatic.

A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is defined as an alteration in brain function, or other evidence of brain pathology, caused by an external force or trauma. Traumatic impact injuries can be defined as closed (or non-penetrating) or open (penetrating).

Often – and somewhat confusingly – referred to as an acquired brain injury, a non-traumatic brain injury causes damage to the brain by internal factors, such as a lack of oxygen, exposure to toxins, pressure from a tumor, etc. To learn more about brain injury, click here.

The Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA) leads the nation in observing Brain Injury Awareness Month in March each year. The theme for the 2021 to 2023 campaign is More Than My Brain Injury.

Many people with disabilities have their lives defined for them. The #MoreThanMyBrainInjury campaign gives individuals a chance to overcome those definitions, allowing them to tell their own stories and change the narrative of their lives. Together, we can:

• Increase understanding of brain injury as a chronic condition

• Reduce the stigma associated with having a brain injury

• Showcase the diversity of injury and the demographics of the community

• Improve care and support for individuals with brain injury and their families

Here are several resources from their campaign that can help aide you or someone you know that has suffered from a brain injury:

#MoreThanMyBrainInjury Awareness Campaign: Concussion

#MoreThanMyBrainInjury Awareness Campaign: Combat

#MoreThanMyBrainInjury Awareness Campaign: Drowning

#MoreThanMyBrainInjury Awareness Campaign: Stroke

To learn more about Brain Injuries, and get the support you and your loved ones need, contact Campbell County Health or visit our Brain Injury Support Group site and get connected with others who are also experiencing life after a Brain Injury.

The Brain Injury Support Group is facilitated by Angie Laakso, Campbell County Health Rehabilitation Services Occupational Therapist and fellow brain injury survivor. For more information, please contact Angie at 307-688-7000 or angie.laakso@cchwyo.org.