My journey through brain injury started on September 5, 2010. My son Adam was shot in the head in a drive-by shooting while leaving a friend’s home. Adam was 20 years old and spent just over 3 months of his initial recovery on his own journey from the intensive care unit, acute hospital care, and inpatient rehabilitation.
The beginning of my journey led me to a passion for community outreach, inclusion, and education about brain injury. I am a co-founder and treasurer for We’re MOVING FORWARD! Our organization is an all-volunteer, non-profit that facilitates social activities and events for adult brain injury survivors and their families.
Inclusion and understanding of brain injury have directed my passion for volunteerism. I am a council member for the Arizona Governor’s Council on Spinal and Head Injuries and a board member for the City of Phoenix Police Cross-Disability Board. I am a member of the National Brain Injury Learning Collaborative related to Person-Centered Thinking, Planning, and Practices.
Adam and I have both participated as speakers through Barrow Neurological Institute and the Phoenix Police department regarding brain injury education for their post academy classes. It is incredibly important to discuss issues these officers may encounter during an interaction with a brain injury survivor and to be familiar with mobility equipment. We share our experiences as “lived experience” presenters for the Arizona Governor’s Council during the vocational rehab counselor’s education series on brain injury. In 2009, we were the keynote speakers for the Arizona Spinal Cord Injury Association at the annual Push Forward Conference.
Adam’s personal journey has clearly taken him to his own passion for volunteerism with me as well as the Arizona Red Cross both manning the front desk and processing their new volunteer applications and process. Today, Adam runs his own e-commerce business while he continues his journey for recovery in outpatient therapy.
Each journey is unique. My journey with a brain injury has developed my passion for education and inclusion of brain injury survivors and families. Each story or experience I share demonstrates how the inclusion of survivors and families enhances all of our journeys.