For Immediate Release    Contact: Dorothy Cronin, Executive Director
March 26, 2007 800-643-6457 biaw@tribcsp.com

Brain Injury Association of Wyoming Receives Quality of Life Grant from the Christopher Reeve Foundation.

Grant to have direct impact on people living with paralysis in Wyoming.

Casper, Wyoming – The Christopher Reeve Foundation (CRF) announced today that the Brain Injury Association of Wyoming has been awarded a $13,945.00 Quality of Life grant. The CRF awarded a total of $717,404 in Quality of Life grants to 90 nonprofit organizations around the world. Since 1999, when the Quality of Life program was conceived by the late Dana Reeve as a way for the CRF to help improve the day-to-day health and well-being of those living with paralysis, 1,163 grants totaling $9,220,980 have been awarded.

“The Christopher Reeve Foundation is proud to carry on Christopher and Dana Reeve’s amazing legacy and make a real difference in the lives of people living with paralysis, their families and communities,” said Kathy Lewis, president and CEO of CRF. “Our Quality of Life grantees help thousands of individuals Go Forward to lead happier – and healthier – lives.”

The Brain Injury Association of Wyoming will use funding from CRF to provide training and support to volunteer support group leaders serving persons with brain injury and their families in Wyoming. The grant will assist the association in meeting training needs, notifying brain injury survivors and families of support group meetings, and offsetting travel expenses for volunteer support group leaders who will attend two annual training sessions.

“With the help of the Christopher Reeve Foundation, the Brain Injury Association of Wyoming will provide increased support to those volunteers who run brain injury support groups across Wyoming. The renewed interest in brain injury supports and services are evident in recent news stories. Brain injury support groups will see increased attendance and a need for consistency in approach, in order to better meet the needs of returning Iraq war veterans.” said Dorothy Cronin, Executive Director for the association.

CRF Quality of Life grants are awarded twice annually to programs or projects that improve the well-being of people living with paralysis, particularly spinal cord injuries. Awarded in 13 categories that span everything from health promotion to employment to sports and recreation, Quality of Life grants address many aspects of life, and are given to programs across the globe. For more information about the Quality of Life Program or the grant application process, please contact the Quality of Life department at 1-800-225-0292 or visit the website at www.ChristopherReeve.org for a complete list of the Quality of Life grant recipients.

The Christopher Reeve Foundation is dedicated to curing spinal cord injury by funding innovative research, and improving the quality of life for people living with paralysis through grants, information and advocacy.

The mission of Brain Injury Association of Wyoming is to create a better future for brain injury survivors through research, education, prevention and advocacy.

Visit our website at www.biausa.org/Wyoming.