BIAA Honors 40 Years of Help, Hope, and Healing

The Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA) is celebrating a movement that began 40 years ago with a grassroots effort to improve the care and treatment of millions living with brain injury. Founded in 1980 by individuals who wanted better for their family members and patients who had sustained brain injuries, BIAA is the nation’s oldest and largest brain injury advocacy organization. The Association encompasses a network of state affiliates, regional chapters, and local support groups that share one mission to advance brain injury awareness, research, treatment, and education to improve the quality of life for all people affected by brain injury.

“While this year has brought unprecedented challenges, it has also made us reflect on how much we have to celebrate,” says BIAA President/CEO Susan Connors. “Over the last four decades, we’ve successfully advocated for major advances in public policy, created a nationwide call center providing individuals and families with essential resources, and bolstered research toward understanding and improving the long-term effects of brain injury.” The Association has also trained and educated more than 26,000 professionals through its Academy of Certified Brain Injury Specialists program, elevating the standard of care for brain injury across the nation.

As BIAA’s anniversary falls very close to National Concussion Awareness Day, the Association joined forces with TeachAids, a nonprofit leader in global education innovation, to raise awareness of concussion (also known as mild traumatic brain injury). Through the upcoming Concussion Story Wall project, TeachAids has collected nearly 4,000 stories from individuals with concussion and their families. BIAA is now hosting a “sneak peek” of the Concussion Story Wall on its website, sharing 40 stories from people living with concussion around the country.

“We hope these videos will inspire others to come forward with their stories and, most importantly, not feel alone as they go through their recovery process,” says Dr. Piya Sorcar, CEO of TeachAids. “Through this special partnership with BIAA, we hope to raise awareness and demonstrate that brain injuries take place for so many reasons.”

BIAA has been honored to serve as the Voice of Brain Injury, providing help, hope, and healing to millions of brain injury survivors across the nation. As we reflect on the progress of our community, we invite you to participate in the storytelling and celebrations taking place this month. To learn more or support our work, visit biausa.org/40yearsofBIAA.