“I was blown away with their [BIAAZ] vast resources and commitment to providing so many free services for survivors. And their programs for professionals was more extensive than I had imagined.”

Brainiac Bash Co-Chair Kathryn Pidgeon Finds Her True Calling

Speak with Kathryn Pidgeon for 10 seconds and you’ll know exactly why she’s the perfect choice to co-chair the Brain Injury Alliance of Arizona’s 2023 Brainiac Bash, along with Debbie Gaby.

Not only does she listen to every word you say— she also responds with empathy that is heartfelt and comforting. With a gentle smile and wicked sense of humor, you feel as though you’ve known her a lifetime and that she has your back.

As the conversation unfolds, you realize your first impression was dead-on. You also understand her commitment to helping survivors of brain injury.

To appreciate where Kathryn Pidgeon is coming from, there are several things you need to know:

1. Although she has spent the better part of nearly 40 years in Phoenix, she is a native New Yorker and keeps a home on Long Island.
2. She is a survivor of Follicular non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, which is generally incurable, with an 86% chance that it will return.
3. Her career as an attorney has focused on adoptions, with a special emphasis on foster children.
4. Raising money for children’s causes is her passion, as are dogs. In fact, she has a service dog, Liberty, and a rescue named Murphy.

Keeping all this in mind, it’s clear to see how the roads of her life have converged into the path leading to her role as the Brainiac Bash co-chair to raise awareness and funding for brain health.

In 1988, Kathryn began her legal career advocating for foster children. The experience was illuminating and impactful. “I saw trauma like I never had before,” she explains. “I couldn’t believe what was being done to children.”

She soon transitioned exclusively to adoption law. Along with Tiffany Hill, she opened the law firm Pidgeon & Hill, helping facilitate the adoption of foster children, as well as newborn and family adoptions. Today, she has facilitated over 3,500 adoptions. Her commitment to the well-being of Arizona’s children is also evident in her role as past President of the Maricopa Country National Adoption Day and co-chair of their annual celebration.

At the same time, Kathryn has been extremely involved with a wide range of various causes. As Executive Director of Phoenix Suns Charities, she grew the NBA team’s effort to help nonprofit agencies serving local youth and families. That’s also where she first teamed up with Debbie, who was a big supporter of their efforts, as well as a Board Member.

Kathryn also competed in the Man & Woman of the Year contest for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, helping raise funds to advance blood cancer research and treatments throughout the country. She has served on many Boards and is currently a Board Member of #LoveUp.

But it wasn’t until she got involved with last year’s Brainiac Bash that she began to connect the dots of her life’s mission. She initially got involved to support her friend, Kathy Laurinaitis, who was being named the Brain Injury Alliance’s first-ever Woman of Courage. Kathy had undergone surgery to remove a mass from her brain stem that had been mistakenly diagnosed as Bell’s Palsy.

“I started realizing that brain injury was so prevalent, without ever being aware of it. Much of the trauma those foster kids had experienced was hidden behind physical scars,” Kathryn attests. “The brain trauma was being overlooked. And here was my friend who was fighting for early diagnosis and awareness of brain injuries.”

After delving deeper into what the Brain Injury Alliance does, she says, “I was blown away with their vast resources and commitment to providing so many free services for survivors. And their programs for professionals was more extensive than I had imagined.”

Kathryn’s foray into brain injury awareness included another participant in last year’s Brainiac Bash – Speaker, Auctioneer, and Author Letitia Frye. “Letitia puts on an incredible show; that’s the best way I can describe it. She runs auctions for nonprofits like nobody I’ve ever seen. So quick and funny. So passionate.”

Several years ago, Letitia experienced a brain injury when she was hit by a car, but she didn’t let that stop her from being on stage. “I was co-chair of Gabriel’s Angels, which delivers healing pet therapy to abused and at-risk children, and Letitia was the auctioneer for our SALUD! fundraiser,” Kathryn recounts. “I didn’t realize until afterward that she was having seizures and how that affected her brain. It was a real eye-opener.”

This year, Letitia is being honored with the Woman of Courage award. Kathryn couldn’t be prouder. “I’m absolutely delighted to be able to bring her story into the spotlight,” she shares.

Carrie Collins-Fadell, CEO of the Brain Injury Alliance, believes Kathryn’s path to brain injury enlightenment will help shine further light on this oft-overlooked cause. “Nobody plans to have a brain injury and it often changes people’s lives in an instant. It’s also hard to detect, although advancements in the field are being made every day.

“Kathryn’s experience with thousands of foster children has given her a close-up look at the often-devastating effects of this invisible disability. This insight, along with her personal experiences, makes her an ideal choice to co-chair the Brainiac Bash with Debbie.”

In turn, Kathryn is impressed with the spectrum of clients the Brain Injury Alliance serves. “I am in awe of their tireless efforts to help children who have been abused or neglected, people who have had a stroke, and veterans with PTSD… the list goes on and on. Now we need to get the word out!”

She knows how important it is to connect with people, especially those who are in distress. Sometimes, it just takes the right catalyst, something she personally witnessed while undergoing radiation for her Follicular non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.

“At the hospital, I would prepare for my treatment by putting on this smock. Since the tumor was just under my chin, I would be fitted with this hockey mask-type contraption that would keep my head still on the table so the radiation wouldn’t burn my brain. I had to learn to breathe through the mask; awful doesn’t even begin to describe it,” she tells.

“After I was done, I would go to the waiting room and see all these other women in similar smocks. They were each living their own silent nightmare. It was very eerie with all that quiet and lack of eye contact. You could feel the fear, depression, and anxiety all rolled up in their isolation.

“One day, a woman brought in a therapeutic pet Golden Retriever. Instantly, people came out of their shells. As they gravitated to stroke that beautiful animal’s ears and back, you could feel the magic in the room; the connection was palpable, even though no words were spoken.

As Kathryn sees it, the Brainiac Bash is the Brain Injury Alliance’s magic moment for bringing people together to help survivors break out of their isolation and thrive. “My professional and personal lives have led me to this moment in time and I’m proud to be part of this community,” she emphasizes.

As for her goal as Brainiac Bash co-chair? She’s hoping to build on the incredible momentum from last year’s event. “Everyone is looking for a fun time with dinner and dancing and we’ll provide that,” she promises. “Debbie and I are committed to bringing people together to share our passion for this amazing organization.”

ABOUT BRAIN INJURY ALLIANCE OF ARIZONA

The Brain Injury Alliance of Arizona (BIAAZ) is the only statewide nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of adults and children with all types of brain injuries through prevention, advocacy, awareness and education. BIAAZ also houses the Arizona Brain Health Resource Center, a collection of educational information and neuro-specific resources for brain injury survivors, caregivers, family members and professionals.

What began in 1983 as a grassroots effort has grown into a strong statewide presence, providing valuable life-long resources and community support for individuals with all types of brain trauma at no charge.

The Brain Injury Alliance of Arizona:

• Works with Congressional Brain Injury Task Force
• Houses Arizona Brain Health Resource Center
• Hosts Statewide Opioid Use Disorder & Cognitive Impairment Workgroup
• Has Statewide Opioid Use Disorder & Cognitive Impairment Response team with peer support, training, and family wraparound services
• Facilitates Brain Health Advisory Council
• Manages statewide Neuro Info-Line: 888-500-9165