BRAINWAVES

Life with an invisible disability can be…extra. While everyone knows not to park in a disability parking spot, not everyone may realize a person who has survived brain injury may also need some gentle accommodation. That’s where the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower comes in.

“Life is what happens when you’re making other plans” is a sentiment Katherine Wolf, a speech pathologist, stroke survivor, and mother of two children, deeply understands.

The Brain Injury Association of Arizona sees the other half of the drowning statistics table: the children (and sometimes adults) who survive a drowning incident, technically known as nonfatal drowning victims.

Karen Heslop is a regular Camp Brain volunteer. She had her first summer there in 2018 and, except for a Covid hiatus, has returned every year since.

Eight years ago, Regan Irion’s mother, Shari, became a traumatic brain injury, or TBI, survivor when she was hit by a truck.

Vaping can be especially harmful to teens because the teenage brain is in the middle of creating new grey matter, synapses, and rewiring itself.

For Kelly Miller, who has a master’s degree in social work and whose background includes working in the child welfare and probation system in supervisory roles, including juvenile justice, becoming a brain injury professional is a bit of a surprise.

Jessica Mauro, a speech pathologist with Chandler Regional Medical Center’s Outpatient Rehabilitation Center, reached out to the BIAAZ to ask about getting help to start a support group or learn what supports groups already existed. She was glad to hear that BIAAZ already had nine support groups in place.

Brittany Soch, the stroke program coordinator for Carondelet Neurological Institute, brings a dual perspective to the Brain Injury Association of Arizona support groups she now helps to facilitate.

Amy Zellmer is an award-winning author, keynote speaker, activist, and a TBI survivor. Now, more than 10 years after surviving her injury, she has embraced the RV life. Roaming the country as an advocate in pursuit of adventure.

Like many people during the depth of the Covid lockdown, Scott Turner, a guitarist and vocalist, was spending way too much time on his phone, finding solace in a group text chat with about eight other musicians.