Arianna Kleeh

I was 16 when I got a concussion at a cheer competition. The next day, I was diagnosed in the emergency room with a mild traumatic brain injury.

What followed wasn’t quick or simple. Recovery took time, and along the way I also developed a heart condition that made everyday things like walking or standing feel much harder than they used to. It was a big shift from being an active athlete to having to relearn how to listen to my body and pace myself.

One of the hardest parts was that it was all invisible. From the outside, I looked fine, but I was dealing with symptoms that affected my daily life in ways people couldn’t always see or understand.

As I worked through recovery, I started to realize how many other people were going through similar experiences without feeling heard. That’s what led me to create my community service initiative, Impact to Empowerment.

Impact to Empowerment is focused on raising awareness for traumatic brain injuries and giving survivors a platform to share their stories. So many people with brain injuries feel overlooked because their struggles aren’t always visible, and I wanted to help change that.

Through this initiative, I aim to educate others on what life with a traumatic brain injury can actually look like, beyond the initial diagnosis. It’s not always a short recovery, and it often affects multiple areas of someone’s life, physically, mentally, and emotionally.

A big part of Impact to Empowerment is also about creating a sense of community. Whether it’s through conversations, events, or social media, I want people to feel seen, supported, and understood. Sharing stories is powerful, and it helps break the stigma around invisible injuries.

I also focus on encouraging advocacy. That means helping people feel confident speaking up about their needs, whether that’s in school, at work, or in everyday situations. Learning to advocate for yourself after a brain injury can be challenging, but it’s an important part of the healing process.

My experience at 16 changed the direction of my life, but it also gave me a purpose. Impact to Empowerment allows me to turn what I went through into something meaningful by helping others who are on similar journeys.

It’s about more than just awareness. It’s about making sure people with traumatic brain injuries feel heard, supported, and empowered.