Championing a Good Cause

When her husband John experienced a hemorrhagic stroke in December 2023, Nadine Eidman was thrust into a foreign world where it was touch-and-go for weeks. While she knew that a stroke could lead to significant impairment, she didn’t realize that strokes are considered brain injuries. Through inpatient and outpatient care in neurorehabilitation, Nadine and John experienced on a daily basis the effects and challenges faced by brain injury patients and their families.

“I’ve seen people suffer, financially and otherwise, and it’s sad. You have this terrible challenge – whether you fall off a ladder, you’re in a car accident, or you have a stroke or a brain tumor, it’s debilitating. I’ve heard of people losing their jobs in order to stay with a loved one, and going bankrupt as a consequence,” Nadine shares. “It’s scary. It’s life-changing. It’s devastating.”

But in the face of adversity, Nadine has experienced kindness, generosity, and hope. Dr. Cindy Ivanhoe, the Brain Injury Association of America-Texas Chapter’s 2025 Luminary of the Year honoree, has been her husband’s physician and has also become a close friend.

Dr. Ivanhoe is also the person who inspired Nadine to be a Luminary of the Year Fundraising Champion. “I wanted to honor her and thank her for her contributions in the field, and for everything John has accomplished,” Nadine said.

Nadine also saw it as an opportunity to help get the BIAA-Texas Chapter off the ground.

“Navigating this is so difficult, and you’ve got to get on top of this stuff sooner rather than later to get the best possible outcome. Sometimes you have to navigate it alone, and that shouldn’t be the case,” Nadine said. “An organization like BIAA can offer valuable tools, resources, knowledge, a playbook – a basic understanding of what you’re facing, even just the terminology.”

About Stroke

May is National Stroke Awareness Month. Each year, nearly 800,000 Americans will have a stroke. An estimated 7.8 million adults have had a stroke, with one in four stroke survivors having a second stroke. With the annual stroke prevalence increasing, it’s critical for everyone to understand the signs of a stroke. F.A.S.T., developed by the American Stroke Association, is an easy way to remember some of these symptoms:

Face: Stroke can cause sudden drooping on one side of the face. If you suspect a stroke, ask the person to smile. Is their smile uneven?

Arms: One arm may feel weak or numb. Ask the person to raise both arms. Is one arm drifting downward?

Speech: Stroke can cause slurred or confused speech.

Time to Call 911: When a stroke happens, it’s an emergency – one where every minute counts. If you suspect a stroke, call 911 immediately and note the time when symptoms started.

About Luminary of the Year

Luminary of the Year is an inspiring annual fundraising event that helps illuminate the path forward for the brain injury community. Our Luminary of the Year celebrations – held for our national chapter, our Texas chapter, our Tennessee chapter, and our Delaware chapter – honor leadership, dedication, and impact across the brain injury community, recognizing not only each event’s honoree, but also advocates and Fundraising Champions like Nadine, whose efforts drive meaningful change.

Learn more about Luminary of the Year here. If you’re interested in supporting the Luminary of the Year campaign or being a Fundraising Champion like Nadine, reach out to Kelly Garman at kgarman@biausa.org.