From My Desk

Greetings

In 2019, BIAA established its Research Grants program, with an overall theme and goal of finding cures for chronic brain injury. We know that brain injury is not a one-time event, but a sometimes lifelong condition, especially for the 5.3 million living with a permanent brain injury-related disability. It’s why we’re advocating for brain injury to be recognized as a chronic health condition. Brain injury must be identified and proactively managed as a lifelong condition to improve health, independent function, and participation in society.

For five years, BIAA has had the privilege of seeing firsthand how the brain injury community is dedicated to finding effective treatment and potential cures for the chronic effects of brain injury, awarding more than $300,000 in grant money to date. Since the program’s inception, BIAA has funded 21 projects, with recipients studying pediatric TBI, social determinants of health, chronic health condition management, progressive degenerative processes, aging and TBI, chronic pain, and more.

In this issue of THE Challenge, you’ll have a chance to read about this year’s funded projects, as well as updates from past grant recipients. This issue also features articles about research around TBI in veteran populations, the benefits of exercising self-compassion while living with the chronic effects of brain injury, and the importance of helmet safety in preventing TBI. Beyond the updates on the research front, this issue also features a recap of our Brain Injury Awareness Day event on Capitol Hill, as well as stories our community has submitted as part of our new My Brain Injury Journey awareness campaign.

I hope you enjoy this year’s annual Research issue. If you found yourself moved by any of the ongoing research endeavors in the field of brain injury, please consider donating to BIAA’s Research Grants Program.