ABC has donated $10,000 to News 13 to change the lives of local mountain families, in the spirit of Oprah's Big Give. Tune into Oprah's Big Give on ABC 13, Sundays at 9pm to see how the show is changing lives and inspiring millions to do the same.
News 13 is among the inspired and is teaming with the Brain Injury Association of North Carolina to shed light on brain injury and help three deserving individuals who have suffered a traumatic brain injury and have endured countless hours of rehabilitation and hardships, as they try to get back a life they once had before their accident.
Join News 13 for the next three Fridays as we pay it forward! We'll introduce you to three strong, motivated brain injury survivors. Learn how their lives were changed in an instant, their struggle to survive, and their desire to live! With the $10,000 given to News 13 by ABC and the help of local medical professionals we'll equip these individuals with the tools or services they need to continue to move forward in their fight against a traumatic brain injury.
As part of News 13's Big Give, we are also sponsoring the Brain Injury Association's 2 nd Annual Walk and Rollathon, the organization's biggest and most important awareness and fundraising event of the year. Walk with us in support of survivors this Saturday, March 28 th at the Biltmore Square mall. The entry fee is only $10. The registration is from 9-10am and the walk is from 10am -12Noon. For more information, log on to www.bianc.net.
Besides helping three survivors and participating in the Walk & Rollathon, News 13 wants to shed light on the bigger issue—the lack of housing and a day program in for traumatic brain injury survivors in Western North Carolina . Brain Injury is a life long battle. Its effects on the body don't disappear. Treatment is given to help patients to better cope with the resulting disabilities. Past the recovery stages appropriate housing and a day program are needed in this area to better assist survivors to live productive lives. It is for this reason the local chapter of the Brain Injury Association needs your help in an even bigger way than News 13 can do alone.
The long term goal is to be able to provide affordable and safe housing for those living with brain damage. The ideal location would be the old abandoned building that used to house Care Partners Hospice and before that was a Psychiatric hospital. The building is located in downtown Asheville on the Northern end of Montford Avenue . The facility would assist brain injury survivors past the recovery stage and allow them to live independent lives under the watch of medical professionals. The building is located on a city bus line giving residents the opportunity to go to work or to volunteer. Not only will the facility serve as safe housing, but it would also be used to provide a day program for survivors who are unable to live alone. A day program would allow survivors to get the interaction and therapy they need, while allowing their families to continue to work. The facility alone will cost 2.1 million dollars, so your help is greatly needed.
To learn more about the center, watch Jay Siltzer's Health Alert story titled “ TBI Center ” on wlos.com or contact Karen Harrington, the Community Outreach Coordinator of the BIA in Asheville at (828) 277-4868.
Over 160,000 individuals are dealing with the challenges of brain injury in our state, most of them young adults. Brain Injury has also been identified as one of the most prevalent wounds sustained by military personnel in Iraq and Afghanistan . The Brain Injury Association of North Carolina exists to help raise awareness and funds to assist these survivors and families in North Carolina . Their goals include training, legislative advocacy and greater access to appropriate and timely resources.
For more information about the Brain Injury Association of North Carolina or if you want to donate to their cause, please visit their website at www.bianc.net or contact them at (828) 277-4868.
