Saturday March 10 is the San Diego Brain Injury Foundation Walk for Recovery. Join Hayley's family and friends in the walk, or send love
and best wishes!
A few weeks ago I was on a field trip with the Sierra Club when I noticed that some people were laughing behind our mentor's back. When I asked someone why they were laughing, he immediately responded with "Oh I guess he was in an accident and had a brain injury." Right away I responded to him by saying: "Hold up. I'm recovering from a brain injury but would you ever know? Didn't think so!"
Needless to say, this person was speechless. In the months since my accident, I've been embarrassed and ashamed to tell people who ask that along with physical injuries, I also suffered a traumatic brain injury. You see...there's a huge stigma about brain injuries. People hear "brain injury" and automatically think there must be something wrong with him/her...they must be slow, or deficient or helpless in some way. Before having a brain injury, I know I would have thought that. That makes me sad because I now know all brain injuries are different, and people are recovering in different ways. I'm fortunate to still have social skills and be able to get 89's on my college midterms! Sure I may need to concentrate a bit more and work a little harder but I'm still ME. I'm choosing to make the best out of what I've been given and try to understand it.
My family and friends are participating in this walk to raise awareness, and your kind donation helps in the research to better understand brain injuries. My hope is that one day people will view people recovering from brain injuries simply as people recovering from any other injury...and we aren't victims..we are survivors! I can't thank you enough for your support… I truly believe brain injuries are just like physical injuries and you can heal from them if you're really determined. And that's my #1 goal in life right now. Thank you again for your support from the bottom of my heart!
-Hayley
