Mayor Joseph P. Ganim
Bridgeport, CT
For Immediate Release
March 28, 2019
For More Information:
Dalmarys Matos (203) 576-7201
dalmarys.matos@bridgeportct.gov
Press Release
Mayor Ganim, Bridgeport Health Director Bond to Recognize National Brain Injury Awareness Month
Bridgeport, CT – Mayor Ganim will join Bridgeport Health Director Maritza Bond, supporters and community leaders to recognize National Brain Injury Awareness Month with a vigil on Sunday, March 31, 2019 at 6:30 p.m. at McLevy Green, 102 Bank Street, Bridgeport, CT 06604. Every March, the Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA) leads the nation in recognizing Brain Injury Awareness Month, to acknowledge and support the millions of Americans impacted by brain injury. This year’s theme for the awareness campaign is “Change Your Mind.”
Health Director Maritza Bond said, “As a city, we want to take action to end the stigma associated with brain injuries. Individuals who have suffered from head trauma need support and resources in order to fully recovery. My hope is that this campaign will connect our residents to the care they deserve and tools they need.”
Every nine seconds, someone in the United States sustains a brain injury. Estimates indicate that 5.3 million Americans live with brain injury-related disabilities at a cost exceeding $82 billion annually.
President and CEO of the Brain Injury Association of America Susan H. Connors said, “People living with brain injuries want the same things we all want – a good job, someone to love, a comfortable home, and fun in their lives. They want to be defined by who they are as people, not by their injuries.”
The Change Your Mind campaign provides a platform for changing common misconceptions about the injury; educating the public on the incidence of brain injury and the needs of individuals who are injured and their families; and offers tools and information for anyone to advocate for access to care after brain injury. Information on Brain Injury Awareness Month, including educational material and downloadable collateral, is available at www.biausa.org/ChangeYourMind.
Individuals in need of information, resources, and support after brain injury may speak with a brain injury expert by contacting BIAA’s National Brain Injury Information Center (NBIIC) at 1-800-444-6443.
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