March is BRAIN INJURY AWARENESS MONTH
Janice Osborne Dowdy, MS, CCC/SLP, CBIS
March is Brain Injury Awareness Month across the country. Whether you know it or not, you
most likely know more than one person who has suffered a brain injury. The severity of these
injuries can range from what might be labeled a “mild concussion” to severe injuries that result
in permanent disability or death. Strokes, aneurysms, and brain tumors also fall under the
umbrella of a brain injury. A brain injury can also just result from the loss of oxygen to the brain
such as in a situation of cardiac arrest or heart attack.
In 2020, there were 64,000 deaths from brain injury. That breaks down to 176 deaths per DAY.
There are over 5.4 million people living with a brain injury in our country. It is the leading cause
of death and disability in children and young adults, and adults over 75 have the highest rate of
hospitalizations and death. It is also one of the most untreated medical emergencies because
individuals do not seek out treatment in many cases.
More males than females experience a brain injury. Motor vehicle and bicycle accidents, as well
as falls, make up the largest percentages of mode of injury. Domestic violence, physical attack,
and sports-related incidents also contribute significantly to the injuries.
The GOOD NEWS…..individuals can continue to improve following injury and be productive
members of society returning to their previous life roles with intervention and therapy services
that are specifically targeted towards the deficits they may experience with memory, attention,
problem solving, reasoning, self-care, balance, and ambulation, as well as addressing the
emotional factors resulting in such injury.
This art project “Bloomin’ Brains” was completed by survivors of brain injury to celebrate Brain
Injury Awareness Month and celebrate the fact that although their brains may have been
“broken” in the process, they are “blooming” back beautifully!
Janice Osborne Dowdy is a medical speech language pathologist and certified brain injury
specialist treating individuals at NeuroRestorative Ashland, in addition to traveling the country
to provide education to clinicians and physicians about brain injury rehabilitation. She can be
contacted at 606-928-0106 or