COLUMBUS – Every March, the Brain Injury Association of Ohio leads Ohio in recognizing Brain Injury Awareness Month, a time to acknowledge and support the 1.8 million Ohioans who have been impacted by brain injury. The theme for the 2021-2023 awareness campaign is More Than My Brain Injury.

An acquired brain injury (ABI) is any injury to the brain that is not hereditary, congenital, degenerative, or induced by birth trauma. ABIs – from trauma, stroke, infectious diseases, and brain tumors – are a serious public health issue in the United States, where someone sustains a brain injury every nine seconds. According to available data, more than 5.3 million Americans live with brain injury-related disabilities at a cost exceeding $76.5 billion (in 2010 dollars) annually.

“For many, brain injury evolves into a chronic health condition that changes who they are and how they interact with the world,” offered Susan H. Connors, BIAA’s president and chief executive officer. “Raising awareness of the impact of brain injury and making sure people have access to the support they need is essential – not only in March, but throughout the year.”

The More Than My Brain Injury campaign provides a platform for educating the public about the incidence of brain injury. It aims to de-stigmatize the injury, highlight the diversity of the brain injury community, and empower those who have survived. Information on Brain Injury Awareness Month, including educational material and downloadable collateral, is available at biaoh.org.

Individuals in need of information, resources, and support after brain injury may speak with a brain injury expert by contacting BIAOH’s HELPLINE at 833-783-1495.