The Brain Injury Association of Washington is pleased to announce that its national office has entered into a partnership with ABC Anchor Bob Woodruff and his family to raise awareness of brain injury and to administer the newly created Bob Woodruff Family Fund for TBI to assist servicemen and women and their families affected by the war in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Mr. Woodruff sustained a serious brain injury as a result of an improvised explosive device while on assignment for ABC News in Iraq in January 2006. Although he received superior care, Bob, his wife Lee, and their extended family recognize that many individuals with brain injury do not receive the services and supports needed to regain their independence. They also understand the lack of funding in the public, private and military sectors, and best of all, they want to help.

Woodruff Family Fund for TBI

In an effort to “give back” to the people who saved Bob’s life, the family has established the Bob Woodruff Family Fund for TBI. The Fund will raise money through events and other activities. Donations will be used to make grants to nonprofit organizations serving members of the military who have sustained a TBI. In some circumstances, funds may be used to provide direct financial assistance to military personnel and their families and/or grants for medical research, public education, awareness and prevention of TBI.

Brain Injury Awareness Month Reports

Bob Woodruff will file a series of reports for World News, Good Morning America and Nightline throughout the month of March. The reports will cover various aspects of brain injury and will include some of the individuals featured in the Brain Injury Association of America's Brain Injury Awareness Month campaign, “Living with Brain Injury: As Diverse as We Are.”

Bob & Lee Woodruff as Honorary Spokespersons

Where appropriate, allowable and as time permits, Bob Woodruff and members of his family will serve as honorary spokespersons for the Brain Injury Association by testifying before Congress and recording public service announcements.

We hope the family’s willingness to partner with the Brain Injury Association and discuss Bob’s injuries will encourage other public figures to do so as well.

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About Brain Injury In Washington

According to the Washington Department of Health, nearly 4,700 of our state’s citizens are hospitalized each year due to traumatic brain injury. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that over 100,000 Washingtonians live with long term disability due to traumatic brain injury.

Males are twice as likely to sustain a brain injury as females, but people of every age, race, gender and socioeconomic status are at risk for brain injuries. Brain injuries are caused by falls, motor vehicle crashes, assaults, and sports/recreation accidents and can lead to physical, cognitive, and psychosocial or behavioral impairments ranging from balance and coordination problems to loss of hearing, vision or speech. Fatigue, memory loss, concentration difficulty, anxiety, depression, impulsivity; and impaired judgment are also common after brain injury. Even so called “mild” injuries can have devastating consequences that require intensive treatment and long-term care.

Often called the “silent epidemic,” brain injury affects people in ways that are invisible. The injury can lower performance at school and at work, interfere with personal relationships and bring financial ruin. The annual estimated cost to in the United States exceeds $60 billion, and consumers mistakenly believe employer health plans or the government will pay for needed services in a health crisis. In reality, insurance policies are geared to wellness and routine care, strictly limiting the type, amount, and length of rehabilitation available to most people.

The Brain Injury Association of Washington (BIA-WA) is a non-profit organization that seeks to improve the quality of life for people with brain injury. It brings together people with brain injury, their families, friends, and concerned professionals to collaborate on ways to serve the needs of this unique population.

It was 25 years ago that a group of concerned families and professionals founded BIA-WA to ensure that needed services and supports were available for people with brain injuries and their families. Affiliated groups include local support groups with BIA-WA trained facilitators and regional chapters forming throughout Washington.

BIA-WA provides information and support through its Washington Brain Injury Support Services Network (WABISSN). WABISSN is composed of five locations around Washington that provide information and support by phone to individuals with brain injury and their families. Three of these offices cooperate to provide 30 hours of support services per week through a toll-free 800 number with call-back assistance. In addition – thanks to funding from the Washington Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) - the Association provides education and information to targeted publics through distribution of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Tool-kits. The Association provides training for support group facilitators and coordination and technical support for support groups throughout the state. The BIA-WA is also actively engaged in a state-level advocacy program to support important legislation and to participate with other community partners in the TBI Strategic Partnership to share information, develop joint projects, and improve our state’s systems for the benefit of survivors and their caregivers.

A 22 member Board of Directors from across the state of Washington governs the Association.

For more information contact:

Gene van den Bosch, MA, MPA
Executive Director
Brain Injury Association of Washington
gene@biawa.org

The BIA-WA is an IRS 501(c)(3) organization.

Tax ID: 91-1206800