Traci is the TBI and Spinal Cord Injury coordinator for the Violence and Injury Prevention Program at the Utah Department of Health.  She coordinates/oversees the TBI Fund, the SCI/BI Rehabilitation Fund, the TBI portion of the Core Violence and Injury Prevention grant, and the ACL TBI Partnership grant.  Traci has worked in the field of TBIs for over 20 years. 

In this episode we talk about:

• Accepting and acknowledging emotional triggers
• Resource facilitation for communities
• The positive impact of support systems

Sign up to keep updated as the March campaign progresses!

https://www.braininjuryutah.org/

About the TBI Fund:

“The TBI Fund provides individuals who are living with a traumatic brain injury and their family, caregivers and support team in connecting people to the services they need through resource facilitation. Resource facilitation is a process that assists people with problem solving, links people with available resources to meet their goals and enables successful return to school, work or the community. The TBI Fund also provides education and awareness to the community, professionals and others about the treatment and prevention of TBI.”

For more information, visit: TBI Fund Homepage

On a late-night drive back to Utah from Mount Hood on May 8, 2016, Stevenson fell asleep for a split second. He overcorrected and his truck rolled again and again. After a life filled with triumphs and tribulations, Colby Stevenson won two gold medals at X Games in 2020. Stevenson won his second career slopestyle skiing world cup title at the U.S. Grand Prix over U.S. teammate Mac Forehand and Henrik Harlaut of Sweden in March of 2021

In this episode we talk about:

• Focusing on the positive
• Setting attainable goals
• Living in the moment

Sign up to keep updated as the March campaign progresses!

https://www.braininjuryutah.org/

Trisha’s daughter was 7 years old when an accident involving a horse landed them in the hospital.  Although the doctor’s attended to the visible injuries, Trisha received no information about how to be a caregiver for her daughter’s TBI.

In this episode we talk about:

• Non-Critical Traumatic Brain Injuries
• Grief, hope, and understanding the impacts of a TBI 
• Resources for caregivers

Sign up to keep updated as the March campaign progresses!

https://www.braininjuryutah.org/

On March 13, 2015, Caleb was struck by a drunk driver in a car on his way to school.

In this episode we talk about:

• The importance of community
• Caregiver self-care 
• Accepting help from others
• Building trust between caregiver & survivor 

Sign up to keep updated as the Brain Injury Alliance of Utah campaign progresses!

https://www.braininjuryutah.org/

Dr. Alina Fong has many accolades to her name in brain recovery research as well as she is the president of the Brain Injury Alliance of Utah (BIAU)! Dr. Fong is also a board member of the national Brain Injury Alliance.

In this episode we talk about:

• Mission of BIAU
• Struggles caregiver encounter
• Struggles TBI survivors encounter
• Purpose of March campaign

Sign up to keep updated as campaign progresses!

https://www.braininjuryutah.org/

High Fives Foundation

Roy moved to California from Vermont to pursue living his dream life and skiing every day, then on April 29th, 2006, his life got MoCrazy. Roy crashed on a ski jump leaving him with spinal cord injury causing paralysis. Roy had incredible help in his recovery process and realized others who suffered life changing injuries needed that support as well, so the High Fives Foundation was born in 2009.

• Finding the Positive out of the Negative 
• Building an OHANA * 
• Improving only 1% (Kaizen) daily goals through recovery
• rewind is not an option in life 
• manifest what is on the peak
• celebrate your success

Instagram: @hi5sfoundation

#HelmetsAreCool

With a lack of neurological hospitals and treatment centers in Oklahoma, Chris Lieberman was forced to raise funds to seek medical care out of state. Chris and his family experienced a severe lack of educational materials, support and advocacy while going through the TBI recovery process. They didn’t want other families to have to go through the same struggles that they did so they created Brain Injury Recovery Foundation.

• Help caregivers understand what survivors need
• The challenge to regain independence
• Join Brainiacs 

Jack Kelly was a high school hockey star when after an injury he became addicted to opiods.  His addiction turned to heroin and he became homeless.

Now he is the author of Sharp Needle, involved in politics and understands the importance of being present.

• You don’t recover from trauma alone
• Leave the past and live at the current moment
• When you get to the moment- go for it

This episode with Mike Shaw will give you the shivers and inspire you to climb an Alternative life Peak! Mike discusses, “Even steps back are a step forward because I never stopped walking to reach the mountain peak.” Know what alternative mountain peak looks life for you and start to climb remembering to stay authentically grateful for little accomplishments and be mindful of the moment you are living.

• Find support. Find someone who has done it before for your support.
• You are lucky to have set backs
• We are not guaranteed tomorrow to be good or bad
• RE FRAME your struggles 
• You can create a life you love

"Re program your brain before bed with gratitude"

Mike Shaw's book: Never Part of the Plan

Right before Christmas in 2016 my Facebook media was flooded with information about a snowboarder named Kody who crashed, filming in Stanly Park, Vancouver, BC, Canada.  I remember pounding the floor and thinking this is not fair and shouldn't happen!

shortly after I was contacted by Miracle Myp- The Vancouver General Hospital doctor who treated me.  He was also treating Kody's case.  Myp said Kody's mom would like to contact me, and that's how our relationship began.

In this episode we talk about:

• Caregiver healing
• Fine line with independence 
• Moming from afar
• Dome Peace Headwear