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- Brooke HayesTBI AmbassadorRoleCaregiver/Advocate/ActivistLocationCentral OhioFun Facts
We have a house full of pets, two cats, Hank and Bingus, two green-Cheeked conures named Apple and Kiwi, and one dwarf hamster. Aidan and I love biking, camping and backpacking and are exploring trying out bike-packing in Northern Michigan next summer.
Brooke's Journey with TBI
I’ve been a Registered Nurse for over 20 years. My experience runs the gamut-Intensive Care, Emergency Department, Oncology, Orthopedic Trauma, Case Management, Disease Management and Utilization Management. Despite working in so many different areas of nursing, I had very little experience with Traumatic Brain Injuries. That all changed on 01/25/2022, when my only child, my 22 year-old son Aidan, suffered a severe TBI as a result of a single car accident on his way to work. Aidan’s injuries included bilateral temporal bone fractures, left occipital fracture and multiple skull base fractures. He had subarachnoid hemorrhage, intraventricular hemorrhage, subdural hematomas, diffuse axonal injury and a left internal carotid artery dissection which resulted in multifocal left-sided ischemic strokes. Upon my arrival at the hospital, I was told his injuries were almost certainly not survivable. In the event he did survive, he would have no meaningful neurological recovery. Over the course of the first night, as his strokes evolved and his brain began to swell and shift, I was advised the picture was as grim as could be. Multiple doctors told me there was no hope, it was only a matter of time. Aidan, however, had a different plan.
We are now approaching 11 months post TBI. He was able to transfer to Shirley Ryan Ability Lab in Chicago for acute inpatient rehabilitation just over 3 weeks after his accident. He stayed there for 2 months as an inpatient and another 2 months as an outpatient. Today, Aidan manages almost all of his own daily activities, with the exception of organizing his medications, arranging transportation and scheduling his medical appointments. He makes many of his own meals, does his own and his girlfriend’s laundry, keeps up the yard, cares for his pet birds, plays video games and hits the gym 3 times a week. He still receives speech, occupational and physical therapy twice a week, as well as participating in aphasia conversation groups, TBI support groups and adaptive adventure sports. Soon, he’s looking forward to beginning vocational rehab and getting back to work as an electrician with IBEW 683. We have so much hope for his future.
Why does Brooke want to be an ambassador?
When Aidan suffered his TBI, I didn't know where to turn for information and guidance. There is a lot of misinformation and bad information out there...and I was so exhausted. I needed good, research-based information that didn't require a Herculean effort to ingest. I found MSKTC in the wee hours of the night, surfing the web while I kept vigil at his bedside. There, I learned about disorders of consciousness and minimally conscious states. I realized this described Aidan's condition at the time. I learned about inpatient rehabilitation facilities that have treatments specifically designed for patients who are experiencing a disorder of consciousness. I found a facility that offered a minimally conscious program in a neighboring state. I advocated for him to go there, rather than being sent to a long-term acute care hospital or a nursing home. Nobody at the hospital he was in had even heard of such a program! Had it not been for MSKTC, I shudder to think where Aidan's recovery would be right now. I want to be an ambassador to help get this wonderful resource into the hands of other families that find themselves where we were. Having knowledge will provide families with invaluable tools to help them be advocates, providing their loved ones the best possible chance for the best possible outcome.
What does Brooke do as an ambassador?
Since Aidan's injury, I've become involved in state-level projects to improve the care of TBI patients and especially those experiencing disorders of consciousness. I've also recently begun exploring ways to utilize artificial intelligence/machine learning to help identify patients early in their hospital course who might benefit from disorders of consciousness rehabilitation.
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- Kerri WalkerTBI AmbassadorRoleIndividual with TBI with End DV Now organizationLocationPhoenix, ArizonaFun Facts
Kerri loves English history and spends her free time reading and playing with her pet chihuahua. Having a great empathy and passion for helping others, Kerr went to college at the age of 51 and got her bachelor’s degree in Sociology. She is a Certified Trauma Support Specialist and is currently working towards becoming a Certified Trauma and Resiliency life coach.
Kerri's Journey with TBI
When Kerri was younger, she experienced an emotionally and physically abusive relationship. After years of abuse, she noticed herself getting confused easily, mixing up her words when she tried to speak, and getting frequent headaches. These symptoms, along with the brain aneurism she suffered, caused her to lose part of her vision, information processing, proper sleep, and led to severe mental health issues.
In 2010, Kerri decided to use her experience to help others that are victims of domestic violence (DV) through working in domestic violence shelters both in Ohio and Phoenix. Three years ago she founded her own organization, End DV Now. She has spent 8 years working with victims of DV who have suffered a TBI, and helps them find resources and services to live healthier, more fulfilled lives. Kerri currently serves as a Certified Trauma Support Specialist for The CACTIS Foundation in Scottsdale, Arizona. Being able to understand others’ situations and their symptoms on a deeper level has been extremely rewarding for Kerri.
Why does Kerri want to be an ambassador?
Aside from wanting to help people with TBI that have a story like hers, Kerri appreciates MSKTC TBI resources because they are evidence-based and cover a wide range of situations. Being familiar with the MSKTC website for some time, Kerri believes MSKTC resources would be incredibly helpful to the individuals with DV she works with and wants to begin sharing them. She also hopes to work with MSKTC to produce more TBI resources specifically related to DV.
What has Kerri done as an ambassador?
Kerri has shared links to MSKTC resources on Twitter and plans to share them on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram as well. She provides relevant MSKTC resources to various advocacy groups and organizations, including End DV Now, and plans to share and discuss MSKTC resources directly with DV victims through her organization in the future. Kerri also has plans to share MSKTC resources with domestic service providers and law enforcement organizations, as well as indigenous people organizations.