The February 2012 newsletter from the Brain Injury Association of Indiana (BIAI) listed individuals and organizations recognized at BIAI’s Annual Meeting on December 10, 2011. Our Indianapolis brain injury attorneys at Doehrman Chamberlain join the BIAI in saluting these recipients for the outstanding contributions they made to the brain injury community during the past year. Honorees included:
Volunteer of the Year: Kristin Smith
Smith served on the BIAI Board of Directors and is also a Brain Injury Support Group Leader. The newsletter noted that she “has long been an advocate in the community regarding issues relevant to brain injury.” The award honors an individual who has furthered the mission of the BIAI throughout his or her volunteer service for the organization.
Service Excellence and Prevention: Flanner & Buchanan
The family-owned business with 14 funeral centers throughout metro Indianapolis was recognized for the more than 34,000 bicycle helmets given away to young children throughout Indiana since 1999 as part of Flanner & Buchanan’s “Play it Safe, Life Awaits” campaign. The company, which has been serving Indianapolis since 1887, typically reduces its fees when a young child or infant death occurs, and even forgives fees in cases of unique financial need. The award honors an organization that has given everlasting contributions to the brain injury community.
Service Excellence/Community Service: Dr. Samantha Backhaus
Dr. Backhaus’ study of brain injury coping skills garnered her the 2009 McDowell Award for Best Clinical Science in Early Career, and she was also awarded a research grant from the Indiana Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Research Trust Fund. Backhaus has trained professionals from the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, Brooks Rehabilitation Facility in Florida and Sunnas Rehabilitation Hospital in Oslo, Norway. The award she received from the BIAI was in recognition of the Brain Injury Coping Skills Group training program and manual she created to educate traumatic brain injury (TBI) survivors and their family members. The award honors an individual whose service is exceptional within the brain injury community.
Point of Light: David Kuhn
Kuhn spent a week in a coma and about six months in therapy after his vehicle was struck by another car in 1996 while serving as an Indiana State Police trooper in Lake County. He suffered a closed traumatic brain injury and now serves as Coordinator for the Wabash Valley Brain Injury Support Group in Terre Haute. The award honors an individual who has provided outstanding service to persons with brain injury.
Courage: Matt Duffin
We mentioned the award presented to this brain injury survivor in a blog post last month, and Navy veteran Duffin is now a sports writer for Western Wayne News and Connersville News Examiner. The BIAI newsletter also noted that he started a new support group for East-Central Indiana in Richmond. The award honors the success of an individual with a brain injury.
Lifetime Achievement: Karen May
May has been a nurse for 40 years and also served on the Board of Directors of the Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA) as well as many years as the Chair of the Head Injury Foundation of Indiana before it became the BIAI. She is a certified rehabilitation nurse and is a Certified Brain Injury Specialist (CBIAS). May has also testified before the state legislature on several occasions for creation and passage of the TBI waiver, and Medicaid reimbursement issues. Community Health Network noted that she was instrumental in designating the term “brain injury” for official use in public policy statements. The BIAI newsletter also noted, “She has also shown tenacity in advocating for growth and independence of the organization and survivors of brain injury.” The award honors an individual who has given everlasting contributions to the brain injury community.
Doehrman Chamberlain – Indianapolis brain injury lawyers
