Sights and sounds from Brain Injury Awareness Month 2024

There are more than 5.3 million individuals in the United States who are living with a permanent brain injury-related disability. That’s one in every 60 people. At least 2.8 million Americans sustain traumatic brain injuries in the United States every year.
Brain Injury Association of America, our nation’s leader in observing Brain Injury Awareness Month

Throughout Brain Injury Awareness Month 2024, Home Base had the unique opportunity to address Military-connected brain injury treatment with our nation’s policymakers and industry leaders. Scroll through this page to learn more.

February 28 – Dr. Ross Zafonte testifies in front of U.S. Senate Committee on Armed Services subcommittee

Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) invited Ross D. Zafonte, DO, Chief of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and Health and Wellness Programs at Home Base and President of Spaulding Rehabilitation, to testify in front of the U.S. Senate Committee on Armed Services’ Subcommittee on Personnel. A renowned expert on TBI, Dr. Zafonte spoke to the impacts of TBI and blast exposure care on active-duty U.S. Special Operations Forces personnel.

Click here to watch the hearing, and click here to read Dr. Zafonte’s statement.

March 4 – New Home Base Arizona video featuring information about clinical programming tailored to the unique needs of Native Americans released

March 4 – Retired Brigadier General Jack Hammond and Kate Weinograd meet with Senator Jack Reed (D-RI)

Retired Brigadier General Jack Hammond, Executive Director of Home Base, and Kate Weinograd, Director of Government Relations and Network Development at Home Base, had the honor of meeting with Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Armed Services, to discuss the pressing need for a longitudinal study on blast injury and brain health at the New England Council’s “Connecting New Englanders Across the Region with Washington, DC” event.

This study would revolutionize our understanding of these complex injuries and significantly enhance our ability to provide lifesaving care to Veterans and active-duty Service Members. By identifying chronic illnesses early and proactively mitigating injuries, we can extend the lives and health spans of those who have sacrificed so much for our country.

March 12 – Dr. Ron Hirschberg moderates South by Southwest panel

Ron Hirschberg, MD, Medical Director of Brain Health at Home Base, moderated a panel at South by Southwest panel titled “Humans Over Hardware: Do Better and Do More… For Whole Warrior Health,” which included Dr. Gina Adam of Army Futures Command, Dr. Alison Brager of the John F. Kennedy Warfare Center and School, Dr. Sandi Chapman of the University of Texas at Dallas Center for BrainHealth, Dr. TJ Doty of the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research and Chris McNamara of Evolution Athletics.

The panel discussed brain health, resilience and performance of the 1% of the 1% who serve and protect us, and how we can best serve them and their families.