PRESS RELEASE

Pittsburgh Area Brain Injury Alliance announces newest TBI Peer Support Group.

Monroeville-Area Residents to benefit from new local Traumatic Brain Injury Peer Support Group.

Monroeville, PA, September 11, 2003 Paul Damon and his daughter, Denise Patterson will host the inaugural Monroeville TBI Peer Support Meeting from 7 to 9 pm in the parlor of the Cross Roads Presbyterian Church, 2310 Haymaker Road, Monroeville, Pa.  Patterson is recovering from Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) which she sustained in an auto accident in January 1994.  The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has recently estimated that there are 5.1 million persons living with long term, severe disability as a result of brain injury, and as many as 6.5 million persons living with some form of injury, including mild and moderate brain injuries.

Each human brain contains 100 billion (more or less) neurons and many times that number of supporting cells.  Each individual neuron can be connected to more than 500,000 other neurons. Within each separate, tiny piece of the brain there are billions of synapses.  Any twisting, compression or stretching of the brain can potentially alter the physical status for any or every one of these cells, each connection to other cells and the blood vessels that feed them.  

The above described acquired cellular alteration is what we call traumatic brain injury. It can be caused by a host of means. Most often brain injury occurs when the head comes to a sudden stop while traveling. Sometimes brain trauma occurs when an object strikes the head. Other times, Brain Injury can occur when an object penetrates the skull and enters the brain. Brain damage can be diffuse, involving more than one area of the brain. It can also be specific, or focal, confined to one area of the brain. The alteration of brain cells can leave the individual with varying degrees of change and oftentimes impairment.

Prevention is the only cure at this time. 

Supporting in the formation of this group are Malin Lowenadler-Shadel, Edward Crinnion, and John Pistorius, active Southwestern PA tbi support-group coordinators. Ms. Lowenadler has recently received training in Harrisburg. Mr. Crinnion is a board member of the Brain Injury Association of PA, and is Western PA contact for the brain injury hot line. Mr. Pistorius is the webmaster of the Pittsburgh-area brain injury website, www.pabia.org

For more information, please contact Paul Damon, 412-372-2888