Frank is a TBI survivor who experienced repeated head traumas throughout his life. Some were from childhood, and others were likely from his aggressive training and sparring during his boxing career. Frank cannot pinpoint one incident that caused his brain injury, as may be the case for some TBI survivors. Instead, Frank was struggling with the cumulative effects of years of repeated head traumas or concussions, which slowly caused behavioral changes, poor judgment, lack of concentration, and debilitating short-term memory loss.

Despite Frank’s love for boxing, he had to give it up. His doctors told him, “Mr. Mann, one tap on your head could be it.” Many years after retiring from his boxing career, Frank continued to suffer from the long-term effects of his brain injury. Eventually, he could no longer live safely in the community and reached out for help from the Head Injury Association.

Head Injury Association came into Frank’s life when he felt “lost” and knew he could not continue on the path he was on. For the past twelve (12) years, with support from HIA, Frank has worked to overcome obstacles, decrease his behavioral struggles, and live his best life for life. His passions, hopes, and dreams for the future have returned.

Head Injury Association supports Frank through positive behavioral intervention support, community integration counseling, independent living skills training, and service coordination. Frank enjoys participating in HIA’s Cultural Arts Center, a structured day program in Hauppauge. This program is where Frank shines! He is almost at a loss for words when he describes coming together with other TBI survivors and staring in many of HIA’s theatrical performances, most in Shrek, where he had the lead role.

Frank never gave up. He is a fighter, both literally and figuratively. You can learn more about Frank’s journey directly from him by watching his story below.

Whether you are a first-time donor or a returning donor, we invite you to join the Head Injury family and become our Philanthropic Partner so that together, we can impact the lives of people like Frank and many others.

Kambie's Story

Kambie is a compassionate and caring 34-year-old woman with an intellectual and developmental disability. She loves expressing her amazing personality through her hair color choices and appearance. She is highly motivated to be as independent as possible and is a hard worker. In 2011, when Kambie graduated from her residential school in upstate New York, employment and independent living were not an option but something she wanted so very much.

For the past 12 years, with support from HIA, Kambie has worked to overcome many obstacles, and today, she is working hard to realize her goals.

Kambie currently resides in one of HIA’s supervised 2-bedroom apartments and participates in HIA’s Day Program. In addition, she is a part of the organization’s Supported Employment Program and receives Community Habilitation services, continually receiving job skill training and coaching services. She is also an employee of Head Injury Association, doing clerical work in the administrative offices for a few hours a week.

Only through philanthropic support can we impact the lives of many, including Kambie, who are living with a disability or traumatic brain injury.

This holiday season, give the gift of “hope and healing” to the Head Injury Association so that we can continue to help people with disabilities live their “best life for life”!

Instead of giving cash, make a tax-smart gift! Many of our supporters give stock or an IRA gift (if they’re over 70.5) to provide a lifetime of care, all of which have benefits over donating cash.