Run for a CAUSE ~~~ Not for APPLAUSE

*Borrowing* this tale straight from 
Falmouth Road Race's website: 

"Tommy Leonard was a bartender from Boston who was working at the Brothers Four. He was into running before running was in ... He concocted a recipe that included one part sporting spectacle, one part festive family outing and a dash of sun, sea, and splash. 

Shake rattle and roll and presto- you have the Falmouth Road Race, a star-spangled celebration of red-hot competition and fun-in-the-sun holiday atmosphere in one of the most picturesque towns on Cape Cod!"



Now, The Cape has always been a special place for me.
I grew-up down there, with nearly my entire extended family on mom's side permanently residing in&around Dennis! So much more than just a "Summer-Escape"
... it's home, the one place that just feels right ...

..  it all started back in 2O12  ..
~ The BIA-MA's first time running. And then, sort of became our annual-tradition to start getting "amped-up" for that beautiful course, and opportunity to purposefully raise a lot of money!

Sissy's back at it again; except this year... she'll be running as a member of Spaulding's Race for Rehab Team! 

Courtney Farrell's FALMOUTH_page

Like she used to prod me {just to get me talking} back when
I was rehabbing at Spaulding: "Who's better than you, Kid?!"
to which I'd reply {not too forcefully, as the tracheotomy
had just been removed}: "NO ONE!!!!" 

Let's show to everyone that no one can be better Supporters than US!

>NESN< *SPOTLiGHT*

United States Women's Soccer legend,Mia Hamm,once said:

“There are always new, grander challenges to confront, and a true winner will embrace each one!” 

While the struggles I face each day are vastly different from any which Mia ever encountered on the soccer-field,
I can still very much relate to this remark. 

As all Survivors of TBI know... life keeps rolling-on,
and we have a decision to make. We can either hop on
the locomotive, or get left in the dust. You all know which option I have chosen ~~~ "All ABOARD!!!"

Back in September, the BIA-MA was given another opportunity to be "spotlighted". This time, it was thru
Moody Street TV, in a production to be aired on NESN.

Madeline Uretsky, a survivor of serious sports-concussions, her mom, my MamaBear, and I were asked to meet at Spaulding Rehab. for the shoot. After only chatting with Maddie for a few minutes, I knew she&I would stay in-touch long after the feature was over!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As per usual, our Executive Director Extraordinaire,
Nicole Godaire, represented all of us and
the Association seamlessly!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Josh Harvey, Studio Manager of Moody Street TV, had the best creative-direction for the whole shoot!
It was such a pleasure filming with him.

I've said this many times before, but it is certainly worth repeating... Let's make Productions like these~}"Go-Viral"{~

###

*Five~Years* of Falmouth!

It's hard to believe that 5-years-ago, the Brain Injury Association of MA ran its first Falmouth Road Race.

That's the crazy thing about all these milestones, too.
As they come about, I am reminded not only of how far *I've* come, but also the incredible strides *We've* made as Survivors, Advocates, and Supporters. 

{Photo-Courtesy: Buzzards Bay Coalition}

The largest turnout to date, MotherNature couldn't have been kinder! It was *extra* special this year for another reason... my Sister's dear friend & my "2nd Big-Sis", Angela, ran alongside Courtney. The Team was filled with
Family-Members and Caregivers  ~~  super special! 

You've gotta love technology "glitches"... When Angela's mom was capturing a video of Court, AnG, and Katie crossing the finish-line, her phone switched into Slow-Mo.

Although I think that this particular glitch actually made the video even more meaningful/enjoyable!

~~>{*SLoooww~Mo* !!}<~~

It really is a rare occurrence when people from all different walks of life can come together for one day of positivity, endorphin-fueled cheer, and good spirits. I honestly believe that this is quite a good fit for the BIA-MA, since, as we know, TBIs do not discriminate. They can happen any time,
any place, to anyone. 

Just keep this in mind, as you go about your day:

Everyone you come in contact with has his or her "something". What impact will you have on this person?

Will it be a positive one? 

                           

\~>PODCAST<~/

     You all may remember the 1st-Podcast I ever created~~

way back in May'14. Whoa, does anyone else feel like that was {many~moons~ago} !?! But, I digress; back to the 

main-point of this particular post!

     As many of you may recall, I completed a 

>Job-Experience< at WMRC First Class Radio in Milford this past summer...

What a great experience it was! Not only that, but it certainly was a fine-way to test not only my patience, but also my "dogged-resolve" to accomplish something that I had set out to do."The squeaky~wheel gets the grease", right?!

As this opportunity came to an end, I couldn't think of a better way to culminate than the same way I "wrapped-up" my time spent at Townsquare Media of the Hudson Valley...

I very fittingly titled it: *Just~Keep~SWiMMiNG*

~>ROAR<~ Like a LiON !!!

Another honor and privilege I would not have been offered if I wasn't a Survivor of a TBI ~~~

Just last week, I had the opportunity to share
my story at the Mass. Lions Eye Research
Board of Directors meeting. 
Their main philanthropy/cause is eyesight, focusing mainly on Mass Eye & Ear. As many of you know,
I underwent two operations at this phenomenal hospital, under the careful precision of Neuro-Ophthalmologist
 Dr. Dean Cestari.

Not surprising to me at all, when I reached-out to my "GoOgLy~Eye~Doctor", he responded right back.
So, many thanks to you, Dr. Cestari !! 

*Just ~ Keep ~ RUNNING*

Late and great Boxing-legend, Muhammad Ali,
once observed:

"It isn't the mountains ahead to climb that wear you out;
it's the pebble in your shoe!"

Guess what, Folks!? It's that time of year ~~~
FALMOUTH-ROAD-RACE time, that is! And once again, my Super~Sissy will be running, representing Team BIA-MA!

It all started back in 2012: the first-year BIA-MA ever had runners represented at this renowned race...

Now, this is where all of my fantastic followers
& super supporters come in ... Since Courtney will already be "pulling her weight" out on that beautiful course in August,
it is up to US to make her trek a wee-bit-easier ... 


DONATIONS of any amount would be so
greatly appreciated. Every penny counts!!!

~~> Courtney Farrell's Page <~~

>Nurses< ~~~ The *HEARTBEAT* of Healthcare

Florence Nightingale, better known as the "Founder of Modern Nursing"", was a pioneer in many ways. She was once quoted, saying: 

“Nursing is an art: and if it is to be made an art, it requires an exclusive devotion as hard a preparation, as any painter’s or sculptor’s work; for what is the having to do with dead canvas or dead marble, compared with having to do with the living body, the temple of God’s spirit? It is one of the
Fine Arts: I had almost said, the finest of Fine Arts.”

Last Thursday {the 12th}, I had the immense honor and privilege to be the Keynote-Speaker at

Worcester State University's Nurses' Pinning-Ceremony. 

It was unlike any other speaking-engagement I have ever presented at!!

... Oh, modern-technology ~ so great until it fails!! Mama~Bear's phone ran out of space to capture the rest of the video! However, I put my Radio/TV/Film-degree
to good use here, and recorded the audio of the rest of my speech!

http://www.driveplayer.com/#fileIds=0B54vkAz14m8ANnFSQnNxVEdUZ1V2VHNrN1VxWlBUY0hnR3lF&userId={userId}