LoveYourBrain, Ryan Blaney Family Foundation partner to support caregivers
New funding bolsters care for caregivers and a commitment to brain health
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Laurel Crosby, Director of Development & Communications, LoveYourBrain
Email: laurel@loveyourbrain.com
Norwich, VT - The LoveYourBrain Foundation has received a new $15,000 grant from the Ryan Blaney Family Foundation to support transformative retreat experiences for caregivers of people impacted by brain injury and concussion. This is the largest grant awarded for caregiver programming since LoveYourBrain’s founding in 2014, and launches a formal partnership between two organizations that share a deep commitment to brain health.
“We are honored to have the support and voice of Ryan Blaney and the investment from the Ryan Blaney Family Foundation to elevate and sustain our programs for caregivers,” said LoveYourBrain’s Executive Director, Adam Pearce, who played a caregiving role after his brother Kevin sustained a severe traumatic brain injury in 2009. “Caregivers play a vital role in healing after brain injury, yet it’s often overlooked that the family and friends of those who’ve experienced the injury also need time to focus on healing. LoveYourBrain’s programs ensure caregivers in our community have the support to find new perspective, tools for self-care, and purpose in moving forward in a caregiving capacity.”
LoveYourBrain is a national nonprofit providing evidence-based, in-person and online programs for the brain injury community, designed around an innovative framework Healthy Body, Balanced Mind, Social Connection. The organization's core programs include LoveYourBrain Online Mindset, LoveYourBrain Yoga, and in-person and online LoveYourBrain Retreats. All programs are free for people with brain injury and caregivers to find personal growth and healing through tools of mindfulness, yoga, and peer support. The Ryan Blaney Family Foundation was founded in 2018 by NASCAR Driver and 2023 Cup Series champion Ryan Blaney and his family. The Foundation is dedicated to raising brain health awareness and resources to support people and families dealing with an Alzheimer’s or concussion diagnosis, which is the most common form of traumatic brain injury. “We’re very excited about this new partnership with LoveYourBrain. Caregivers spend countless hours caring for their loved ones, and we’re looking forward to helping them get reprieve at these Community Retreats,” says Ryan Blaney.
Pictured: Ryan Blaney
The grant will support access for caregivers to experience LoveYourBrain’s in-person Community Retreats, the first multimodal residential retreat program to integrate mindfulness, somatic movement, nutrition, art, and community-building for healing after brain injury. A recent study found that the Retreat program effectively supports cognitive, emotional and social function, and facilitates post-traumatic growth among participants. Notably, the research found both people with brain injury and caregivers benefited from community connection, reframing the brain injury experience, self-regulation, and self-care. The grant funding ensures access to this program remains free for caregivers to attend.
Pictured: LoveYourBrain Community Retreat
“I had felt alone for a very long time,” shared a caregiver and recent Retreat participant. “At the Retreat, I found a true release of responsibility for my partner - she was in good hands. I trusted she was okay and this allowed me to turn my mind to what I needed. Being in a committed and same-sex relationship, oftentimes I have truly felt excluded or forgotten in the medical healing as she began to navigate the TBI that truly took a toll on her whole person. LoveYourBrain is the only establishment that has offered us this ability to be counted as whole. What a difference it has made to be seen, heard, appreciated, and understood.”
About LoveYourBrain
The LoveYourBrain Foundation is a national non-profit that improves the quality of life of people impacted by traumatic brain injury (TBI) and raises awareness about the importance of brain health. Guided by their family’s experience, brothers Kevin and Adam Pearce established LoveYourBrain in 2014 following Kevin’s severe TBI from a snowboarding accident before the 2010 Olympics. Kevin’s remarkable resilience was transformed into the award-winning HBO Documentary, “The Crash Reel,” which brought to light the challenges and prevalence of TBI. In response, LoveYourBrain developed programs and resources designed to create community and foster resilience for the TBI community. Now, LoveYourBrain’s research-backed programs are offered at no cost across the globe to empower the TBI community with new tools, resources, and connections. In 2023, Adam Pearce was named a Top Ten CNN Hero of the Year in recognition of his leadership and LoveYourBrain’s impact in the world. Visit http://www.loveyourbrain.com to learn more.
About the Ryan Blaney Family Foundation
Founded in 2018 by NASCAR Driver Ryan Blaney and his family, the Ryan Blaney Family Foundation is a registered 501(c)3 based in North Carolina. The Ryan Blaney Family Foundation is dedicated to raising brain health awareness and resources to support people and families who are dealing with an Alzheimer’s disease or concussion diagnosis. Visit https://www.ryanblaneyfamilyfoundation.org/ to learn more.