At War. At Home.


	South Carolina Brain Injury Leadership Council

SCBILC-Home Life with Brain Injury

At War. At Home.

Blast injuries have been called the signature injury of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. While body armor has increased the number of survivors, traumatic brain injuries (TBI's) resulting from blast injuries are more common than had been expected, with a higher percentage of soldiers receiving brain injuries than in previous wars. There is a great need to identify veterans with brain injury in order to educate them about the injury and assure that they receive appropriate medical and rehabilitation care.

According to the report of the President’s Commission on Care for America’s Returning Wounded Warriors (July 2007):

The majority of serious injuries received in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars are TBI’s (over 2700)
Over half of service men and women serving in Iraq and Afghanistan were exposed to a blast or event that caused a jolt to the head
Up to 7000 undiagnosed mild brain injuries are estimated

The Commission concludes that the Department of Defense and VA must rapidly improve prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of both PTSD and traumatic brain injury (TBI).

See Announcements for exciting news about brain injury research being supported by Force Protection

Traumatic Brain Injury resulting from car crashes, falls, and acts of violence are a major health issue in the US and South Carolina.

The Centers for Disease Control estimate that over 5.2 million Americans live with a permanent disability as a result of Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI)
Over 100,000 South Carolinians have permanent disability resulting from TBI, a rate higher than the national average.
Traumatic Brain Injury is the number one cause of death in South Carolina for persons ages 1 to 44.
Median age for persons with TBI is 27.
Approximately 1,000 people die from brain injury every year in South Carolina.
Approximately 3,000 peopel with new TBI are discharged from acute care hospitals every year in South Carolina (injury severe enough to require hospital stay).
12,000 people with new TBI are treated and release from South Carolina Emergency Departments every year.
The estiamted direct and indirect cost to Southc Carolina is nearly $450 million dollars

Go to Brain Injury Facts to learn more about the consequences of TBI.

http://www.pccww.gov

President's Commission on Care for America's Returning Wounded Warriors

http://www.dvbic.org

The mission of the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center (DVBIC) is to serve active duty military, their dependents and veterans with traumatic brain injury (TBI) through state-of-the-art medical care, innovative clinical research initiatives and educational programs

http://www.bobwoodrufffamilyfund.org

The Bob Woodruff Family Fund: Bob Woodruff, ABC News Anchor, and his camera man Doug Vogt, where injured by a roadside bomb while covering the Iraq war

www.woundedwarriorproject.org

To raise the awareness and enlist the public's aid for the needs of severely injured service men and women, to help severely injured service members aid and assist each other, and to provide unique, direct programs and services to meet theitr needs.

www.scforwwp.org

South Caolina for the Wounded Warrior Project is a group of citizens raising awareness and funds for the Wounded Warrior Project. VIsit their site to learn about an upcoming fund raising dinner in Greenville this May!

Please visit us again to view updated information

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