TBI Warrior Foundation

We are grateful for the opportunity to serve children with #TBI, thanks to the Toyota USA Way Forward Fund. TBI Warrior President and Founder, Victor Medina presented the pediatric Access to Care program to the #Toyota executive team. Sharing with other grantees and this collaborative work will continue to have a positive impact on the lives of children and families affected by #TraumaticBrainInjury #LeadingtheWay #toyota #braininjuryrecovery #letsgoplacestoyota

TBI Warrior Foundation is deeply, personally motivated to serve our clientele and support brain injury survivors and their families as they traverse their path to recovery. As part of this, we were proud to represent at the first Trauma Recovery Network resource fair at University Hospital in San Antonio. We were able to provide some great information and resources to potential clientele and connect with some of our friends in the community we serve this day. We look forward to continuing to support this event far into the future!

This past weekend, TBI Warrior Foundation participated in the Boerne Family Fair. We set up a booth to enjoy healthy outdoor family play with corn hole games and soft frisbees, along with distributing information about bike safety with fun coloring books for the kids, and free bike helmet measurements for a helmet giveaway. We connected with many local families, as well as clinics, support organizations, and businesses in the community, sharing our experience and available services for those affected by brain injury. The Spring weather held, the turnout was great, and our Team even got to enjoy paletas! According to the National Academy of Science, Engineering, and Medicine and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), TBI is a major pediatric health condition that is often under-recognized, and urgent and long-term care is often under-resourced. Children have the highest rate of emergency department visits for TBI of all age groups. TBI affects children differently than adults and an injury of any severity to the developing brain can disrupt a child’s development. TBI-related disabilities and their challenges not only affect the child, but also affect the family unit as a whole. According to Dr. Roxana Delgado, health scientist and co-founder of TBIWF, “TBI in children 17 years of age and younger is one of the leading causes of disability, often requiring long-term care.". “TBIWF is proud to be at the forefront of supporting children and others affected by TBI and provide them with personalized tools to achieve success, receive the care they need, and ultimately, regain independence.” “There is a gap in support available to individuals, especially children, living with the long-term effects of TBI,” says SFC(Ret.) Victor L. Medina, MRC, CRC, our Founder and President. “Our sponsors enable TBIWF to provide this population the critical resources they need to regain their independence like I did after many years of recovery and support.” TBIWF works to address gaps in TBI funding for children, support health equity, and strengthen the recovery journey for kids, families and caregivers with an individualized approach to supporting children affected by TBI. For example, as a recipient of Toyota’s Way Forward Fund, TBIWF provided the gift of mobility to a three-year-old boy by purchasing him his first adaptive, medical wheelchair and covering costs associated with ongoing care. Additionally, TBIWF supported a freshman college student who suffered a catastrophic stroke by providing at-home medical equipment, financial assistance, and mobility and cognitive performance aid that ultimately enabled her to re-enroll in classes after one year of rehabilitation.   We love our community and are honored to be an integral part of their healing and path to independence. Being able to also stand on the side of prevention, through safety education and equipment, is an exciting part of our mission.

Today, TBI Warrior Foundation supported the Military Order of the Purple Heart's Fiesta Clay Shoot in San Antonio, bringing several Veterans from our community out to enjoy the day. The MOPH members have all answered our Country's call and proudly continue to serve our country as Combat Wounded veterans by helping America’s active duty, veterans, their families and those who have borne the burden of battle. With several members of our own team being Purple Heart Veterans, the mission of the MOPH to serve this community through support, comradery, and inclusion is very dear to our hearts.

TBI Warrior Foundation hosted a Boerne Chamber of Commerce After Hours Mixer last week that was SO rewarding, SO connected, and SO exhilarating for all in attendance. We were honored to have one of our clients speak to the crowd about his experiences recovering from brain trauma and TBIWF's hand in supporting him and his family in the process. As a grassroots organization, we were thrilled to host this event for our local community, to further our message of awareness and hope for brain injury, recovery, and inclusion. Through this evening's activities, more connections were made, not just amongst the business community as supporters of our efforts, but also with those who could benefit from the work that we do. TOGETHER we can make a difference in the lives of brain injury survivors and their families. Thank you, Greater Boerne Chamber of Commerce and Dog & Pony restaurant, for the opportunity to host this meaningful event.

A Letter from our Founder: As March unfolds, it brings with it a powerful reminder: it's Brain Injury Awareness Month. It's a time to educate the American public and honor the journey of resilience and hope that defines TBI Warrior® Foundation and those living with brain injury.  For me, this month carries a deep significance. As many of you know, the genesis of TBI Warrior® Foundation (TBIWF) emerged from my own battle with a traumatic brain injury (TBI) I sustained during my third tour in Iraq.  During many months of rehabilitation, I became aware of the glaring gaps in support available to individuals navigating the complexities of TBI. Determined to make a difference and help fill these gaps, my wife Roxana and I established TBIWF in 2018. For the past six years, we have been driven by a shared commitment to improve the quality of life of veterans, civilians, and children living with brain injury and ultimately, help them regain a sense of independence.  In 2023, TBIWF directly served 1,200 individuals living with TBI nationwide. This would not have been possible without YOU, our dedicated TBI Warrior® Foundation community members. Thank you for your continued support in this mission. With your encouragement, we are working hard to provide personalized assistance to even more individuals and caregivers in 2024.  As we mark Brain Injury Awareness Month, I’d be remiss if I didn’t share an exciting update...  Roxana and I were recently notified that TBIWF has been selected to receive a grant from Toyota’s Way Forward Fund, a multi-year initiative aimed at strengthening access to care and injury recovery support for individuals and their families, with a focus on children with TBI. We are proud to receive this grant alongside 10 other organizations including Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and Yale University School of Medicine.  This is a monumental step forward in our mission to help those affected by brain injury, especially children, who deserve every opportunity to regain hope and a sense of normalcy despite the challenges they face. Thank you, Toyota, for recognizing a critical need and providing TBIWF resources to further enhance our support for this population.  In the spirit of Brain Injury Awareness Month and on the heels of this exciting news, let's continue to raise awareness, advocate for change, and stand in solidarity with those affected by traumatic injury. Together, we can make a difference—one life at a time.  With gratitude and determination, SFC (Ret.) Victor L. Medina, MRC, CRC Purple Heart Recipient President and Founder, TBIWF

In recognition of #BrainInjuryAwarenessMonth, TBI Warrior founder, Purple Heart recipient U.S. Army Retired Sergeant First Class Victor Medina shares a message of hope. TBI Warrior Foundation received support to help children with traumatic brain injury (TBI).

On Saturday, March 2, 2024, the 502d Air Base Wing will be hosting the JBSA Retiree Appreciation Day, honoring our military retirees and spouses of all services and their families. The event will be held on Lackland at Wilford Hall Ambulatory Service Center (WHASC), address: 1100 Wilford Hall Loop, Lackland Air Force Base, TX. https://lnkd.in/gJbFMgaU

Happy 2024! As we close out this first month of a new year, it’s worth reflecting on all that we accomplished in 2023.   Last year was one filled with growth and development as TBI Warrior Foundation hit new strides as a team and as a network committed to improving the quality of life for people affected by brain injury. In 2023, we worked closely in our community through events with the Veterans of Foreign Wars chapters, Military Order of Purple Hearts, UT Health, Boerne Chamber of Commerce, Alamo Head Injury Association, Warm Springs Foundation, and the Ecumenical Center, and on a national level with the Christopher Reeve Foundation, the Department of Defense, and the Elizabeth Dole Foundation. We also joined the Fair Oaks chapter of Rotary International and Face the Fight Coalition. Along with very successful individual work, community events, and monthly caregiver support groups, TBI Warrior Foundation held its most impactful annual Honor the Brave Veterans Day event with powerful presentations from Texas Veterans Commission Chair Laura Koerner, Flying Circle President Jimmy Chittim, and Sean Lavorn of Lavorn Law Firm and a very special message from keynote speaker Congressman Silvestre Reyes. The community stepped up and greatly supported the fundraising efforts to make this evening possible for our Veteran guests, honorees, and their families as well as providing the means to continue our work through our client programs.   Fourteen years ago, when asked what it meant to be an injured Veteran, our founder replied, “Healing towards a brighter future”.  Through the work of the TBI Warrior Foundation, his message of hope will continue to carry forward in 2024 to positively impact lives through our work in vocational and rehabilitation counseling, health and wellbeing support, and reduction of isolation. 2024 promises to be a banner year. There is much to be done and we are excited to continue our mission with compassion, respect and hope. As always, we are grateful for the support of so many. Please stay tuned for many new announcements to come! 

Exciting News 📣 TBI Warrior Foundation is one of the grantees of Toyota's Way Forward Fund. With this grant, we will help advance the care of pediatric brain injury and help children and their families during recovery. We aim to promote continuity of care and community reintegration. #TBIWarrior #TBI #PediatricBrainInjury #BrainInjuryAwareness #TBIRecovery