Brain Injury Network of the Bay Area (BINBA)

The history of BINBA is  inspiring.  The organization was founded  in Marin County in 1985 by Karen Schurig, whose daughter Lise was involved in a  near-fatal car accident at the age of 14.   While Lise did survive at a time when many people with similar injuries  did not, her life was severely altered by permanent disabilities from a  traumatic brain injury. Unable to return to school, isolated from her peers,  Lise was confined to living at home with 24- hour care.

Once Lise was released from the hospital, Karen as a  single mother, found herself suddenly thrust in the role of primary financial  and emotional caregiver for her daughter. She quickly realized that there was a  lack of non-medical rehabilitative services, such as support groups and  therapeutic classes, to help them successfully transition into their new roles  and to help Lise continue to heal. In need of help and desiring to break the  social isolation associated with living with a brain injury, Karen founded the  community of BINBA.

Today, 28 years later, BINBA  has grown to be a ‘hub’ of services for survivors of brain injury and their  families and as a resource for medical professionals and the community at  large. Operating with a limited annual budget of approximately $500,000 and a  small team of dedicated professionals, the organization served over 320  survivors and caregivers this past year. Originally BINBA served primarily  traumatic brain injury survivors – today over 30% served are stroke survivors  and their families. BINBA is unique in the Bay Area in its focus on providing a  coordinated network approach to post-acute brain injury rehabilitation