Traumatic Brain Injury – known as TBI or MTBI depending on the degree of severity – impacts over 1.4 million injury victims every year.
Unfortunately, one of those victims this past year was 19 year old Jessica Huse, a recent graduate of San Jose’s Valle Christian School.
As reported by the San Jose Mercury News, Jessica was involved in an auto accident on August 2, 2009 on her way home from church when she was struck by a motorist on Blossom Hill Road. She suffered a traumatic brain injury and spent seven months in Valley Medical Center before coming home.
Her parents now have the difficult task of caring for their brain injured daughter who was once vibrant and full of energy and life. Her treatment is constant and expensive. And both of her parents had to leave full time careers in order to provide the care their daughter needs.
Currently, Jessica does not speak in sentences and must be fed through a tube. She cannot care for herself and must be attended to constantly. However, Jessica has made recent progress and more importantly has been accepted into a program from the northeast called the International Brain Research Foundation.
According to the San Jose paper, the program uses 3-D computer technology to imitate a brain injury victim’s brain. The image for this process is taken from MRI images. Doctors and scientists then use the computerized image of the brain to determine what procedures and techniques will work best for that individual patient. However, the program is expensive – it costs over $100,000 for the first year and is not covered by insurance.
So, in order to help raise some of the funds needed for this treatment the Huse family is holding a fundraiser this summer on August 1 at Valley Christian that will include both a walkathon as well as entertainment.
Fundraising Information
If you would like to donate or are interested in the walkathon, please visit the website at www.journeyforjessica.com. The walk will be held on August 1 at 11 a.m. at Valley Christian High School, 100 Skyway Drive in San Jose.
Traumatic brain injury is a devastating injury with devastating consequences for the victim and their entire family. If you are able, please give generously to the fund for Jessica.
