The Fifth Annual Journey of Hope Gala presented by the Brain Injury Association of New York State

Sept. 17, 2012 - PRLog -- The Fifth Annual Journey of Hope Gala will take place on Tuesday, October 23, 2012 at the Prince George Ballroom in New York City.  Honorary Co-Chairs Penny Marshall and Lorraine Bracco, motivated by their own experiences supporting a friend with a brain injury, have generously committed their time and energy to support the Gala and Brain Injury Association of New York State (BIANYS). Tom Llamas, Anchor/Reporter, NBC4 New York, will serve as the Master of Ceremonies for the evening.   The cocktail reception and silent auction will begin at 6:30 p.m., followed by the awards presentation and dinner at 7:30 p.m.  Music will be provided by international sensation Veronica Martell Entertainment.  Tickets are $300 each. All proceeds will benefit the Association.

This year marks both the 5th anniversary of the Journey of Hope Gala and the Association’s 30th anniversary! The Gala supports the many life-changing programs and services provided by BIANYS, which assists individuals with brain injury and their families and promotes prevention. BIANYS is the premier support and advocacy organization assisting New Yorkers with brain injury and their families. The Journey of Hope Gala is the Association’s major annual fundraising event, raising much needed funds to continue its mission.

Raj K. Narayan, MD, FACS, Professor and Chair of Neurosurgery, Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine and Director of the Cushing Neuroscience Institute will receive the Champion of Hope Award.  Eliette Markhbein, Visual Artist, M.S., M.A., CDAT, Founder, The TBI Portraits Project – a partnership with the Brain Injury Association of America and the Society for the Arts Healthcare; Founder, The Therapeutic Arts Program for Neurological Rehabilitation, Mount Sinai Medical Center will receive the Victory Award.  Rosemarie diSalvo and Bradley Van Nostrand are the Gala Chairs.

Every 23 seconds, another person in the United States sustains a brain injury. The Centers for Disease Control estimates that at least 3.2 million Americans are currently living with long term disabilities from a traumatic brain injury. In fact, TBI is the signature injury of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, impacting at least one in five of the military personnel involved in these wars. Since 1982, the Brain Injury Association of New York State has provided vital services that lead to improved outcomes for children and adults with brain injuries and their families.  Through outreach, support, advocacy, and education, the Association improves the quality of life for individuals with brain injury and their families. At the same time, because the best cure for brain injury is prevention, educate the public about brain injury prevention.  Working with our chapters and support groups, volunteer Board of Directors, members, and staff, we are ready to help solve a problem, make a connection, access a service, or just talk. All of these supports are provided free-of-charge.

For further information on the Gala, including tickets and sponsorship opportunities, contact Mitchell Manning Associates at (212) 980-1711, journeyofhopegala@mitchellmanning.com, or fax to (212) 980-1615. More about the Brain Injury Association of New York State is available at www.bianys.org.