TRENTON – A bill sponsored by Senator Ellen Karcher to designate March of every years as “Brain Injury Awareness Month” to raise understanding and awareness of brain injuries, was signed into law today by Governor Corzine yesterday.
“Thousands of New Jerseyans suffer debilitating brain injuries each year which impact their lives and the lives of their families,” said Senator Karcher, D-Monmouth and Mercer. “A brain injury can turn a family upside down, with the injured person going through months and months of rehabilitation to get back even a small amount of their old lives, if they’re even able to recover at all. We need to bring brain injuries to the forefront, to enhance peoples’ knowledge and sensitivity to the disorders.”
The bill, SJR-20, would designate March of every year as “Brain Injury Awareness Month.” The new law calls on the Governor to issue a proclamation, and to encourage private citizens and public entities to support programs and activities to enhance awareness and compassion for those suffering from brain injuries in New Jersey.
“Too many people hold this notion of brain injuries that seem rooted in depictions seen on television and in movies,” said Senator Karcher. “However, brain injuries can be very serious, and very difficult on loved ones as they watch the painful rehabilitation process take place. By promoting March of every year as ‘Brain Injury Awareness Month,’ we can offer our heartfelt and combined support for those living with, and overcoming brain injury.”
The bill was approved by the Senate in May.