Unmasking Brain Injury: Gianna Homes Partnered With The Minnesota Brain Injury Alliance

Unmasking Brain Injury at Gianna Homes with the Minnesota Brain Injury Alliance

On Wednesday, July 27, the residents of Gianna Homes and Gladys’ Place came together with retired NHL player and brain injury advocate, Jordan Leopold and Cory Hepola of Kare11 News to create masks with the help of the Minnesota Brain Injury Alliance. The idea literally being, “unmasking brain injury”.

The Minnesota Brain Injury Alliance promotes healing through the arts with a project called “Unmasking Brain Injury in Minnesota.” Survivors of brain injury are invited to create masks to portray their journey with brain injury. Some participants have suffered concussions, others deal with seizures, some members of the police and military have incurred head trauma and some survivors have battled diseases. In this journey, all are welcome to come together through this Unmasking brain injury project.

At the event at Gianna homes, each resident, staff, volunteer, and family started by telling a bit about their life story – where they are from and what they did for a living. Then, they were invited to paint their journey on the mask. Some included stickers and flowers, others simply splashes of color. Each was unique.

After our artists completed their piece, they shared the story of their mask with the group. “You just gotta be who you are!” said one resident.

Indeed, despite physical changes that may happen in the brain, we as caregivers at Gianna Homes strive to see them for they are. As one family member shared, “They remained beautiful through all the changes.”