As we wrap up the year, we would like to take this moment to reflect on 2024 and look ahead to 2025. We truly appreciate your ongoing support of our initiatives, and we extend a special thank you to the medical community for keeping us safe and healthy.
2024 Accomplishments
Awareness Committee: We held 7 in-person meetings, with attendance varying between eight and twelve participants for each session. Learn more.
Support Group: We have conducted nine monthly meetings, with an average of 14 participants attending each session on ZOOM. Since the group started in February 2014, we have held a total of 104 meetings. To date, 108 survivors, 102 family supporters, and 68 medical professionals have participated in one or more meetings, bringing the total participation to over 1,481 individuals.
We extend our gratitude to Deb Gregoire, MMC Stroke Program manager, for her volunteering as a facilitator, and we wish her all the best in her retirement this March. Additionally, we would like to welcome and thank our new facilitator, Casey Rogers from Care Management, MMC. We know she will do a great job and look forward to working with her on the Support Group and other projects at Maine Med. Learn more.
KAT-Walk/Karo-5k: The 16th annual walk took place on September 22nd at Payson Park. The weather was fantastic, and we were fortunate to have an excellent setup and teardown crew. More than 250 participants joined us, including 21 survivors accompanied by their families. We awarded five scholarships of $2,000 each and acknowledged 15 teams, including the Artful Dodgers, created in memory of Artie, and this year’s top fundraiser, Team Karolina, which raised over $4,250. We extend our heartfelt thanks to Platinum sponsor Pete Geiger and the Farmers Almanac for their unwavering support throughout the years.
More than $22,000 was raised for Maine Brain Aneurysm Awareness. We thank the more than 30 committee members, families, and volunteers who contributed to making this event so meaningful for so many.
We have reserved Sunday, September 21nd at Payson Park for the 2025 KAT-Walk & Karo-5k. Mark your calendars! Learn more.
Other Activities
March: We staffed our Brain Aneurysm Awareness exhibit booth at the Brain Resource Fair in Augusta on March 21st. Despite the early morning spring snowstorm, the fair attracted more than 50 exhibitors and over 200 attendees. See more.
May: Nurse Appreciation Week kicked off on May 6th, during which we actively promoted the Medical Education Fund on Facebook. Additionally, we had a significant presence in the MMC lobby throughout Stroke Awareness Month.
August: The Maine Brain Aneurysm Awareness Committee is proud to be recognized for our Research contributions to Maine Medical Center over the years on “The Next 150” donor wall in the newly opened Malone Family Tower. See more.
September: As part of Brain Aneurysm Awareness Month, we were fortunate to host a Lunch & Learn session at Maine Med. Committee member Casey organized this meeting with hospital social workers to provide valuable education on brain aneurysms, covering their causes, diagnosis, and treatment options. This event featured a 40-minute presentation that included slides and videos. See more.
Brain Aneurysm Awareness
New Website: Our revamped website launched in June, featuring a fresh, modern design that enhances functionality across all devices (desktop, tablets, and mobile). This new site not only provides expanded information and awareness but also serves as a comprehensive archive of photos and articles documenting the organization’s 16-year history and events. Alongside the website, we introduced a new logo and branding. We would like to express our gratitude to committee member and brain aneurysm survivor Heidi for her dedication and effort in creating such a professional website. Visit MaineBA.org
2024 Initiatives
Thanks to your generous support, this year we were able to contribute nearly $20,000 back to the community here in Maine.
- Scholarships: We received 28 applications for the five scholarships designated for students from Maine colleges that provide courses in the Medical and Healthcare fields. These $2,000 scholarships are named in honor of Kimberly Tudor (KAT), Karolina Kurka (Karo), Cheyanne Audet, Jessica Heath, and our co-founder, Arthur Piteau. Learn more.
- Family Assistance Fund: We continued our revolving fund to support Maine families impacted by brain aneurysms and strokes, donating over $5,500 for their expenses. Learn more.
- Community Support: Our committee also contributed to various Maine-based brain injury organizations, including the Making Headway Podcast and funding for the Maine chapter of the Brain Injury Association of America’s Facilitators Retreat as well as funding a ZOOM account for other Maine Brain Injury support groups.
- Research Support: We are proud to be the exclusive sponsor of the first Neuro Science Symposium to be held at Maine Medical Center on January 10, 2025. The conference, tailored specifically for neurocritical care nurses and doctors, will focus on the past, present and future of neurocritical care medicine and treatments. Learn more.
- Medical Education Fund: $2,700 was expended to fund 6 medical professionals to help with the cost to attend conferences and classes. Since the program’s inception, over $12,000 has been utilized. Learn more.
In Memoriam
This year has brought many positive experiences, but we must take a moment to honor and remember the passing of three of our longest-serving MBAA committee members: Art Piteau, Nancy Tudor, and Barbara Dalton. Their losses will be deeply felt. May their memories be a blessing.
Goals for 2025
- Continue to fund our initiatives through Scholarships, Family Financial Assistance, and Research Grants.
- Increase numbers of survivors and supporters participating at monthly Support Group meetings.
- Participate in medical conferences and other opportunities to connect with the community and raise awareness.
- Continue to raise awareness about the signs and symptoms of Brain Aneurysms with the ultimate goal of saving lives and the quality of those lives. Learn more.
We truly appreciate each one of you for your contributions to our success in 2024. Wishing you and your loved ones a happy and safe New Year!