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Connect with people who understand what you are going through.

    Northwest Brain Network News

For the past twenty years, Anne Tillinghast has had the good fortune to work closely with stroke and brain injury survivors. She spent fourteen years as a scheduler/receptionist in a stroke neurologists’ clinic, nine years as the leader of the Backstrokes Sing-Along, and the past three years developing the Northwest Brain Network along with an awesome team of survivors.

Letter From The Editor

Welcome to the first issue of the Northwest Brain Network News! We will answer common questions of survivors and their families in the Dear Joyce column, our Survivor Spotlight will highlight creative projects and accomplishments, and our News Flash will tell you about the latest in research, rehab or support.

After the tragedy of a stroke or other brain injury, it can be hard for the entire family to imagine what life will be like. However, time does go on, and so does the healing process. Our goal is to celebrate quality of life, and bear witness to some of the struggles.

Don’t forget to check out the end of every newsletter, where we will post a cute or funny video--just because!

Please sign up with the Northwest Brain Network if you would like additional support in your life, or wish to give support to others.

Signed,

Anne Tillinghast

Co-Founder & Director

Northwest Brain Network

Send your questions and comments to anne@nwbrain.network

    Dear Joyce 

Joyce Hoffman is one of the world's top 10 stroke bloggers according to the Medical News Today. With the help of her team, Joyce created this newsletter inspired by the format of Dear Abby. The newsletter is a dialog with Joyce on issues only a survivor could fully understand.You can find the original post and other blogs Joyce Wrote in https://dearjoyceadvice.blogspot.com

Emotional Stress

Dear Joyce, From time to time, I become emotional and feel like crying or am impatient after my stroke, which causes a lot of stress. Will those feelings go away?…

Click on the video tutorial below to learn how to submit a question or comment to Dear Joyce.

    Meet Marlane

Marlane is a long time member and organizer of the Backstrokes sing-along for stroke and brain injury survivors. She is also a principal musician in Sonic Tonic, the innovative band, made up of Backstrokes singers and musicians, performing for long-term residents in skilled nursing facilities in the Portland/Vancouver area.

During the Covid quarantine, Marlane has been busy building a fence. She tore down the old one that was starting to fall apart and is securing her yard because very soon she will be adopting a corgi puppy named Bunny!

It wasn’t until after her stroke in 2004 that she completed her first building project, which was a greenhouse. Since then, she has also built an open shed and a sloped deck. Once the fence is complete, her next project will be a ten-by-ten foot deck with a gazebo roof.

She says she did not start building things until after her stroke. When asked how she learned building skills, she said that she comes from a long line of builders on her mom’s side of the family.

Her advice to new survivors: “Keep positive and keep trying. Trying is the ultimate.”

Please share projects or photos of what you've been up to with Anne at anne@nwbrain.network

Determined TV Live Stream

October 22, 2020

18:00 - 19:00

Please join Mark Garman as he interviews stroke and TBI survivors about their lives. Thursdays at 6 PM PST: http://www.youtube.com/c/DeterminedTV Learn more about Determined TV: http://determined.deco-charity.com/page/about2