TULSA, Okla — The Brain Injury Recovery Foundation has been fundraising for four years to open up the Defy NeuroRehab center in Tulsa.
The non-profit was started by Chris Lieberman and his partner, Kim Hann, after Chris suffered a traumatic brain injury in 2016.
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After being told several times he wasn’t going to make it, Lieberman’s family found an activity-based care center in Dallas, Texas. His family drove there every weekend for treatment.
“I know from a fact, it's a miracle I survived going through everything that I went through," he said.
According to Tulsa County, about 4,000 people in Oklahoma suffer from traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) each year.
After all the ups and downs he and Kim experienced, they decided they wanted to help others so they wouldn't have to make those long trips too.
He’s helping to open up Defy NeuroRehab with his partner Kim, to provide people near Tulsa with the same care that helped him.
“It’s 'Defy,' which stands for 'Don't ever forget yourself,' and defying the odds," said Lieberman. “We're getting very close, and that just warms my heart.”
Kim Hanna says she’s seen the ups and downs Chris has gone through and wants to make it as affordable and smooth as possible for others going through a TBI- or anyone that suffers from seizures or cerebral palsy.
“Really it was during that time, those long drives, that we were like, you know, we need to start a foundation," she said. “When you have an injury, especially when it's a sudden injury, it changes your life, and you have no clue how to accommodate for it. We want to be there and be a resource for them.”
The Brain Injury Recovery Foundation hopes to open Defy’s doors before summer.
“All I can wait for, is to get open," said Lieberman. "Start getting clients through the door and changing their lives like mine was.
For more updates and information on how to get involved, visit the foundation's website here.
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