FRESNO, CA (March 15,  2011) – CareMeridian, a leading provider of post-acute health care alternatives, is pleased to announce that employees, staff, patients and families participated in the 4th annual Walk For Thought on Saturday, March 5, sponsored by the Brain Injury Association of California (BIACAL).  The local event at Woodward Park in Fresno was hosted by the Pediatric Brain Injury Foundation, which provides knowledge and support to families and caregivers of children with brain injury and serve as an advocate when necessary.

The CareMeridian Team totaled 28 people on the 2.2 mile walk — the first of nine this month in the state of California.  The objectives of these walks are to raise awareness of brain injury and the needs for persons who have sustained an injury, to provide information and resources to patients and their families, and to and raise funds for BICAL.

“Every year more and more people attend as awareness grows,” said Barbara Anderson, CareMeridian Fresno-Marks Director of Nursing.  “Our team had a great time for a great cause.  Our reward is bringing more attention to the significance of traumatic brain injury and the devastating impacts to victims and their families.”

According to BICAL, an estimated 1.7 million traumatic brain injuries occur annually in the United States.  Many of these surviving victims ultimately are admitted to skilled nursing facilities or specialized sub-acute TBI programs, such as CareMeridian’s Fresno Weber and Marks facilities.

For more information, on the Brain Injury Association of California, go to: biacal.org

For more information on the Pediatric Brain Injury Association, go to: pedsbif.org/

CareMeridian, a partner of The MENTOR Network, provides a continuum of high quality, cost-effective post-acute care and rehabilitation options to people of all ages with brain, spinal cord and other life-altering injuries and medically-complex illnesses.  With program locations throughout the Western United States, CareMeridian offers a distinctive service delivery model, merging an experienced and skilled health care and rehabilitation team with state-of-the-art technology in community-based program settings designed to meet the unique needs of those we serve at every stage of their recovery.

The MENTOR Network is a national network of local providers serving at-risk youth, individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and people with brain, spinal cord and other catastrophic illnesses and injuries in nearly 40 states. To learn more, please visit: thementornetwork.com.

Contact:
Dan Larson
Chief Development Officer
314.440.4257
dlarson@caremeridian.com