Cape Girardeau support group available for those recovering from brain injuries

Liz Schott was only 15 when she was diagnosed with an arteriovenous malformation. She had two successful surgeries to shrink the mass in her brain, but during the third surgery, she suffered a stroke. She survived and learned to walk, talk, feed and dress herself all over again. Now 28, Liz still has some paralysis on her left side and short-term memory loss, but she's striving to improve.

"She's a tough cookie," says her mother, Marilyn Schott. Together, they are active in the Brain Injury and Stroke Resource Group in Cape Girardeau. The group meets at 6:30 p.m. the first Monday of every month, usually at the Cape Girardeau Public Library, but sometimes at an alternate location.

"It's like a support group. It offers support to those who have either sustained a brain injury or acquired one," says Schott, who serves as co-facilitator of the group. "Once you get a brain injury, you don't really know where to turn or what to do, or the different health agencies to go to, unless you're around someone who has already been in those shoes."

Dr. Tom Linares, chair of the department of communication disorders at Southeast Missouri State University, has been a co-facilitator for the Brain Injury and Stroke Resource Group for two years. The group often hosts informational speakers, such as vocational rehab professionals or lawyers who discuss the rights of individuals with disabilities.

In September, the group will have an informational booth at the SEMO District Fair, and in November, they will host the director of the Brain Injury Association of Missouri at their monthly meeting. The group also has social outings, such as bowling and picnics, plus community service projects and a trivia night fundraiser.

The group usually has 15 to 25 members per meeting, ranging from age 18 to late 60s. The meetings are free to attend.

"Many people after a TBI [traumatic brain injury] or stroke have a difficult time reintegrating with the community," says Linares. "They lose friends, their job, their confidence; their self-esteem may go down. They feel isolated. The group is an opportunity so they don't have to be isolated."

Liz says this is one of her favorite parts of the group: knowing that she's not alone, there are other people out there with brain injuries, and they can all have fun together. She also says she enjoys attending events like the SEMO District Fair, where she can share her story and raise awareness about the resource group.

The group is as much for the people with brain injuries as it is for their families. Marilyn remembers feeling lost when she left the hospital with her then-teenage daughter: What was next?

"Once someone has a brain injury, it not only affects them; it affects the whole family and turns their world upside down," says Marilyn. "[Liz] has met quite a few people [through the group], and that lets her see she's not the only one out there with a brain injury. A lot of times when people hear the words 'brain injury,' their first response is 'mental retardation,' and that's not it at all."

Though Liz is not yet able to work, there are some in the group who do hold down full-time jobs, and one would never know they'd had a brain injury without them saying so, says Marilyn. Linares says strokes, traumatic brain injuries and car accidents are the cause of some members' brain injuries, while others are from changes in the brain over time, such as memory loss.

To volunteer as a presenter, help fundraise or learn more about the Brain Injury and Stroke Resource Group, contact Linares at 573-651-2155 or tlinares@semo.edu, or call Marilyn Schott at 573-275-7552. The group also has a number of informational materials available to the public, including the Missouri Guide to Brain Injuries.

For those who need further support or services, the Center for Speech and Hearing at Southeast Missouri State University operates a clinic on a sliding fee scale; contact Linares or call the center itself at 573-651-2050.