JABA Foundation Announces Paintings of Promise Sponsorship Program

The Just A Breath Away Foundation (JABA) is pleased to announce the launch of the Just A Breath Away Paintings of Promise sponsorship program. For each campaign, the foundation will showcase the story of a severe traumatic brain injury (STBI) survivor and spearhead fundraising efforts for their benefit.

For March and April 2018, JABA is sponsoring STBI survivor Lesley Leamy. After a head-first workplace fall from a 15-foot ladder, Lesley was diagnosed with white matter brain damage, which also triggered drug-resistant epilepsy for which she must take a barrage of seizure-suppressing medication. Despite the terrible hand, Lesley was dealt, through it all she has learned to laugh and carry on with a positive attitude. While she strives to regain her health, Lesley remains dedicated to advocating for epilepsy awareness. In the meantime, she finds herself overwhelmed by medical bills and a lack of support for daily living expenses. To help offset some of Lesley’s expenses, JABA will donate 90 percent of all profits from the Paintings of Promise sponsorship program for March and April.

Each Paintings of Promise sponsorship will center around an original oil painting hand-selected by artist and JABA Founder Kathleen Newhouse. For the March and April campaign, Kathleen has chosen the artwork entitled, Wiped Out. JABA is looking to raise funds for Lesley with the sale of Kathleen’s paintings, including this hand-selected piece, and with various levels of monetary donation.

“The effects of STBI can be devastating for survivors and their loved ones,” states JABA President and Founder Kathleen Newhouse. “Through the Paintings of Promise program, our team hopes to help alleviate some of the financial burden for Lesley; our first official sponsored survivor. With donations starting at only $25, it’s possible to help make a difference in Lesley’s life. Please help give her the hope and support she needs while this warrior survivor fights to recover.”

According to the Brain Injury Association of America, brain injury strikes 2.5 million people per year. That’s one injury every 12.6 seconds. Approximately 500,000 of those injuries require hospitalization and close to 75,000 result in death. Between 70,000 and 90,000 survivors sustain injuries that are long-term or permanent. There are currently 5 million Americans living with disabilities resulting from brain injury.

About Kathleen Newhouse – Hailed as a miracle survivor; Kathleen Newhouse suffered a ruptured brain abscess that nearly cost her life. Despite being given less than a five percent chance of survival with the likelihood of landing in a vegetative state, Kathleen went through a long journey to make what some are calling a miraculous recovery.

Now considered a severe traumatic brain injury (STBI) survivor, Kathleen has worked to regain much of what she had lost. Unfortunately, the extensive damage to her brain left her unable to perform her much-loved music, teach martial arts or even master some everyday tasks. Since her injury, Kathleen has relearned to walk, talk, read, even socialize all over again. She has since gone on to flourish in new ways including discovering a talent for painting. Kathleen has since produced hundreds of oil on canvas pieces and has garnered much attention for her eclectic and somewhat ethereal style. Today, her work proudly adorns the walls of supporters from across the nation.

In June 2017, Kathleen and her husband Galen Newhouse launched Just A Breath Away Foundation (JABA) to help increase awareness of severe traumatic brain injury (STBI) and to raise funds to help survivors in need. Dedicated to raising awareness and leading fundraising efforts to benefit the STBI community, JABA currently relies on the generosity of their Circle of Hope community and through the sale of Kathleen’s artwork. Kathleen is also in the process of documenting her journey by penning a book, Just a Breath Away – Streams of Thought from a Severe Traumatic Brain Injury Survivor, which will be available in spring 2018. Proceeds from the sale of her book, as well as her artwork and other fundraising efforts, will be donated to the STBI community.

Links

http://justabreathaway.org/

http://justabreathaway.org/paintings-of-promise-sponsorship/

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