Launched on May 27, 2014, the Mitchell Ekedede Brain Injury foundation seeks to contribute to a reduction of 10% or 1% per year, the incidents of brain injury, with an emphasis on traumatic brain injury and in the acquired brain injury category, strokes caused by high blood pressure over a ten year period.
With such challenging goals, having the right Trustees on board is critical. The foundation recognizes this and that is why they’ve chosen Janet Johnson to join the MEBIF Board of Trustees. Johnson officially became a board member in April, 2016. Janet Johnson’s service in the Bahamas not only makes for an impressive portfolio, but makes her an ideal trustee. Johnson considers the invitation to join the Board of Trustees an honor, and she is optimistic about the future as a director in the foundation.
“Given the history of the Foundation, one realizes that life is so fleeting and tragedies can happen to anyone,” Johnson says. When asked how her personal values tie into the goals of the organization, she replied, “The opportunity to help to advance much needed research to ensure that proper medical treatment is readily available here in Nassau to mitigate against brain damage or the loss of life.”
With her strengths in Marketing, event strategy and fund raising, Johnson believes that she can be an asset in the organization. Having held and currently holding high positions in organizations such as, Bahamas National Trust, QC Foundation, International Culture and and Wine Festival, and others, Johnson enters the foundation with impactful experience.
According to Tommy Turnquest, Co-Chairman, “We have very ambitious but what I think to be realistic goals that can be achieved with the right people in place. We wish to be to brain injury what Suzan Komen is to breast cancer and we believe Janet Johnson has the skills to take us there.”
The Mitchell Ekedede Brain Injury Foundation is cofounded by Dr. Magnus Ekedede, Neuro surgeon and Mathew Mitchell, and was formed after successful Brain Surgery on brain injury survivor and cousin of Janet Johnson, Demont Mitchell. Among others, the foundation expects to offer services such as, Nero Rehabilitation and Medical Assistance and is funded by donations.
The foundation hopes to engage a sustained public awareness campaign that will assist in reducing, preventing or eliminating brain injury; provide financial assistance to those who cannot afford the cost of in and outpatient care and rehabilitation when brain injury is suffered; grant scholarships to those wanting to pursue careers in neuro science; construct a state of the art and first of its kind neuro rehab center in the Bahamas and Caribbean over the next 5 years. To this end, the Bahamas Government has agreed to provide the land needed to construct this facility. We await the grant as all paperwork has been completed. We have also procured architectural renderings / floor plans which have a preliminarily projected a cost ranging from $15 to $20 million. We would need additional funding for the building costs and construction professionals such as architects, engineers, quantity surveyors etc. so that we can fully contribute to medical research for brain injury.
For more information about the Mitchell Ekedede Brain Injury Foundation please visit www.mebif.org or email headstrong@mebif.org.
By Anastarcia Palacious, The Social Light Media
