Help Cally Access Life-Changing Brain Injury Treatment

In an instant, our family’s life changed forever due to a frontal collision car accident in Denmark in 2020. Cally, the love of my life, wife, and the mother of our two young daughters (8 and 12 years old), sustained multiple injuries, but most devastatingly, a severe traumatic brain injury.

The tragic accident happened only 2 days after we had arrived from California to embark on a new adventure, and as Cally was just getting her strength back after 9 rounds of chemotherapy due to stage IV cancer that had metastasized to her lungs. *Miraculously, Cally is currently symptoms free.

The last 5 years of our life have simply been an unimaginable course of events with no time to process or heal. Once Cally’s rehabilitation and limited professional support in Denmark quickly ran its course, I took over Cally’s caregiving full-time and 24/7 without any knowledge and preparation for the real implications of a traumatic brain injury and what would follow.

As Cally healed, anger and frustration began to emerge – very common for individuals with traumatic brain injuries. The emotions eventually became so big that I had to seek external support from external experts; however, the resources available to me were unable to help.

Through commitment, consistency, and by taking everything into our own hands, Cally continues to make progress, and we are able to limit the frustration by following a strict routine of different forms of relaxation. It’s far from a sustainable solution. Cally is unable to be left alone and continues to be ineligible for rehabilitation or any form of support/training from the Danish healthcare system due to the potential frustration.

In March 2024, UCSF’s Neurorecovery Clinic did a full neurological examination of Cally and recommended that she receive treatment at the Centre for Neuro Skills in San Francisco, which specializes in and treats behavioral challenges that follow a brain injury like Cally’s. This summer, Cally did 3 weeks of comprehensive treatment at CNS. Cally did very well, and CNS saw big improvements and potential during that short period of time. Unfortunately, the treatment is not covered by insurance and is beyond Cally’s immediate family’s financial capacity.

To begin the recommended 4 months of comprehensive in-patient treatment at CNS, our family will be in for over $200,000 in expenses to enable Cally this opportunity.

The treatment at CNS will provide:

• a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach seven days per week, including behavioral analyst oversight to address maladaptive behaviors

• physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy with staff familiar with traumatic brain injury to address endurance, vision, disorientation, and frustration tolerance to reduce caregiver burden and increase quality of life

• counseling with a therapist familiar with traumatic brain injury to address disorientation, anger management, self-awareness, and self-regulation to improve relationships with spouse and children and allow for increased access to the community, as well as provide support and education to the husband on behavioral management techniques and the rehabilitation process

As Cally’s husband, I am fiercely committed to doing everything I can for Cally to receive treatment at CNS, whose program is unique and unmatched by any institutions in and outside the US.

I am convinced that consistent and intensive treatment is of paramount importance for Cally to regain independence and the pathway for her to develop greater self-awareness that has been impacted as a result of her injury. Without treatment normal life is out of reach for Cally, our daughters, and myself. Treatment at CNS is vital in order to open up doors for further treatment and care for Cally - allowing me to go back to work.

Cally is only 48 years of age with a long life to live. Anyone who knows Cally will probably agree that she is a very special person with lots of compassion, dedication, and love for others. Before Cally’s cancer diagnosis, Cally finished a Master in therapy with the sole intention to apply her energy to make a difference and help others. Cally is a true inspiration. Someone who’s always there for her community. Right now, unfortunately, Cally relies more on her community and family than ever before.

On behalf of Cally and her family, we thank you for your support at whatever level feels right to you.

With gratitude