Tag Archives: Reagan

Honoring Victims, Healing Brains: 2026 National Crime Victims’ Rights Week

National Crime Victims’ Rights Week (NCVRW) runs April 19 – 25, 2026, marking its 45th year. First proclaimed in 1981 by President Ronald Reagan, the week brings communities together to recognize the impact of crime, honor survivors, and renew commitment to victims’ rights.

Three years following its founding, in 1984, Congress passed the Victims of Crime Act to help victims navigate the tangible costs of surviving a crime, establishing the Crime Victims Fund. The law declared its purpose to assist victims “as soon as possible in order to reduce the severity of the psychological and emotional consequences of the victimization.”

That connection to brain injury is disturbing. Over 75% of domestic violence survivors suffer single or repeated traumatic brain injuries. Sometimes termed DV-TBI, most of these traumas go unreported. (Medical professionals are less likely to ask about concussions and other invisible injuries caused by domestic violence.) Assault. though, has been reported as the third most common cause of TBIs, reportedly accounting for about 10% of all cases.

The Department of Justice’s Office for Victims of Crime has declared the theme of 2026 NCVRW to be Listen. Act. Advocate. Protect victims, serve communities. As stated by the office of Chattanooga, TN Mayor Tim Kelly: “The theme emphasizes the critical need to remove barriers, meet survivors and their families where they are, and foster hope in order to build a safer, healthier community.”

From Supporter to Survivor: Legacy of America’s 40th President

On what would have been his 115th birthday, TBIontheHill honors Ronald Reagan, America’s 40th President of the United States:

President Ronald Reagan left an enduring mark on the brain injury community when he signed Proclamation 5262 in October 1984, designating National Head Injury Awareness Month. This landmark action acknowledged the 700,000 Americans hospitalized annually for head injuries and called for greater research and support.

Reagan himself experienced traumatic brain injury firsthand. On July 4, 1989 – just months after leaving office – the 78-year-old was thrown from a bucking horse at a friend’s ranch in Mexico. The fall caused a subdural hematoma, a dangerous blood clot between the brain and skull. After initial treatment, doctors discovered a second clot requiring brain surgery at the Mayo Clinic in September 1989.

Because the accident occurred after his presidency, it did not affect his time in office. However, Nancy Reagan later wrote that she believed the severe head injury “hastened the onset” of her husband’s Alzheimer’s disease, diagnosed in 1994. Research supports this connection, as moderate brain injuries increase Alzheimer’s risk 2.3 times, while severe injuries raise it 4.5 times.

Reagan’s presidency transformed America – ending the Cold War, spurring economic growth, and restoring national optimism. His personal experience with brain injury adds poignant context to his earlier advocacy, creating a legacy for millions affected by neurological conditions.