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[Pages S5597-S5598]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
TRIBUTE TO BROOKE MILLS
Ms. HASSAN. Mr. President, I am proud to recognize Brooke
Mills of Concord as September's Granite Stater of the Month for her
work advocating for concussion awareness and prevention in New
Hampshire and across the country.
In March of 2014, Brooke, then a freshman in high school, suffered a
severe concussion during a mandatory handball game in gym class. The
ramifications of this concussion went beyond the physical bruising in
her brain and affected everything from her social life to her
academics.
Brooke suffered from memory loss and had to wear sunglasses indoors
because the lighting in her school was too harsh, which led to teasing
and bullying from her classmates. She also had to strictly limit the
time she spent on her phone, which affected her ability to hang out
with friends and use social media, a difficult situation for someone
who just started high school.
However, instead of letting her concussion get the best of her,
Brooke turned her injury into a platform that she used to educate
people about the dangers of concussions, while also providing
reassurance for others who were going through similar trauma that they
too could overcome the lasting impacts of a concussion.
Brooke started a blog called Finding My Way, where she writes about
her concussion and how it impacts her day-to-day life in the hopes of
helping others suffering from concussions feel less alone. She also
launched an organization called Lessen the Impact, dedicated to sharing
her story and providing resources to help identify and prevent a
concussion.
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Additionally, Brooke is a peer-to-peer speaker for the Brain Injury
Association of New Hampshire, where she gives presentations at high
schools and middle schools about how to identify a concussion and
stresses the importance of being kind and understanding to those who
suffer from this invisible injury.
As a result of Brooke's advocacy, as Governor of New Hampshire, I
declared the third Friday in September as Concussion Awareness Day in
New Hampshire. This week, with a bipartisan group of my colleagues, I
introduced a resolution in the U.S. Senate to recognize this day
nationally.
Concussion Awareness Day is also recognized by other States, as well
as by the National Brain Injury Association. There is also a companion
resolution recognizing this day that has been introduced in the U.S.
House of Representatives.
I want to thank Brooke for all that she has done and continues to do
to turn a challenging experience into an opportunity to educate and
bring awareness to Granite Staters and Americans about the dangers of
concussions. She has truly demonstrated the grit, resilience, and
empathy that reflects the best of our State.
____________________