Anne Dunlap

Anne Dunlap grew up in Hockessin, DE, and was severely injured in August, 1998, just before her 18th birthday and scheduled enrollment at Virginia Tech. She was a passenger in a car driven by a friend. She suffered a severe traumatic brain injury which caused extended coma and extensive motor, speech, vision, and cognitive impairments. She received inpatient rehabilitation for four months, day treatment services for another eight months, and has continued with part time rehabilitation of various types before enrolling at the Rusk Brain Injury Day Treatment Program in March of 2005. She has had numerous surgeries and nerve blocks for orthopedic and vision complications. Another devastating consequence of Anne's TBI has been her development of post traumatic epilepsy. Despite very high doses of many antiepileptic medications, seizures slowly worsened from 2001, when identified, until January 2006, when she had major epilepsy surgery to remove the area of her brain responsible for the seizures. Anne and her family are hoping that this surgery will prevent seizures from occurring. Her financial resources today are from insurance proceeds, which are held in a special needs trust managed by her family and their investment advisors. She qualifies for Medicare, Medicaid, SSI and Social Security Disability benefits. She has not been employed since her injury, but has volunteered at several organizations, including a six week work trial sponsored by the Delaware Division of Vocational Rehabilitation. She has been active in disability advocacy in Delaware, and has assisted Easter Seals of Delaware with fundraising. Anne is active in the community and her church. She regularly visits the YMCA for strength training and until her epilepsy surgery participated in weekly therapeutic horseback riding. She also enjoys taking pottery classes. One of her goals is to live independently, but she currently lives with her family. The cognitive and behavioral objec tives of the Rusk Brain Injury Day Treatment Program are well suited for Anne’s goals, as her current deficits in these areas are her most significant obstacles to greater independence and employment. She is currently participating in her fifth “cycle.” Anne and her mother travel to New York on Sundays, stay at an apartment in Manhattan during the week, and return home to Delaware on Thursday evenings. Anne’s potential for returning to work is good. She has been actively supported by the Delaware Division of Vocational Rehabilitation. Since her injury she has earned an Associates Degree in Customer Service Management at Delaware Technical and Community College, in Wilmington, DE.