BIAA and Avanir Host D.C. Premiere of “Beyond Laughter and Tears”
VIENNA, VA (PRWEB) March 11, 2016 -- The Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA) and Avanir Pharmaceuticals are presenting the premiere of “Beyond Laughter and Tears” on the eve of Brain Injury Awareness Day in Washington, D.C. Each year BIAA leads the brain injury community in raising awareness about brain injuries by designating the month of March as a time to recognize and support the millions of Americans who live with brain injuries.
Most people laugh when they are happy and cry when they are sad. But for 2 million Americans who live with PBA, laughing and crying isn’t linked to -- and is often is in direct contrast to -- their actual emotions.
“Beyond Laughter and Tears” chronicles the lives of six people dealing with Pseudobulbar Affect (PBA), a condition experienced by some people who have experienced a traumatic brain injury (TBI) or stroke, or certain other diseases and causes uncontrolled bouts of laughing and crying. This is the first documentary film to examine the daily struggle of Americans who live with PBA.
These uncontrollable emotional outbursts can make it difficult to hold a job, attend social events, engage with others publicly, and in time, can lead to a further deterioration in mental and physical health. Many people with PBA describe a lifetime spent avoiding the company of others for fear of ridicule
The premiere of the film will be held on March 15, 2016 at Union Station, Washington, D.C. following a cocktail reception at 6:00 p.m. Former NBC News TODAY SHOW health and fitness correspondent Jenna Wolfe will conduct a Q&A session after the screening with people who live with PBA, the filmmaker, and BIAA President and CEO Susan H. Connors.
The film kicks off activities surrounding BIAA’s annual Brain Injury Awareness Day, which will take place on Capitol Hill on Wednesday, March 16. For a schedule of events, visit http://www.biausa.org.
The Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA) is the country’s oldest and largest nationwide brain injury advocacy organization. Our mission is to advance brain injury prevention, research, treatment, and education, and to improve the quality of life for all individuals impacted by brain injury. Through advocacy, we bring help, hope, and healing to millions of individuals living with brain injury, their families and the professionals who serve them.
Rob Traister, Brain Injury Association of America, +1 (703) 761-0750 Ext: 628, [email protected]
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