01/27/2026
Did you know that almost half of traumatic brain injuries (TBI) are caused by an unintentional fall? Let's work together to reduce the risk of falls and TBIs. Thanks to BIANC for all that you do.
https://injuryfreenc.dph.ncdhhs.gov/DataSurveillance/NCPHA-PresentationonFallsandTBI_FINAL_Revised.pdf
We’re proud to announce that Mimi Hayes will be our Keynote Speaker at the 2026 NC Brain Injury Conference in Wrightsville Beach, April 13–14.
Mimi Hayes is an American comedian, speaker, and author of "I’ll Be OK, It’s Just a Hole in My Head", a memoir she wrote while recovering from a brain injury at just twenty-two. Known for blending emotional precision with sharp humor, Mimi’s work explores trauma, love, disability, and identity with a voice that is both irreverent and deeply human.
Her storytelling has taken her from the page to the stage, with performances at TEDx, Denver Comedy Works, The Moth, Upright Citizens Brigade, Broadway Comedy Club, and Stand Up NY. She has opened for comedians including Jim Gaffigan and Ari Eldjárn, toured internationally with her one-woman shows I’ll Be OK and 20-Nothing, and reached global audiences through her TED Talk, “Laughter Is NOT the Best Medicine.”
Mimi’s keynote session, “Traumedy: How I Turned My Brain Injury Into a Punch Line,” explores how humor can be a powerful tool for resilience after brain injury. Drawing from her lived experience as a two-time brain hemorrhage survivor, she shows how comedy and storytelling can reduce stigma, foster connection, and offer new language for healing, inviting us to rethink recovery as a creative and deeply human process.
✨ Registration opens later this week! Stay tuned for details.
