For a moment, imagine being unable to taste your favorite meal, or the most mouthwatering dessert. Or ask yourself what it would be like to be unable to smell flowers in bloom, or your favorite candle, or cookies fresh from the oven.

For my father-in-law, he doesn’t have to imagine it. He lives it every day. In 2016, he was assaulted – pushed to the ground from behind. He sustained serious injuries, including a brain hemorrhage and a concussion. And he lost the senses of taste and smell.

On August 22, 2020, my wife and I will hike to the Summit of Pike’s Peak. When finished, we will have climbed 7,400 vertical feet to reach the 14,115 ft. summit of “America’s Mountain.” This seemingly senseless act of physical exertion is, in fact, quite sensical. We are participating in this year’s Pike’s Peak Challenge, to benefit the Brain Injury Alliance of Colorado. The Brain Injury Alliance (BIA) is the oldest and largest national brain advocacy organization, and its mission is to “advance awareness, research, treatment, and education and to improve the quality of life for all people affected by brain injury.”

This hike will be a challenge, but it pales in comparison to the challenges that many survivors of brain injury face on a daily basis. My father-in-law has gone to countless appointments, undergone extensive testing and treatment, and participated in various medication trials. So far, his sense of smell and taste have not returned. But while his senses are diminished, his courage and resolve remain strong. He has learned to forge a new path forward, even when it comes to the leadership of his beloved specialty food business, Chili Dawgs. And he continues to pour himself into life, and into the lives of his family and friends.

We often hear the phrase, “for the price of a cup of coffee, you can make an impact in….” And it’s true. But why stop there? Please consider a generous donation to an organization that is striving to change lives. An organization that is serving people like my father-in-law, and so many others, who have been impacted by a brain injury? Your gift not only makes a difference in their futures, it makes a difference in their present, by showing them that they do not walk through this trial alone. It reminds them that there is hope!

Support us as we HIKE for HOPE!