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Hundreds of people flocked to the Palace Hall on Tuesday night to attend the BINA Disability and Rehabilitation Expo. Over 60 vendors participated in the event, representing a wide and comprehensive range of companies, agencies and facilities from the world of disability and rehabilitation.

Individuals with disabilities, family members and professionals were eager to take advantage of every possible opportunity to learn and gather information regarding advanced and specialized therapy options, cutting edge technology, home and vehicle accessibility, concussion recovery and driver rehabilitation. The areas of home care funding and options, services for the developmentally disabled, Medicaid enrollment and legal services were also covered by experts who were ready to answer questions and share the latest information in their respective areas of expertise.

As at past Expos, the Stroke and Brain Injury Research and Clinical Trials section proved to be immensely popular, with people standing on line to speak to researchers and professionals from Rusk, Burke, Mount Sinai and Helen Hayes who are at the forefront of the latest treatments and therapies in their fields.

Mr. and Mrs. M., a couple whose 17 year old son is undergoing rehabilitation for a TBI (traumatic brain injury) suffered in a car accident last year, took a moment from stopping at booths to share their personal perspective. “Since our son’s accident, it’s been quite a challenge to figure out the best resources to help him. We have so many questions and decided to come to this Expo hoping that we could learn a few pieces of helpful information,” explained Mr. M.

“To our great surprise and delight,” continued Mrs. M., “we’ve been deluged with information about every possible aspect of rehabilitation since we arrived. Several therapy methods – some of which we weren’t aware existed – devices, insurance questions, a range of agencies…we’re trying to cover as much ground as possible so we don’t miss out on any possible resource.”

David A. was eager to speak to vendors and gather every available tidbit of information that could add to his quality of life. “As a person with a disability, it is very empowering for me to speak directly to these professionals…I like to be as independent as possible and this is a chance for me to ask my own questions and find out what’s out there for me.”

These sentiments were echoed by multiple individuals who heaped praise on the BINA organization for hosting such an important event. The positive feedback was expressed not only by the attendees but by the vendors who were thrilled with the keen interest and sophisticated questions of the many individuals who stopped by their exhibits to learn about their products and services.

Several vendors commented that having attended many similar events in the past, they were highly impressed with both the professional quality of the Expo and the huge turnout. In the words of one company representative, “I just want to thank you and congratulate you on a job well done! You pulled off an amazing evening and I can’t tell you how privileged I felt to be part of such a spectacular event.”

Another vendor commented, “Kudos to you for putting together such an informative venue for people looking for information.” Yet another enthusiastically declared, “The Expo was quite a special event! I thoroughly enjoyed being a part of it.”

The BINA organization provides guidance and advocacy to stroke and brain injury survivors of all ages, with services including rehabilitation referrals and case management as well as crisis intervention and caregiver support. They can be reached at 718-645-6400 or [email protected].