This podcast highlights the work of Neuro Community Care (NCC), an organization providing comprehensive case management and support for individuals with brain injuries and other neurological conditions. A central theme is NCC’s holistic, individualized approach, which focuses not only on medical needs but also on social determinants of health, such as access to resources, stable environments, and meaningful social connections.

NCC tailors services to each client by assessing unique needs and connecting individuals and their caregivers with appropriate community resources. A key emphasis is the role of social connection and social capital in recovery and long-term well-being. The discussion underscores that strong community ties can improve both mental and physical health, reduce depression, and encourage more active, engaged lifestyles.

Another important component of NCC’s model is its use of virtual case management. By leveraging technology, NCC maintains consistent communication with clients and partners, particularly benefiting those in rural or remote areas. This approach increases efficiency while expanding reach.

NCC collaborates with a network of more than 200 highly vetted and trained community providers, ensuring clients receive high-quality, coordinated support across multiple areas of need. Looking ahead, the organization aims to expand its services further, including outreach to populations such as first responders, while continuing to advocate for the integration of social determinants of health into care models.

Overall, the episode emphasizes that effective brain injury care extends beyond clinical treatment. NCC’s model demonstrates the importance of individualized support, community connection, and equitable access in improving outcomes and quality of life.

In this powerful episode of Lived Experiences with Traumatic Brain Injury, host Melaney Grenz welcomes retired U.S. Army Sergeant First Class Victor Medina and his wife, Roxana Delgado, PhD—co-founders of the TBI Warrior® Foundation. Together, they share an inspiring story of resilience, transformation, and unwavering commitment to serving others impacted by brain injury. Victor recounts the life-altering moment during his third combat tour in Iraq when he sustained a moderate traumatic brain injury (TBI) on June 29, 2009. A Purple Heart recipient, Victor describes the physical and emotional challenges of recovery, including years of rehabilitation and the difficult decisions that reshaped his life. With determination, he became a rehabilitation counselor and dedicated his life to helping others navigate similar paths. Roxana Delgado, PhD shares her unique journey from professional researcher to include national advocate. As a health scientist and epidemiologist, Roxanna has led critical research on military families and veterans, bringing awareness to the psychosocial impacts of injury and the systemic gaps in support. Her lived experience as Victor’s wife informs her groundbreaking work, especially in developing the Military and Veteran Research Portfolio.

The couple also discusses the founding of the TBI Warrior® Foundation, a nonprofit based in Boerne, Texas, that provides rehabilitation counseling, access to care, and caregiver support—not just for veterans, but for anyone affected by brain injury. Their mission is driven by faith, family, and a commitment to community service. Listeners will learn about the foundation’s outreach efforts, including veteran-specific and community-wide support groups, educational webinars like their recent “Thinking, Thriving, and Well-Being” event, and their vision for expanding advocacy and policy change around TBI. "While TBI is prevalent, it’s also a very underserved community," Victor notes. Together, he and Roxanna are determined to change that. Tune in for a story of love, sacrifice, and hope—and find out how you can support their mission at tbiwarriorfoundation.org.

Podcast Transcript

In this powerful episode of the Center on Brain Injury Research and Training’s podcast, “Lived Experiences with Traumatic Brain Injury,” host Melaney Grenz welcomes guest Marchell Taylor. Once entrenched in a life of crime beginning in his pre-teen years, Marchell's story takes a profound turn after a traumatic brain injury (TBI) screening at Denver County Jail in 2016. Through a pilot program led by neuropsychologist and University of Denver professor Dr. Kimberly Gorgens, Marchell received targeted therapies that helped him understand his brain, regulate his behavior, and reclaim his self-worth.

Marchell shares his difficult childhood in Flint, Michigan—his early exposure to alcohol, repeated brain injuries, and the escalating choices that led to incarceration. Facing a lengthy prison sentence, he was identified as having a TBI and was introduced to therapy, grief counseling, and meditation techniques. These interventions became the foundation for his transformation.

Today, Marchell is a partner in Dr. Gorgens’s research and advocacy work. Together, they helped pass a 2021 Colorado law to implement brain injury screenings for individuals in the criminal justice system. Marchell also reconnected with former inmate Corey Shively to co-launch AYBOS Advocacy and the Rebuild Your Mind Challenge—a mental health awareness campaign within justice-involved communities.

We also had the opportunity to speak with his colleagues, Tramel Thomas and Nicki Mitchell, who shared their roles in this meaningful work and emphasized the importance of advocacy, support, and trauma-informed care in justice-impacted communities. Their insight added even more depth to this inspiring conversation.

Now a peer counselor, Marchell continues to thrive, dedicating his life to helping others break cycles of trauma. The episode underscores the importance of understanding the role of TBI in criminal behavior and advocates for nationwide screening and treatment programs.

Marchell’s story is a testament to resilience and the transformative power of compassion, science, and second chances.