ShelterCare’s Uhlhorn Program Hosts Veneta Author
Jennifer Chambers
Author of ‘Learning Life Again’ will share her novel and her own personal story at the center for adults recovering from acquired brain injuries
EUGENE, Ore. – Jennifer Chambers was a 15-year-old passenger on the way to a football game when she experienced the car crash that forever changed her life. She suffered a “closed-head injury” that sheared off the front cortex of her brain and left her in a coma. During the 18 months following the accident, Chambers had to teach herself how to walk, talk, eat and tie her shoelaces all over again. She never completely regained the memory of her life before the crash. Her experiences became the basis of the novel “Learning Life Again,” a self-published book that will be the focal point of a reading taking place from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, May 15 at ShelterCare’s Uhlhorn Apartments, 689 W. 13th Ave., Eugene.
“Jennifer’s story will resonate with anyone who’s ever suffered a serious brain injury or known somebody who’s been affected by such an injury,” said Ann Angvick, Uhlhorn’s program manager. “Her enlightening and honest account makes it clear that, for many survivors, the road to recovery is a lifelong journey.”
Chambers, now 33, lives in Veneta with her husband and two children. Her story was recently featured in The Register-Guard, and she has been on a personal mission to help others recover their identities after having brain injuries. In addition to reading from her new book, she will also be answering questions about her own experiences. Her hope is to help lessen the stigma that many survivors of head injuries feel by helping the public to better understand those injuries.
More than 5,000 people in Oregon experience brain injuries like the one Chambers lived through, and 500 of these individuals suffer severe and permanent disability. ShelterCare’s Uhlhorn Program offers affordable housing and support services to survivors of serious brain injuries. Clients of the program reside in one of two locations, the Uhlhorn Apartments or the River Kourt Apartments, depending on their needs and level of independence. The rehabilitation therapies and treatments provided by the program serve as a critical "link" to independence for residents. In 2000, Uhlhorn was recognized for these efforts with an Enterprise Foundation Award for excellence in providing support to a disabled population. Uhlhorn is one of two programs in Oregon that offers supported housing services in individual apartments for low-income survivors of brain injury.
Light refreshments will be served at Saturday’s event. Guests will be invited to take a tour of the Uhlhorn Apartments.
To RSVP, call (541) 345-4244 or e-mail uhlhorn@sheltercare.org.
For more information, go to www.sheltercare.org/uhlhorn.html
About ShelterCare
ShelterCare has served the Eugene-Springfield community for more than 39 years. The organization offers programs and services to families who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, and adults with a mental illness or brain injury. In 2009, ShelterCare served 1,700 individuals in 11 different programs.
