Barbara Young is being honored by the Brain Injury Alliance of New Jersey as the 2026 Distinguished Champion for Advocacy Award recipient for her tireless commitment to improving systems of care and advancing policies that support individuals living with traumatic brain injury and their families.

Barbara’s advocacy journey began in 2003, when her son, Gregory, then 24, was struck by a bus while walking in Budapest, Hungary. He sustained a severe traumatic brain injury, a stroke, and multiple life-threatening injuries, spending six months in a coma followed by extensive hospitalization and rehabilitation overseas and in New Jersey. During this overwhelming time, Barbara connected with BIANJ and was paired with a mother mentor—an experience that helped guide her through the complex realities of brain injury and shaped her lifelong commitment to advocacy.

As Gregory continued his recovery through comprehensive therapy and community residential living, Barbara emerged as a powerful voice for families statewide. She was appointed by the Governor to the New Jersey Advisory Council on Traumatic Brain Injury and ultimately became its sole family advocate, while continuing to serve as her son’s primary caregiver.

In 2022, Barbara played a pivotal role in the successful passage of New Jersey’s first Traumatic Brain Injury Parity Bill, securing long-overdue funding for community residential providers. She continues to advocate for legislation to preserve structured day programs, which have not received funding increases in more than three decades. Barbara’s unwavering dedication exemplifies resilience, courage, and the profound impact of lived experience turned into lasting change.