Mark, the son of Shirley & David Orr and a Paola native, sustained a traumatic brain injury in an automobile accident when his metal briefcase flew out of the back seat and struck him in the base of the skull.  Mark was in a coma for eight weeks and then spent sixteen months at a Neuro-rehabilitation center in Carbondale, Illinois.  Mark was able to attend our first run when his caregiver personally drove him all the way down from Carbondale. He has participated in every run since and walked all the way around the track last year. He now resides at home in Olathe with his wife, Lori and two beautiful daughters.

Come join us for the fifth annual On Your Mark Run/Walk hosted by Heads Up brain injury support.

Saturday, September 10 marks the fifth anniversary of the On Your Mark 3k & 5k Run/Walk to support brain injury survivors & their families.  The event is held  in Paola, KS at the Paola High School Stadium and is open to runners and walkers of all ages and abilities.

Whether you are a high school runner, want to form a team from work or walk in honor of someone, everyone is welcome.  Come tackle the 5k, take a leisurely 3k walk or take part in our Heroes Walk – a tribute to our service members, veterans and all of our own personal heroes. All participants who register before August 26 will receive run t-shirts.

Proceeds from On Your Mark will benefit Heads Up, Inc. and allow them to continue to provide the following services to brain injury survivors and their families.

Heads Up provides personal – hands on – support & services to individuals who have sustained a brain injury, their families and caregivers.  Based in Paola, KS in Miami County we hold monthly meetings with members from Linn, Miami, Johnson & Douglas counties in Kansas, and Cass County in Missouri.

We are a community support organization and are committed to providing information and encouragement to not only those who attend our meetings, but to those in our community and surrounding areas that struggle in the recovery from brain injury, with the complex and often overwhelming search for resources and the proper help.

Our members are stroke survivors, victims of domestic violence, of vehicle accidents, etc.  Acquired or traumatic – brain injuries are devastating and life changing.  But together we can often learn to do more than just survive our injuries. We can get better.  With the proper resources, with the right help and guidance we can learn to do more than survive, we can thrive.

Programs & Services

• Monthly meetings for support, encouragement, open discussion and to form friendships with other survivors and caregivers. We meet the last Thursday of every month from 6:30-9  in the basement of the Holy Trinity Catholic Church. Our meetings are non-denominational and the building is handicap accessible.
  
• Online Support – Brain injury survivors and their families can reach us directly by phone, email or online through our website, Facebook and On Your Mark run sites.
• To help with the struggles that often come with a brain injury we have created a Financial Assistance Program. We have helped people with a variety of needs, including but not limited to home modifications, service dog, a trip to the Mayo Clinic,  used automobiles, memberships to the YMCA for rehab services, computers for cognitive retraining, and various living expenses.
  
• Resource Library – We keep a current resource list on our website, have numerous videos, resource books and manuals available for use and are continuing to expand our offering.
• We provide Education & Awareness programs to local elementary school children.
• Backpack Ministry – Our members take backpacks directly to area hospitals whenever we are notified of someone sustaining a head injury. These are filled with things that many of us found we needed during our long stay in the hospital, along with resources for help on the road ahead.
• Mobile Office – Our Mobile Office enables us to take help directly where it is needed.

On Your Mark was established in 2007 when Peggy Leis, the mother of a brain injury survivor and a member of Heads Up, suggested having our own charity event and calling it ON YOUR MARK in honor of Mark Orr, a Paola native recovering from brain injury.

The first On Your Mark was an incredible success and has become an annual event for Paola.   Come join us in this wonderful opportunity to raise awareness and funding to help those in recovery from brain injuries.