Bjorn's Story: Traumatic Brain Injury Survivor
Former professional surfer Bjorn Hazelquist's life changed in an instant in 2010 — and what followed was a five-year battle that no one should have to fight alone.
Why "Alternative" Medicine Isn't Alternative
When Bjorn suffered a traumatic brain injury during a surfing accident, the road to recovery was immediately blocked by a painful reality: the treatments that could genuinely help him — Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, CranioSacral Therapy, Neurofeedback, and others — are routinely classified as "alternative" medicine by insurance companies. That classification left Bjorn and his family to bear the costs entirely on their own, or simply go without.
For millions of TBI survivors, this is not an edge case. It is the norm. Transformative, evidence-informed therapies remain out of reach not because they don't work — but because they aren't covered.
"From February 2010 to July 2015, I endured excruciating pain every single day. My world shrank to the four walls of a bedroom. I wasn't living — I was simply existing.
In 2015, my family scraped together enough to try Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy. After one session, the relentless pain that had stolen half a decade of my life was gone.
I was given a second chance. That's exactly why I founded Strength In Pain Foundation. No one with a TBI should be forced to wait years for care they deserve — simply because they can't afford it."
— Bjorn Hazelquist, Founder & President
In the Media: Bjorn's TBI Recovery Story
Bjorn discussed his traumatic brain injury recovery on NPR's HumaNature podcast — listen to the full interview below:
NPR HumaNature Podcast Interview
From nearly losing his life to a brain injury, and suffering from severe post concussion syndrome for over 5 years with no answers and no hope. To recovering and competing in professional surfing contests again, founding a nationally recognized nonprofit organization, traveling world wide and even signing autographs at the US Open of Surfing, Bjorn Hazelquist knows personally what dealing with a brain injury entails and knows what is possible when given the opportunity to recover.
Our Mission: Financial Access to TBI Treatment
Our mission is straightforward: through our Financial Assistance Program, we provide direct financial assistance to individuals and families who cannot afford TBI-specific treatments — so that a lack of insurance coverage never again determines who gets to heal.