Brain Buddy and all its friends and supporters owe a special thanks to Dan Hogan for his tremendous spirit, vision, and dedication to helping make Brain Buddy a reality, and for instilling it with his special style of positive thinking and commitment to living well with aphasia. After a long battle, Dan left us in December 2014.
Before his battle with brain cancer, Dan had a very successful career as a marketing executive working with companies such as Hallmark Cards, AT&T, and Quest Diagnostics where he was the Executive Director of Hospital Marketing. Dan carried his professionalism, his can-do attitude, modesty, and good humor with him on his journey after brain cancer surgery – there was never a problem that couldn’t be solved, and there was never an obstacle that couldn’t be overcome with a smile.
It was with this attitude and conviction that Dan began thinking about how he wanted to go beyond traditional support groups and focus on helping those affected by aphasia and other acquired communication challenges. While traditional support groups were excellent environments for connecting socially, Dan found that they did not help with learning reinforcement or the daily practice of skills and tools required for independent living. While he always valued his social interactions, when it came to reclaiming his life, Dan always said “You’ve got to do the work!”
As part of his own recovery, Dan pushed himself to regain his independence and lead a very full life. With tremendous self-discipline and the extensive use of applied technology tools, Dan achieved extraordinary adeptness in his written communications, and verbal skills. He also worked hard to achieve physical independence and was able to return to many of his favorite activities including driving, hiking, and cycling. One of his crowning achievements during this renaissance period was his successful completion of the grueling Triple By Pass bike ride. Dan also thrived on the loving support of his family, friends, and therapists.
Brain Buddy strives to offer programs and an environment that honors Dan’s positive spirit and good-natured work ethic. We are also very thankful to Cheryl, Brice, and Julia for their support of Brain Buddy and its mission.