Fundraising at great heights for SameYou
Having professional experience of brain injury as a neurosurgeon, and personal experience as a dad who has lost one of his sons in a car accident, Dr. Hoeflinger and his youngest son, Kevin, have set their sights on Mount Kilimanjaro to bring awareness to brain injury recovery.
A little bit about Dr Hoeflinger and Kevin
Dr. Brian Hoeflinger is a board certified Neurosurgeon who has been practicing in Toledo, Ohio for the past 25 years. His wife, Cindy, is a retired forensic pathologist and they have four children: Brian, Kevin, Julie and Christie. Kevin Hoeflinger is a 26-year-old graduate from The Ohio State University who is passionate about raising awareness for the causes he believes in. In his free time, Kevin loves to read, run, travel and spend time in nature.
Dr. Hoeflinger's oldest son, Brian, died in a drink driving accident at the age of 18, in 2013. When he died, a part of him died. However, a new part was born too. Dr. Hoeflinger believes in creating positive change for the benefit of others especially when it comes to teens, alcohol and safety. He set a goal to achieve great things in life that his son would no longer have the chance to do. Kevin had felt much the same since his brother died.
Dr. Hoeflinger said: "Kevin and I have spoken extensively about wanting to challenge ourselves physically and mentally. Furthermore, I wanted to do something beyond my everyday life as a neurosurgeon. We were searching for a challenge that seemed impossible to us.
What inspired their challenge and decision to fundraise for SameYou?
The reason that we initially set up this challenge was because Dr. Hoeflinger and Kevin met a young man who had suffered a severe head injury as well as spine injury several years ago. It turned out that his goal to recover was to climb Mount Kilimanjaro.
Both Dr. Hoeflinger and Kevin had also wanted to climb Mount Kilimanjaro together to challenge themselves mentally and physically. Being a neurosurgeon and meeting a person who had suffered a traumatic brain injury, and who also wanted to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, they felt that the stars had aligned, and they knew they were destined to climb this mountain for a good cause.
"Climbing the nearly 20,000 feet below-freezing, snow-covered peaks of Mount Kilimanjaro was what we landed on."
They felt that combining their climb of Mount Kilimanjaro with a fundraiser would bring a deeper sense of purpose to their journey. By using this experience as a springboard to help others, it would fuel their motivation and commitment to accomplish the mission.
They chose to raise money for two charities that were in line with their mission and goals and doing significant work: SameYou and a local Tanzanian non-profit organisation, Tanzania Health and Medical Education Foundation (TAHMEF), which aims to bridge the socio-economic gaps that limit quality healthcare accessibility through leveraging digital solutions.
Dr. Hoeflinger has an important following on social media so by announcing their goal to the world and creating a fundraising goal, they not only held themselves accountable but also their aim was to inspire others and make a positive impact beyond their personal achievement. This added purpose helped them stay focused and driven as they prepared for the demanding challenge of climbing Kilimanjaro.
Preparing for the challenge
The challenge looked daunting at the start, but their approach was to focus on each step of the process.
The first steps involved researching everything about Mount Kilimanjaro, finding a climbing operator, developing a training plan, getting all the necessary gear and getting the training underway.
To prepare for the challenge of climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, they have steadily increased their walking over the last 6 months, including walking at an incline on the treadmill and using the stair stepper. Next, they have been lifting weights a few times a week over the last several months and doing some easy runs. Finally, they have added "rucking," or walking with weighted packs, to their training regimen over the last 6-8 weeks.
Why raising awareness of brain injury is important
Raising awareness for brain injury is so important because it not only affects the patient injured but it affects the whole family in ways no one could ever foresee. It changes every family member’s life drastically and permanently.
Dr. Hoeflinger's older brother, Eric, was also involved in a car accident when he was 21 and a senior in college. He suffered a severe head injury and required emergency brain surgery in the middle of the night. His brother was in a coma for six months and from that point forward, he could never walk or talk again. He is the reason why he became a neurosurgeon so he could help treat patients with head injuries like his brother.
What is currently missing from the recovery journey
Dr Hoeflinger shares his perspective on what is missing from the recovery journey:
Too often, comprehensive follow up care and treatment is missing from a head injury patient’s journey. When the acute care phase is finished, head injury patients most commonly require some form of ongoing physical as well as cognitive therapy. If the patient does not have a good enough support system in place, these important ongoing steps to recovery may not occur.
What are the main goals for this fundraiser
Dr. Hoeflinger and Kevin have three main goals for this challenge:
Inspiring others:"We want our journey to inspire others to pursue their own goals and dreams, especially those that may seem impossible. By sharing their experience, they hope to encourage people to take on challenges and push beyond their limits."
Raising funds for charity:"We hope to contribute meaningfully to these organizations, with 100% of the funds raised being donated evenly between SameYou and Tanzania Health and Medical Education Foundation."
Achieving a long-held dream:"The climb represents a father-son challenge we've long wanted to undertake, symbolizing a personal and shared achievement."
They will be leaving for Tanzania on September 6.
Follow their journey on Instagram:Doctor Hoeflinger
Listen to their podcast about the upcoming challenge
Take action today
Fundraising in memory of a friend, family member or loved one is a powerful way to turn a loss into a force for good that will have a lasting impact on someone’s life. If you’d like to fundraise in memory of a loved one, find out more about how we can support you.