Marcus Institute for Brain Health - MIBH

03/18/2026

March is Brain Injury Awareness Month, and throughout the month we are sharing the “why” behind the care provided at the Marcus Institute for Brain Health (MIBH).

We work with patients who have experienced a concussion or traumatic brain injury and are still feeling the effects in their nervous system. This can impact balance, vision, sensory processing, and how the brain interprets the world around them.

After a brain injury, even simple environments can feel overwhelming. A crowded store. Traffic. A busy conversation. The brain has to work harder to process sensory input, which can lead to dizziness, fatigue, instability, and difficulty focusing.

Physical therapy at MIBH is designed to retrain these systems.

We target balance and vestibular function to improve stability and reduce symptoms like vertigo. We incorporate vision-based activities to support eye coordination and reduce visual strain. We also use dual task training, combining movement with thinking and problem solving, to reflect real-life demands.

The goal is not just to improve movement. It is to help the brain and body work together more efficiently so patients can think more clearly, engage more fully, and move through their day with greater confidence.

This work does not happen in isolation. At MIBH, physical therapy is part of an interdisciplinary approach that treats the whole person.

📞 (303) 724-4824 | 🌐 medschool.cuanschutz.edu/mibh

03/13/2026

March is Brain Injury Awareness Month, and throughout the month we are sharing the “why” behind the care provided at the Marcus Institute for Brain Health (MIBH).

In this short video, our speech language pathologists explain why speech language therapy is an important part of recovery after traumatic brain injury.

When many people hear “speech therapy,” they assume it is only for someone who has difficulty speaking. In reality, speech language pathology is much broader.

At MIBH, speech language pathologists address hearing, voice, swallowing, and cognitive communication, all of which can be affected after a brain injury.

Many patients report challenges with memory, concentration, focus, or word finding. These cognitive changes often affect how someone communicates at work, at home, and in social environments.

Speech language therapy helps patients develop strategies to navigate these situations and communicate more effectively in daily life.

Even when someone appears to “speak just fine,” their brain may still be working much harder behind the scenes. Our speech language pathologists help patients rebuild the cognitive and communication skills that support connection, confidence, and independence.

📞 (303) 724-4824 | 🌐 medschool.cuanschutz.edu/mibh

03/09/2026

03/06/2026

March is Brain Injury Awareness Month, and throughout the month we are sharing the “why” behind the care provided at the Marcus Institute for Brain Health (MIBH).

And we're starting with art therapy.

When people hear “art therapy,” they often think of crafts or relaxation. At MIBH, it is a clinical intervention designed to support recovery from traumatic brain injury and psychological trauma.

Many of the veterans, active duty service members, and first responders we serve carry invisible wounds. Anxiety, hypervigilance, sleep disruption, headaches, guilt, and emotional exhaustion can persist long after the injury.

Art therapy helps make those invisible struggles visible.

Creative expression can calm the nervous system and provide a pathway for emotions that have been internalized for years. For individuals trained to remain mission focused and stoic during high intensity events, nonverbal expression can open the door to healing.

Creative work can also activate multiple brain networks and support neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to rewire and recover.

The changes can be subtle but powerful. Patients often describe a sense of release, reduced tension, and a brighter mood. Families notice it too.

Healing the brain requires more than one pathway.
Art therapy is one of the ways we help our patients move forward.

📞 (303) 724-4824 | 🌐 medschool.cuanschutz.edu/mibh

03/03/2026

More than a decade after a concussion, the brain may still be working differently.

New research from the CU Anschutz Marcus Institute for Brain Health, led by Dr. Jeffrey Hebert, PT, PhD, Director of Research at MIBH and Associate Professor at the CU Anschutz School of Medicine, found that veterans with prior mild traumatic brain injury demonstrated subtle but measurable differences in brain function even 10+ years after injury.

Published in the Journal of Neuro-Ophthalmology, the study evaluated 78 veterans using cognitively demanding eye movement tasks that measure attention, processing speed, and impulse control.

Key findings:
• Slower and less accurate eye movements in veterans with prior concussions
• Differences detectable long after symptoms resolved
• Standard MRI scans may appear normal despite measurable functional changes

Because eye movements rely on complex brain networks tied to executive function, this testing may offer clinicians a more precise, objective way to identify lingering effects and tailor rehabilitation.

This is what integrated research and clinical care looks like at MIBH.

Read more: https://news.cuanschutz.edu/news-stories/eye-tests-reveal-brain-trauma-more-than-a-decade-after-concussions

📞 (303) 724-4824 | 🌐 medschool.cuanschutz.edu/mibh

Eye Tests Reveal Brain Trauma More than a Decade after Concussions

03/02/2026

March is Traumatic Brain Injury Awareness Month.

At the Marcus Institute for Brain Health, we see every day that brain injury is rarely just about what shows up on a scan. It is about disrupted sleep. Shortened tempers. Memory lapses that shake confidence. A nervous system that never quite powers down. It is about the invisible wounds that too often go untreated.

This month, we are taking you inside the work. Not just what we do, but why we do it.

Each program at MIBH is intentional. Each discipline is rooted in neuroscience, clinical evidence, and lived experience. And each exists because traumatic brain injury affects the whole person.

Throughout March, we will highlight the science, the strategy, and the human stories behind our model of care.

Because awareness is not a ribbon. It is understanding what recovery truly requires.

02/17/2026

What an extraordinary evening at the 2026 Hope for Heroes Gala.

Because of the generosity in that room, lives will be changed. Veterans, active duty service members, and first responders living with traumatic brain injury and invisible wounds will receive the specialized, interdisciplinary care they deserve, at no cost to them. The impact of this community is real, measurable, and deeply human.

We are profoundly grateful.

To our inspiring keynote speaker, Colin Lightfoot, thank you for your courage and authenticity. Your story reminded us why this work matters and what hope looks like in action.

And to Kurt Legnon, thank you for sharing your musical talent and heart with us. Your performance added a depth of meaning that words alone cannot capture.

A heartfelt thank you to JJ Raterink and the dedicated The Gala Team whose leadership, attention to detail, and belief in our mission shaped an evening that was both seamless and powerful.

To Elevare, thank you for your partnership, thoughtful planning, and steady guidance throughout this process. Your support elevated every aspect of the experience.

To everyone who attended, sponsored, bid, and gave thank you for standing with us. Together, we are advancing brain health care and restoring purpose for those who have sacrificed so much.

We are Marcus.

02/05/2026

Some artifacts do more than represent history.
They are history.

Featured in our upcoming live auction is a one-of-a-kind, period copy of the July 26, 1945 Receipt of Material documenting the transfer of the atomic bomb known as Little Boy, just days before its deployment over Hiroshima.

This is not a later reproduction or commemorative piece. It is a contemporaneous operational document tied directly to the planning, custody, and ex*****on of one of the most consequential missions of the 20th century.

The document bears five original ink signatures from the principal on-board crewmembers of the B-29 Superfortress Enola Gay, including Commander and Pilot Paul W. Tibbets Jr., Bombardier Thomas W. Ferebee, Navigator Theodore Van Kirk, Radio Operator Richard H. Nelson Jr., and Atomic Bomb Officer Morris R. Jeppson.

This artifact represents a rare convergence of primary-source documentation, complete core-crew signatures, and direct association with a defining moment in world history. Pieces of this caliber are seldom seen and almost never offered at public auction.

Unable to attend in person? We are accepting proxy bids, allowing collectors and supporters from anywhere to participate in this extraordinary opportunity.

Learn more or submit a proxy bid at: https://HopeForHeroes26.givesmart.com

One bidder will become the steward of this singular historical moment while supporting the mission of the Marcus Institute for Brain Health.

01/26/2026

Our Hope for Heroes Gala silent and live auction is officially open, and the lineup is nothing short of incredible.

✨ Exclusive items you cannot find anywhere else

✨ Meaningful way to directly support veterans and first responders healing from traumatic brain injury and psychological trauma

You do not have to be in the room to participate.

You can preview items right now.

And yes, you can place a bid from anywhere.

View items and start bidding here: HopeForHeroes26.givesmart.com

Every bid fuels life-changing, evidence-based care at the Marcus Institute for Brain Health. This is generosity in action and the impact is real.

Bid big. Bid often. And help us turn hope into healing.

📞 (303) 724-4824 | 🌐 medschool.cuanschutz.edu/mibh

01/21/2026

In honor of Colorado’s 150th anniversary, the Colorado at 150 project produced a two-part film celebrating the giving spirit that has shaped our great state. It amplifies the people and partnerships that strengthen our communities, and we at the Marcus Institute for Brain Health are proud to be a part of it.

Most meaningful to us, one of our own patients’ stories is featured in this documentary. It highlights how the Marcus Institute for Brain Health changed one veteran’s life, giving a man with a traumatic brain injury a second chance at living the life he dreamt of. For our team, seeing his journey celebrated on this stage is both humbling and inspiring. It exemplifies our broader mission: to bring hope, healing, and new possibilities to those impacted by TBI. This is why we come to work every day.

You can watch the full 11-minute documentary, featuring this incredible patient story, here: 🔗 https://co150film.com/.

Prepare to be inspired by what we can achieve when we dream together and support one another.

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01/09/2026

We are honored to announce Master Sergeant Colin James Lightfoot as the keynote speaker for this year’s Hope for Heroes Gala and especially proud to welcome him back as a former patient of the Marcus Institute for Brain Health.

After enlisting in the U.S. Army in 2005, MSG Lightfoot built an extraordinary Special Forces career, serving as an Engineer Sergeant, Senior Instructor, and ultimately Team Sergeant, the highest enlisted leadership role on a Special Forces detachment. Across eight combat and contingency deployments, he led with discipline, humility, and unwavering commitment in some of the world’s most demanding environments, while also shaping future Special Operations forces through his work in the SERE High Risk Course. A recipient of the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, and numerous awards throughout his service, his story reflects profound sacrifice and resilience.

Today, as a devoted husband and father living in Colorado, MSG Lightfoot brings a deeply personal perspective on healing, purpose, and life beyond service. His voice powerfully reflects both the impact of care and the hope that defines this evening.
We invite you to join us and be part of a night that honors service, recovery, and the future of brain health.

Tickets are available at https://medschool.cuanschutz.edu/mibh/gala

📞 (303) 724-4824 | 🌐 medschool.cuanschutz.edu/mibh