Maintain Your Brain: Turning Loss Into a Mission

By Liliana Fogle

In December 2019, my life changed forever when I unexpectedly lost my Nanny to a ruptured brain aneurysm. I could not change what happened to my family, but I could choose what I did with her story. That loss became the reason behind a mission that has now reached more than 250 classrooms, earned four proclamations, taken me to Capitol Hill and allowed me to advocate for brain aneurysm awareness across South Carolina.

My Community Service Initiative, Maintain Your Brain, is dedicated to brain health education and brain aneurysm awareness. My goal is to help others recognize the warning signs and understand the risk factors of brain aneurysms. This condition is often overlooked, which makes education and awareness so important.

Maintain Your Brain allows me to keep my Nanny’s memory alive while turning my experience into something that can help others. What began as a deeply personal mission has grown into an opportunity to educate families and advocate for greater awareness.

Since beginning this initiative, I have had opportunities I once could have only imagined. I have brought brain health education into more than 250 classrooms. During these visits, I teach students about their brains and introduce healthy habits in a fun and age-appropriate way. My goal is to make brain health a conversation that begins at a young age.

My advocacy has also taken me to Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. I advocated alongside the Brain Aneurysm Foundation and met with lawmakers to discuss the importance of brain aneurysm research and education. I also advocated for legislation such as Ellie’s Law. My involvement with the Brain Aneurysm Foundation has continued through fundraising and educational opportunities. I am also proud to serve as a State Ambassador for the organization.

One of my proudest accomplishments has been receiving four proclamations recognizing brain aneurysm awareness. What started as local advocacy has grown throughout South Carolina. Most notably, I worked to have September officially recognized as Brain Aneurysm Awareness Month in South Carolina by Governor Henry McMaster. Seeing a cause that is so personal to my family receive statewide recognition was unforgettable. It reminded me that one voice truly can create change.

I have also shared my message through media appearances on WIS-TV’s Soda City Live and WKDK radio. These opportunities have allowed Maintain Your Brain to reach people far beyond those I can speak to in person.

But I am nowhere near finished.

Each classroom visit brings me closer to my goal. Every proclamation helps bring more attention to this cause. Most importantly, every person who learns something new about brain aneurysms is another person who can help spread awareness.

Maintain Your Brain may have started because of my Nanny. Today, I continue it for every family who deserves more time, more knowledge and more awareness.

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Liliana Fogle is the current Miss Hartsville. You can follow her on her title's Instagram and her personal Instagram.

This is her first guest blog for Section 36 Forevers.