Help Babar Overcome Traumatic Brain Injury

If you’re reading this, you likely know Babar Peerzada. Whether you’ve known him for decades or just a few months, he has undoubtedly left a lasting impression. At least, that’s how it was for me. My life hasn't been the same since I met him 22 years ago. He quickly became the kind of friend you treasure. Adventurous, hilarious, well-mannered, kind, and generous at every turn. Sure, he struggled to get to class sometimes, but usually, it was only because he was helping someone he loved get their work done first. Babar lives and loves with a profound devotion to people and ideas, and if you are lucky enough to have been one of those people, then you know exactly what I'm talking about. Over these many years in Los Angeles, he has become such an integral part of our community. We've all had the great gift of watching him grow and learn while overcoming many an obstacle with love in his heart and a smile on his face. 

But then something happened.

First, in the summer of 2022, Babar was hit with a debilitating case of Covid. Battling a 104-degree fever, he got dizzy walking up a flight of stairs, slipped, and hit the back of his head on a concrete floor. In the weeks that followed, his mental and emotional state deteriorated. He found himself unable to focus on tasks or finish sentences. He confronted highly irrational thoughts and his sense of self and his will to live began to slip away. Though it was not diagnosed at the time, Babar had suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI), and his symptoms were consistent with severe post-concussive syndrome.

And then, six weeks after his fall, waiting at a stop sign after leaving a friend’s wedding, he was rear-ended by a car traveling over 75 mph. He blacked out on impact and woke up in the hospital. While his body was more or less intact, his vision was blurry, and his thought and speech patterns worsened.

In December 2022, he underwent two procedures that successfully alleviated most of the swelling around his brain. While this repaired his vision, the remainder of his post-concussive symptoms persisted. For the past year and a half, he has struggled with acute aphasia and short-term memory loss. He still cannot drive, reading and writing are exceedingly difficult, and managing simple tasks quickly becomes overwhelming and often leads to paralysis.

Watching Babar fight through these confusing and scary changes for the past two years has been painful for everyone who loves him. As he's said to me countless times, “I just don’t know where I went, and how or if I can get me back.”

For months, a team of us has rallied to help Babar make sense of his options. We’ve filed paperwork on his behalf. We’ve gone to every doctor's appointment with him. We’ve changed doctors when necessary. We’ve taken the options available to him through his medical insurance to the absolute limit which, sadly, was a dark and demoralizing process. In their eyes, there was just really no hope. “I don’t know, you look okay to me! Just drink a lot of water and get a lot of sleep. Maybe some depression meds?”

All of us knew we needed something else. And the universe provided.

We got a referral to a special place down in Newport Beach called Neurologics. We described Babar’s condition, and they said he should come down immediately for an initial brain scan and get introduced to the whole team.

Neurologics used an FDA-registered technology to map Babar’s brain. Their in-depth assessment, praised by Olympians, professional athletes, and world-renowned scientists, was accompanied by a custom-designed, non-invasive, drug-free brain optimization program. For the first time, Babar and our whole team were told that a full recovery was possible and within reach.

Babar’s treatment plan centers around activities that focus on improving executive function, impulse control memory, and general information processing abilities. He’ll meet with a specialist three times a week, fifty minutes per session, for eight weeks. After two months, a reevaluation (remap) is required to assess the program's progress and provide recommendations for follow-up treatment. Based on the measured progress Babar has made, Neurologics will finalize the duration of the program. The average patient requires four to six months of treatment to see a full recovery.

I will say this. He's just started the treatment and those of us closest to him are already seeing a difference. Symptoms that were chronic and on display regularly have begun to decrease. His ability to be in a room with friends, relax, and laugh has slowly returned. And for the first time, since this harrowing journey started, he seems to be reclaiming some hope, joy, and purpose. This is a remarkable shift and an amazing gift after a dark couple of years.

How You Can Help

Babar’s treatment is going to cost at least $25,000 - quite possibly more depending on his response to the protocol.

Any money you can spare, anything at all, will go directly towards covering the cost of his treatments over the next several months.

Due to the severity of the injuries he sustained, Babar has not been able to work since the accident and the treatments offered by Neurologics are not covered by insurance.

$25,000 is a staggering amount of money. It’s hard, but we have done months of research, and this path is honestly the only one that offers real promise of Babar getting his life back. And if that's true, I hope we all have something we can contribute to help make that happen.

If you can give AMAZING and if you know anyone who knows and loves Babar that might be interested in helping please share this with them.

Your Contribution

Your generous donations will go directly towards his precision brain mapping, highly specialized rehabilitation programs, and intensive physical, cognitive, and occupational therapies.

If you’re able to contribute, we would greatly appreciate it. If you can’t, we completely understand. Keeping him in your thoughts and sending your love is just as important.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. You're a valued member of Babar's community and he's forever grateful for your continued support during this difficult time.