JOIN THE REGISTRY
BOSTON – There’s a new hero in town.
At the kickoff for the 15-city American PABI Heroes Tour, held at Tufts University on Sunday night, one local band earned the title of Boston PABI Hero and an invitation to participate in a national competition later this year.
Slow Century, a four-member pop/rock group, was chosen by a panel of three celebrity judges as the best musical performers. The competition was judged by former World Wrestling Entertainment superstar and outspoken advocate of brain injury awareness, Chris Nowinski, luxury home builder and star of the upcoming Lifetime reality show “Tough as Nails,” Cindy Leonard Stumpo, and Dr. Joseph Auner, Chairman of the Department of Music at Tufts University.
The winning band was matched with a PABI family who they have agreed to sponsor by holding a fundraiser within the next calendar year. The family of Matthew Beaulieu, from Maine, is that winning PABI family.
“We are so excited to have been matched with Slow Century and touched that they are so willing to help out children like Matthew who have brain injuries,” Misty Beaulieu stated.
Slow Century band members include Matthew Murray, Matthew McLaughlin, Greg Salvucci, and Marya McLaughlin.
“I just wanted to thank you so much for giving myself and Slow Century the opportunity to give back to the community. We are excited to be working with our PABI family (we’ll be adding another Matthew to the mix) and can’t wait to get started!” stated Slow Century band member Matthew Murray.
The American PABI Heroes Tour kicked off in Boston on May 3 and will end in Seattle on May 17, with a medical panel discussion around one of the seven PABI categories of care as well as a separate musical competition in each city.
The purpose of the American PABI Heroes Tour is to educate the general public about PABI (Pediatric Acquired Brain Injury) as well as to recognize musical artists around the country who have helped or are interested in helping families of children and young adults (up to age 25) with PABI, which is the number one cause of death and disability for children/young adults in the United States.
“This is going to be an incredible way to honor these American PABI Heroes while also raising awareness of PABI and support for families who are already struggling with it,” stated Patrick Donohue, the founder of the Sarah Jane Brain Foundation which is sponsoring the American PABI Heroes Tour.
The tour traveled to New York City on May 4 and will continue through Washington D.C., Raleigh, Atlanta, Miami, Birmingham, Pittsburgh, Columbus, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Phoenix, Los Angeles, and Seattle.
Other participating bands and musicians in Boston included Sly Insider, Paul Greene’s School of Rock, Mindset X, Sarah Blacker, and Chimpanzebra. Each band or musician was also matched with another local PABI family who they have agreed to sponsor by holding a fundraiser for them within the next year.