Musicians Helping Musicians
Months of hard work in physical therapy paid off, allowing Kevin Brandon (“Brandino”) to say goodbye to his wheelchair and move around on foot with the aid of a walker. “I can walk now because of Kaiser Permanente,” Brandon says.
Member-led health education committee strives to serve those in need
Known professionally as Brandino, bassist extraordinaire Kevin Brandon has enjoyed a long and varied career full of successes.
But it didn’t come easy.
Born with congenital clubfeet and a hip displacement, Brandon has used his musical successes to support those with handicaps and special needs. He has long made it a primary mission in his life to spread awareness and assist with fundraisers in order to inspire and help those in need to acquire information and access resources to improve their quality of life.
A year ago Brandon suffered serious health issues when a sudden illness struck unexpectedly, turning his world upside-down. He was rushed to the hospital by Emergency Medical Services where he spent five days in the hospital not knowing what to do or what, if any, rights he had. After spending the next two weeks in a physical therapy facility, he found himself wheelchair bound and left to fend for himself.
“I got myself home on my own dime, to avoid being violated any further in the system,” he said. “Having known information about the different agencies that handle abuse, home resources and caregivers would have helped me immensely in the first two months of my recovery.”
The ordeal taught Brandon a lot about how to navigate the complicated and often confusing health care system, and he wants to share what he has learned with others. This inspired him to lead the effort to launch a Health Committee at AFM Local 47 in order to help members in need of information, resources and advice due to health issues.
Visit Brandino online at brandinosoundbox.com.
