Headache Care is a Crucial Part of Brain Health

By Olivia Begasse de Dhaem, MD, FAHS
Chair of the American Headache Society Advocacy Committee
Assistant Professor of Neurology at the University of Connecticut

The theme of this year World Brain Day was “Brain Health: Access for All.” On July 22nd, 2026, the World Federation of Neurology marked World Brain Day with a clear message: brain health is a fundamental human right. With neurological disorders affecting over 3.4 billion people—making them the leading cause of disability worldwide—achieving access for all requires more than access to clinical care. It demands public education, early diagnosis, localized management, and equitable access to clean air, nutritious food, safe environments, and cardiovascular risk reduction. 

The field of headache medicine is central to this global movement. As highlighted during the recent Lunch & Learn webinar co-hosted by The Headache Alliance and the American Academy of Neurology (AAN), headache medicine sits at the intersection of brain health education, care, and advocacy. This aligns directly with the vision established at the World Congress of Neurology in 2023: for the field of neurology to speak with a unified voice, shift from siloed, disease-specific messaging to comprehensive brain health advocacy, and foster cross-subspecialty collaboration.

The American Headache Society (AHS) and its members are key players in promoting and addressing brain health. The AHS provides education to residents through the REACH program and to frontline clinicians via the First Contact program. The AHS builds advocacy capacity through the LEAD program and participates in the annual AAN Brain Health Summit. The AHS and its members are involved in federal legislative advocacy by authoring policy letters, partnering with the Alliance for Headache Disorders Advocacy, and AHS members participating in Headache on the Hill. 

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