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British Columbia's Voice for the Brain Injury Community http://brainstreams.ca/news/headline-magazine
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BRITISH COLUMBIA’S VOICE FOR THE BRAIN INJURY COMMUNITY Spring 2013
Paul Hardy RECENTLY REWARDED FOR
HIS COMMITMENT AND DEDICATION TO SERVE
Story Page 8
BCBIA & PCBICJOIN AS ONE
ORGANIZATION Story Page 5
"The efforts of your highly competent legal team resulted in my seriously injured brain damaged son being looked after and �nancially secured for the rest of his life. We are most grateful. I particularly appreciate Mr. Simpson coming to Korea to help set up the care for my son"
- J. HWA
• Brain Injury
• Paraplegia
• Quadriplegia
• Spinal Cord Injury
BERNIE SIMPSON, C.M.Member Order of CanadaRecipient of the Queen’s Jubilee MedalEloisa De Lorenzo Awarded in Washington, D.C.on behalf of Brain Injury Survivors
Reduced legal fees on brain injury, paraplegia and quadriplegia cases
WE HANDLE ALL OF THE EXPENSESFREE Consultation. If no recovery, no legal frees or expenses.
Helping brain injury victims and their families for over 40 years.
E. ANTHONY THOMASExtensive experience in motor vehicle cases for 20 years
www.simpsonthomas.com
Surrey/Delta Office7253 – 120th Street, Delta, BC
Ph: 604-591-8885
Vancouver Office808 Nelson Street, Suite 1512, Vancouver, BC
Ph: 604-689-8888
TOLL FREE: Throughout BC 1-800-668-3788(24 hrs Emergency Service)
LOW LEGAL FEESWith over 40 years’ experience handling exclusively motor vehicle injury claims
ICBC claims only
SudokuThe rules of Sudoku are simple. Place a digit
from 1 to 9 in each empty cell so every row, every column, and every 3 x 3 box contains the digits 1 to 9.
Solution on page 21
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Message from the EditorJanelle Breese Biagioni
Greetings!
7 2 4 6 9
3 1 8 7 5
4 3 2 1
5 6 7
4 3
9 7 4
4 7 2 9
8 5 4 7 1
9 1 8 3 7
Spring is in the air… at least in Victoria! We have blossoms and buds bursting everywhere. I am not sure why, but this time of year, more than the other seasons, bodes of hope. It’s an exhilarating feeling and beckons windows to be opened, lawn mower blades to be sharpened and barbecues to be cleaned. Be safe and have fun!In this issue, we have some delightful stories. Paul Hardy was featured in the Summer 2005 issue of Headline. He has done some wonderful things in
his life since that time and is now being rewarded for his efforts as a volunteer with the Military Family Resource Centre in Esquimalt, BC. They have hon-oured him with the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Award. Be sure to check out the write up and photo in this issue.An important event to remind our readers of is the BC Provincial Election, which is scheduled for Tuesday, May 14, 2013. We each hold the civic responsibility to get out and vote so start doing your footwork now to get to know your local candidates. Interview them and take the opportunity to present them with information on the brain injury commun-ity. If you are not registered to vote, you may do so online by following this link: https://eregister.elec-tionsbc.gov.bc.ca/ovr/welcome.aspxIn closing, I wish you all a happy and refreshing spring. Take the time to live, love, laugh, and to make memories! Cheers,Janelle Breese Biagioni
community therapists Building skills. Empowering people.
604-681-9293, Ext 153 201 – 3997 Henning Drive, Burnaby, BC V5C 6N5
www.communitytherapists.com
• Community Integration• Driver Rehabilitation• Functional Capacity Evaluation• OTs, PTs, SLPs, RAs• Metro Vancouver, Fraser Valley, Van. Island, Sea-to-Sky
Community Therapist Headline ad C.indd 1 13-03-08 9:06 AM
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headlineis published quarterly by
Mike Rossiter5851 Kittiwake Drive
Richmond, BC V7E 3P1Email: [email protected]
for ad space call 604-817-3779
•
EditorJanelle Breese Biagioni
2031 Gourman PlVictoria, BC V9B 6A9
Email: [email protected]
•
HEADLINE welcomes letters and relevant articles for publication, and reserves the right to
edit any accepted submissions for clarity and length. A signature, address, and telephone number are required.
Please contact Janelle Breese Biagioni for copy deadlines.
•
Mike Rossiter and HEADLINE editors take no responsibility for, nor do they necessarily agree with, the opinions contained in articles, letters
or advertising. Contact Janelle Breese Biagioni
at 250-592-4460 for information.
CHANGE OF ADDRESS?We would like to keep our
mailing list up-to-date! If you have moved or would like to
be on the mailing list, pleasecontact Mary Lou at: 604-274-5478
or email her at: [email protected](Please put HEADLINE in subject line of email)
40981507
Government Resources
Regional Health Authority’s ABI Coordinators:Fraser Health - Aquired Brain injury Program-604-520-4175Interior Health Authority-250-870-4664,Contact Name: Deborah PrestonAcquired Brain Injury Program, Northern Health Call 250-565-7393Vancouver Coastal Health Authority-604-714-4159Vancouver Island Health Authority- 250- 370-8699,Contact Name: Judith ArmstrongEnquiry BC-to locate Provincial Government Departments• Lower Mainland 604-660-2421• Outside Lower Mainland 1-800-663-7867• Victoria 250-387-6121Ministry of Advanced Education, Training and Technology:Open Learning Information:• In and Outside Lower Mainland 1-800-663-1633Student Loan Information:• Lower Mainland 604-660-2610• Outside Lower Mainland 1-800-561-1818- select 1 then 5Public Guardian & Trustee of British Columbia:• 700-808 West Hastings St. Vancouver, BC V6B 3L3Victim’s Info Line:• 1-800-563-0808Adult and Youth Addiction Services:• Lower Mainland 604-660-9382• Outside Lower Mainland 1-800-663-1441
Community Resources
BC Coalition of People with DisabilitiesAdvocacy Access Program for assistance with provincial and federal disability benefitsLower Mainland 604-872-1278Outside Lower Mainland 1-888-663-1278
Bus Pass for Persons with Disabilities and SeniorsLower Mainland 604-682-0391 Outside Lower Mainland 1-888-661-1566
Tim Readman, Executive DirectorStroke Recovery Association of BCPhone: 604-688-3603 Toll Free: 1-888-313-3377www.strokerecoverybc.ca
Cerebral Palsy Association of BCLower Mainland Voice and TTY 604-515-9455Outside Lower Mainland 1-800-663-0004
Community Brain Injury Program for Children & Youth in BCToll Free 1-877-451-5511http://www.centreforability.bc.ca/?page=14
Epilepsy BCLower Mainland 604-875 6704Outside Lower Mainland 1-866-374-5377Victoria 250-475-6677
Information Services Vancouver604-875-6381
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BC Brain Injury Associationwww. bcbraininjuryassociation.com
Campbell River Head Injury Support Societywww.crhead.ca
Fraser Valley Brain Injury Associationwww.fvbia.org
Brain Trust Canadawww.braintrustcanada.comwww.protectyourhead.com
Nanaimo Brain Injury Societywww.nbis.ca.
Powell River Brain Injury Society www.braininjurysociety.ca
Prince George Brain Injured Group Society www.pgbig.ca
Brain Injury Resourceswww.braininjuryresources.org
Ontario Brain Injury Association www.obia.on.ca
Brain Injury Association USAwww.biausa.org
South Okanagan Similkameen BI Societywww.sosbis.com
Victoria Brain Injury Societywww.vbis.ca
The Perspective Networkwww.tbi.org
The TBI Chat Roomwww.tbichat.org
G.F. Strong Rehabwww.gfstrong.com
BC Epli lepsy Societywww.bcepilepsy.com
Headway CentreHowe Sound Rehabil i tation Services Society
www.howesound.netNorthern Brain Injury Association
www.nbia.ca www.thinkfirst.ca
www.brainstreams.ca
Headline is a proud supporter of
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I N T E R N E T
Resources
It is with great excitement and enthusiasm we an-nounce the joining of two incredible organizations. The BC Brain Injury Association (BCBIA) and the Pacific Coast Brain Injury Conference Society (PCBICS) are joining together to become one group with a focused and clear purpose to support our province’s brain injury community. The union of these two organizations was announced in November 2012 at the BCBIA’s Gala in Vancouver. The timeline for the merger will take 3-6 months to get the business end of things complete and form a new organization with one board of directors. We have engaged The Governance Group, led by Vince Battistelli to help facilitate the merger and also to lead the new board through a strategic planning process and active board governance development. The strategic planning and governance development process will take us into the spring of 2014.As a first step in the process, both boards gathered and had a facilitated conversation where both groups shared common visions and reasons for the two organizations coming together. There is considerable enthusiasm for merging the two groups and although the priorities for the newly forming organization are still to be uncovered there is one priority that everyone is very committed to and will be of utmost importance as we move forward; www.brainstreams.ca is that pri-ority. At this same meeting we formed a “Merger Tran-sition Group” consisting of three members of each of the two board of directors. This group will work closely with The Governance Group team to complete the merger and liaise with their respective board members until the new organization is formed and confirmation of the board members is complete.For more info and periodic updates on the process please visit, www.brainstreams.ca.
BCBIA & PCBIC Join As One Organization!
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Cheshire Homes Society of British Columbia
Acceptance, Empowerment, Independence, OpportunityProviding Transitional, Slower Stream and Apartment Based Rehabilitation Programs for Acquired Brain Injury since 1984.
Cheshire Homes Society of BC, Head Office #202 – 625 5th Avenue New Westminster, BC, V3M 1X4 Phone: (604) 540-0686www.cheshirehomes.ca a member of the Leonard Cheshire Disability Global Alliance
Raincoast
Community RehabilitationServices where you live, work and play
2392 Kingsway tel: 604.444.3770Vancouver, BC fax: 604.444.3729V5R 5G9 toll free: [email protected] www.raincoastrehab.ca
If you are a low income senior or a person with a dis-ability and in need of home adaptations, you may be eligible to receive up to $20,000 by way of a tax-free grant from BC Housing, which is forgivable if the re-cipient remains in the home for up to three years, or the landlord commits to not raising the tenants rent for up to five years. The particulars provided in BC Housing’s brochure are as follows:What is Home Adaptations for Independence (HAFI)?The HAFI program provides financial assistance to help low-income seniors and people with disabilities in British Columbia continue to live in the comfort of their home. As your physical needs change, so too does the need to modify your home environment. Adapting a home improves accessibility. It also pro-motes safe and independent living. Even small home adaptations can make a big difference in the lives of people who wish to remain in their homes longer. If you or a member of your family is having difficulty performing day-to-day activities independently and safely – the HAFI program may be able to help.The HAFI program is funded by the Government of Canada and the Province of British Columbia.Who is eligible? As a low-income senior or person with a disability, living in your own home or in market rental accom-modation, you may be eligible for assistance if you meet the following requirements:• You are a Canadian citizen or landed immigrant and reside in British Columbia.• You or any member of your household have a permanent disability or loss of ability that causes difficulty with daily living activities.• Your total household income and assets are below the limits established.
BC Housing Grants for Home Adaptations AvailableBC Housing can tell you the income and house value limits for your area when you apply.For a detailed list of eligibility requirements to see if you qualify for assistance, visit the BC Housing web-site www.bchousing.org/HAFI.If you are an eligible tenant living in market rental accommodation, your landlord will need to apply on your behalf.What types of adaptations can be done?When you fill out the application form, you can identify the home adaptations you feel will help meet your needs. Adaptations should be items that are dir-ectly related to your disability or diminished abilities. This includes items such as:• handrails in hallway or stairways• ramps for ease of access, easy to reach work and storage areas in the kitchen• lever handles on doors• walk-in showers with grab bars, or• bathtub grab bars and seats.All adaptations should be permanent and fixed to the home.Exceptions can be made for equipment designed to improve access to existing parts of the home, such as bath lifts. Supportive care, portable aids such as walkers, and household appliances, are not eligible. Emergency repairs to roofs and furnaces or mainten-ance work are not eligible. What financial assistance is available?If you are a senior or have a disability that makes everyday home activities a challenge, then you may be eligible for assistance. Financial assistance up to $20,000 per home is available. The exact amount is based on the cost of materials and labour necessary
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30 years of experience helping brain injured victims and their families.
Murphy Battista LLPT: 604.683.9621 Toll-free 1.888.683.9621 Fax 604.683.5084E: [email protected] 2020 - 650 West Georgia StreetBox 11547, Vancouver CentreVancouver, BC V6B 4N7www.murphybattista.com
Joe Murphy, Q.C. Joe Battista, Q.C. J. Scott Stanley Derek Mah Steve Gibson Brian Brooke Irina Kordic Kevin Gourlay Angela Price-Stephens Tina Petrick Leyna Roenspies Alex Sayn-Wittgenstein
Skunkworks Creative Group Inc. | Murphy Battista Logo Refresh | FINAL (Rawlinson Bold) | March 19, 2012
for the required adaptations. The assistance is in the form of a grant or forgivable loan.How do I apply?To receive financial assistance, you must qualify for the HAFI program and your application must be ap-proved.There are three ways to obtain a copy of the eligibil-ity requirements and application guide, along with the HAFI application form:1. Download the documents from www.bchousing.org/HAFI2. Call BC Housing at 604-646-7055 to have documents mailed to you, or3. In person at any BC Housing Office.For more information, contact: HAFI BC Housing Homeowner Protection Branch 650 – 4789 Kingsway Burnaby, BC V5H 0A3 Phone: 604-646-7055 Fax: 604-646-7054 Toll-free: 1-800-407-7757 (ext. 7055) Email: [email protected] www.bchousing.org/HAFI http://www.bchousing.org/Options/Home_Renovations
The BC Coalition of People with Disabilities (BCCPD) has updated the following Help Sheets to incorporate the changes made by the Ministry of Social Develop-ment in October 2012:# 2. The Persons with Disabilities Benefit Application # 3. Checklist for the Persons with Disabilities Benefit# 7. Health Supplements for People with Disabilities # 8. Trusts for People Receiving the Persons with Disabilities Benefit# 12. Income Assistance Application Process for People with Disabilities# 14. Registered Disability Savings Plan and the Disability Tax Credit All of BCCPD’s Help Sheets are accessible from our website at: http://tiny.cc/c93aqw. If you would like hard copies of the updated Help Sheets, we would be happy to mail them to you free of charge. Please contact Val at 604-875-0188, 1-800-663-1278 or at [email protected] to place your order. Unfortunately, we don’t have sufficient resources in our current budget to update the Punjabi and Chinese ver-sions. There’s a full list of the 2012 changes available on our blog at http://tiny.cc/9ipaqw which we hope you will find useful until we have the Help Sheets trans-lated.
BC Coalition of People with Disabilities (BCCPD) Help Sheet Update
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Paul Hardy was first featured in the Summer 2005 issue of Headline. In our first story, Paul demonstrated a strong spirit and determination to regain his life. In the past eight years, he has done just that and was re-cently rewarded for his commit-ment and dedication to serve. Here is a brief overview of
Paul’s story for those who are unfamiliar with him. Paul sustained a severe brain injury due to a hit and run accident in 2002. Over the next three years, Paul went from a being in a coma for nineteen days, to not being able to walk or talk, to behaving so erratically that staff restrained him in bed so he couldn’t escape from the hospital, to moving from VGH to the Gorge Road Hospital, to private home care, to living on his own in an apartment. Paul is walking, talking, volunteering in the community, and working on nurturing his relationships with family and friends. He enjoys hiking, computer games, fishing, and has a passion for wolves. None of these milestones came easy – it took baby steps, millions of them. As part of Paul’s recovery and in reconnecting him to his community, he began volunteering for the Esquimalt Military Family Resource Centre (MFRC). He is now entering his eighth year as a volunteer. Paul has been eager to learn new jobs and to take on whatever responsibility the MFRC would give him. His duties have included: Thrift Store customer service, administrative support, and toy washing and event volunteer. When the opportunity arose for the MFRC to nomin-ate a volunteer for the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, there was no question as to which person deserved to be recognized. The commem-orative medal was created to mark the 2012 celebra-tions of the 60th anniversary of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s accession to the Throne as Queen of Canada. The prestigious medal is a unique way for Canadians to honour Her Majesty and acknowledge her sixty years of service to our country. The medal was also designed to honour 60,000 Canadians for their significant contribution and achievements. On December 10, 2012, Commander Tim Allan pre-sented a deserving, albeit surprised, Paul Hardy with the prestigious award.
Paul loves his work with MFRC. In fact, he proudly states, “I am going to stay working here until I am 65. I will.” From all accounts it seems that the MFRC is happy to have him for however long he wants to be there. In the nomination form it was stated, “Paul’s willingness to go above and beyond is shown by his recent graduation from food safe in order to better serve the community at the many events he supports. He is a dedicated volunteer who shows up early and never misses a day at work. Paul remains a wonderful addition to the MFRC.”
Commander Tim Allan presenting the medal to Paul on Dec. 10, 2012. Credit: MFRC
Rich Dwyer (Operations Manager), Paul Hardy, Gaynor Jackson (Executive Director), Sara Lawton (Volunteer Coordinator). Cover photo credit: Shirley Johnson
Paul Hardy Receives Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal
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Brain injury is devastating. Lives are turned upside down.We offer not just a house, but homes for people at all levels of abilities, a foundation to build relationships and be connected to the community.
Our transitional and residential rehab programs are developed and guided by rehab professionals, designed for each individual’s unique needs
and implemented on a daily basis. CONNECT’s mission is simple...to make lives better.
In Langley call In Lake Country call Janette Jackman Christy McKeating 604-534-0705 250-469-9358 [email protected] [email protected]
Please visit our website at www.connectcommunities.ca
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A team of experienced professionals sensitive to the needs of both the survivor and the family.
We travel to you
Suite 600-175 Second Avenue, Kamloops, BC V2C 5W1
T: 250.372.1221 TF: 1.800.558.1933E: [email protected]
www.hmzlaw.com
David Marr Q.C. Tara Decker Kevin Cowan Corey Lencovic Joseph Zak
“We care about your future”
Bike Safety SmartsDid you know that 6 out of 10 provinces have bike helmet laws?• British Columbia – applicable to all cyclists• Alberta – applicable to cyclists under the age of 18• Ontario – applicable to cyclists under the age of 18• Nova Scotia – applicable to all cyclists• New Brunswick – applicable to all cyclists• Prince Edward Island – applicable to all cyclistsCycling is a fun and healthy activity; however, each year approximately 7,500 Canadians are seriously injured. Many bike crashes and injuries occur during the late afternoon rush hour; 1 out of 3 deaths occur at night or where there is artificial lighting in use. Source: http://bikesafety.caa.ca It’s important to wear a bike helmet, to know the proper hand signals to use, and to know the rules of road when cycling. Helmets reduce the risk of death or sustaining a brain injury. Proper Hand Signals to communicate your intention to others:
To test your knowledge on bike safety and for other valuable information, visit: http://bikesafety.caa.ca/practice-test/index.php.
Suite 400 - 601 West BroadwayVancouver, BC V5Z 4C2toll free 1.800.590.SALTt. 604.871.4306
healthGroup Homes Support Home Sharing Rehabilitation
www.saltgrasshealth.com
Dr. Oz encourages healthy eating and a balanced lifestyle. The following recipe and more are available on his website at www.doctoroz.com.
Dr. Oz’s Berry Strong Spinach Smoothie Dr. Oz supports the daily recommendation of 3-5 daily servings of vegetables. This easy to make smoothie from Dr. Oz will help you to get a jumpstart on your daily vegetable. You can’t taste the spinach! Ingredients1 cup frozen spinach1 1/2 cup frozen blueberries1/2 cup frozen raspberries1 cup orange juice DirectionsCombine all ingredients in a blender with ice and blend until smooth.
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In June 2009 I was working in an es-tablished, albeit stressful, career. The relationship I was in didn’t seem to be going anywhere and instinctively I knew that I was ready and wanting a change. That’s the year I suffered a brain stem hemorrhage, which brought substantial changes to my life without any choice or negotiation.Life took a sharp turn. Many people left my life. Mostly because of a lack of understanding; they couldn’t relate to the “new Wendy.” It was difficult for me to understand why they couldn’t cope. After all, I had no choice but to adapt to the “new Wendy.” Leaving wasn’t an option for me.There were surmounting pressures at work when I returned. I was under a lot of stress and had little, if any, answers as to why life was so chal-lenging. There was little support from friends and I had no idea where to turn. Although I knew that I needed to get help and that I had to adapt to the new me, I was scared, depressed and feeling lost. The doctors believed that I would make a full recovery; however, I was one of the people who fell through the cracks. I lost my job and I struggled daily with fatigue, severe headaches and a significantly disturbed sleep pattern. It took nearly 18 months for me to receive rehabilitation. Once the rehab started, I knew the first step was to embrace the change and start a new life.In order for me to start a new life I had to make some conscious decisions. The first was to be kind to my-self and learn to be positive again. I needed to feed my passion. I needed to open my heart and reconnect with my sisters whom I had not seen for nine years. I also needed to decide what I could do with my time given that I was not able to return to work. I began to have a reoccurring thought – I could make jewellery. I had dabbled in making jewellery years
ago, so I wasn’t completely unfamil-iar with it. I spoke with my support workers and made arrangements to take a course with my worker at-tending. At first it was a challenge to string the beads and stones to make something that I liked; however, I kept a positive attitude. I told myself over and over, “Yes, I can.” It did not take long before I was turning out beautiful necklaces, earrings and anklets made from semi-precious stones and Murano glass. My life today is all about balance. I still struggle with headaches and sleepless nights and I have had to accept that my career ended. None-theless, this transition in life has brought me to a new understanding. I am not materialistic at all anymore. I feel as though I tend to go with the flow much easier now. I have learn-ed to not be so hard on myself and to take each day as it comes. I feel more relaxed and seem to have let go of the worry. I have reconnected with my sisters and discovered a tal-ent that I did not know I had. More-over, my life is rich with wisdom and insight and I feel blessed to know the new me. Wendy’s Creations can be found at www.creationsbyraven.weebly.com
Stringing a New Life~Wendy Thompson
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Edie Flickinger, a Registered Nurse, has dedicated over 20 years to self-rehabilitation and recovery fol-lowing an assault on October 30, 1991. She is com-mitted to reaching out to others and supporting them in their journey of self-rehabilitation. In doing so, she has created a website rich with resources and informative articles. Below is her blog posting which offers practical strategies and idea for organizing closets and drawers. Be sure to check out the web-site for more information!Simple tips how to organize bedroom closets and drawers after traumatic brain injury Keeping organized is essential to good mental and physical health. Organization conserves energy and limits environmental stimuli. Arrange your closet in ways that are easiest for you to find things. What works for one person may not work for another. You may think one way will work, but find another is bet-ter. Try out your options and organize your life from the most basic chores of daily living.Organization• Good mental & physical health• Conserves energy• Limits environmental stimuli
Arrange according to color, style, or seasonal. You may also consider putting certain outfits together. If you choose to put outfits together and more than one item is hanging on a clothes hanger … Just re-member that! You may find this great way to organ-ize when one remembers!Otherwise, you may think you are missing items. This might be the hardest way to organize, but I also see where placing outfits together would help to eliminate choices in a quick moment or packing for holidays or vacations.
Clothes (Photo credit: codey)
Ways to Arrange Your Drawers and Closets• Color Arrangement• Style Arrangement• Seasonal Arrangement• Outfit ArrangementCOLOR ARRANGEMENTS-Place all your blue shirts together, all your white shirts together, all your black shirts together, red shirts together, etc. Hence, if you are looking for a specific color you can easily find it.STYLE ARRANGEMENTS-When you have several shirts in the same style and want to arrange them according to style this could easily work. Place all your sleeveless shirts of one style together, all your polo shirts together, all your sports-bra tops togeth-er, all your dress shirts together, all your shirts with collars together, etc.SEASONAL ARRANGEMENTS - Keep all your sweatshirts, heavy sweaters, turtleneck shirts, long-sleeve shirts together. Keep all your sleeve-less shirts, lightweight sweaters, shorts, capris, pants, together. Keep all your items that could be all-seasonal together.OUTFIT ARRANGEMENTS-Items that all go together as a group that are similar. Shirts, sweat-ers, jackets, capris, shorts, pants that you can alternate according to the event or weather.
Recommended Resource: http://braininjuryselfrehabilitation.com/
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This is a personal preference whether you arrange your closet according to colors, styles or seasons. The way you set this up will depend on how you functioned prior to your current health condition and what is working best now. You might have to try one organizational means than another before you find what works best for you.
Photo credit: Wikipedia
Storage• Attic• Under bed in storage containers• Between mattressesIf you store items in another location keep a re-minder note nearby so you won’t forget. Place the note on a hanger in the closet or in your dresser. If you are short on space you may need to store items in an attic or between mattresses. Storing things between mattresses helps with storage. This only works if you are putting things away for a while. You do not want to do this if it is something you will wear frequently.Divide drawers• Underwear section• Sock section• Pajamas• Jeans• ShortsDivide your drawers equally so you can have an underwear section, a sock section, pajamas, jeans, shorts, etc. Donate any excess clothing or cloth-ing that you have outgrown or just don’t wear. They accumulate and clutter your environment. There are many families in need of clothing.1. Donate excess stuff2. Recycle stuff among friends and family3. Excess stuff clutters environmentIf you are short on funds and would like a change in types of clothing many second-hand stores sell items low in cost. Some give discounts after donat-ing, such as 20% off or buy 1 get 1 free. Locate second-hand stores, or resale stores in your area. Many also have certain tag colors for discount, or certain days that prices slashed under $1.00. Get to know these stores and how their sales work.
Extending the budget• Resale stores• Clearance racksUnderstanding resale stores is a little different and can be difficult following a brain injury. This may be challenging in nature, but something essential to clothing your family when funds are limited. You may also want to check out clearance racks in department stores. Clearance items frequently have additional discounts, and sometimes prices can be as low as second-hand items. Either way you shop, you can extend your financial budget.The best way to extend your budget might be to recycle clothing and housewares within your circle of family and friends. What is old to them will be new to you! Enjoy whatever way you change outfits or housewares … it’s just all stuff in the end!
Take a Break S R G P R G S N K Z G T G E E H E E A L P N A Y N Y F N N R O E I Z R A E I I T L Z I R U W N Z I I R N F N O E H K T O E O N H B L L T W N S F L B L R G F C P O I E I N U M A K O S N R T G O R T U N H R W S C T I E O G S O S R J G R A S S R K S C A L U H R E D N U H T I I H S L E V A R T F X S V E D H T P O U T D O O R S K N A S U U O T E N N I S X H I B S L U F H N E D R A G S H I B T L L A B T E K S A B D C N C E R A I N B O W A J E U J G F R
Find the following hidden words: BASKETBALL BREAK COLOURDIRT EASTER FERTILIZERFLOWERS FRESH GARDENGOLFING GRASS HIKINGHOOP HOPSCOTCH HULAOUTDOORS PLANTING RAINRAINBOW RUNNING SAFETYSHOWERS SKIING SPRINGSUNSHINE TENNIS THUNDERTRAVEL WALKING
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Columbia Speech & Language Services Inc.Improving Communication Throughout Your Life.
T: 604.875.9100 E: [email protected]
After brain injury, trouble with speaking, listening, reading, writing or with social communication is common. We are here to help. • Assessment and treatment of speech, language and swallowing disorders in eight languages, for children and adults• Sessions at home, at school or at your worksite in locations throughout the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley or at our offices• Family education and caregiver training• Expert witness assessments and reports• Communication devices and alternative communication methods
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If the term Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (or CTE) does not bear any meaning, it will, and it ought to. CTE is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that over time results in devastating de-mentia similar to Alzheimer’s, however, it is com-pletely preventable. Other symptoms include mem-ory loss, impaired judgment and impulse control, aggression, and depression. Although we know very little about CTE and 90% of documented cases are among former pro-athletes; it draws attention to how the human brain, despite being adaptable, can sus-tain permanent damage from even the most subtle head traumas. The tricky part is that symptoms of CTE can take several years to emerge and the dis-ease can only be definitively diagnosed after death. For this reason, the Centre for the Study of Trau-matic Encephalopathies (CSTE) at Boston Univer-sity’s School of Medicine aims to better characterize this illusive illnessThis past May the untimely suicide of NFL player Junior Seau (43) sparked great discussion on CTE. This is reminiscent of the string of suicides in 2011
Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy: Worth Talking About~Larissa Szlavik
among NHL enforcers Derek Boogaard (28), Rick Rypien (27) and Wade Belak (35). Stark examples, such as these, are catalysts for change. Both the NFL and NHL have responded with more stringent rules surrounding concussion. Greater awareness has enabled more former pro-athletes experiencing brain dysfunction to come forward with their stories. Currently the NFL faces thousands of lawsuits for allegedly withholding information on this very topic. There is a push for greater awareness, surrounding the traumatic effects of concussion. Concussions are mild traumatic brain injuries that disrupt the chemical balance surrounding cells in the affected area of brain. The leading theory for CTE is that disruption of this chemical balance can some-how lead to the abnormal modification of a protein named Tau (this also happens to be the protein affected in Alzheimer’s disease). In a healthy brain, Tau stabilizes the internal structure of the neuron, which also plays a role in neural communication (the basis of brain function). Abnormal Tau destabilizes the neural scaffold, preventing proper functioning and leading to cell death. This protein will accumu-late within neurons over time, hence the progressive nature of the disease. The unique set of symptoms experienced by an individual depends on the brain regions where the protein is deposited.
Image from (Baugh et al. 2012); The brain on the left is healthy, and the brain on the right shows deposits of abnormal Tau protein (stained in dark brown). The asterisk highlights how greatly abnormal Tau has accumulated in the amygdala (the brain structure involved in fear and aggression) of this particular individual.
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The fact that repeated impacts to the head can cause a devastating progressive neurodegenera-tive disease begs more questions. For example, are there populations outside of pro-athletes that are affected? The CSTE at BU has studied the brains of military vets who were determined to have CTE, as well as an individual who displayed repetitive head-banging behaviour. Once a consensus for early diagnosis is attained, then the ability to recog-nize the impact of CTE in communities will become more clear. Then we can take this awareness to school fields, on the slopes, our bikes, perhaps even reframing the way we think about slips and bumps on the head. As long as the conversation continues, the more collectively we can learn to better care for our brains.ReferencesBaugh, CM., Stamm, JM., Riley, DO., Gavett, BE.., Shenton, ME., Lin, A., Nowinski, CJ., Cantu, RC, McKee, AC, and Stern RA. 2012. Chronic traumatic encephalopathy: neuro-degeneration following repetitive concussive and subcon-cussive brain trauma. Brain Imaging & Behav. DOI 10.1007/s11682-012-9164-5.Gavett, BE., Cantu, RC., Shenton, M., Lin, AP., Nowinski, CJ., McKee, AC., and Stern, RA. 2011. Clinical appraisal of chronic traumatic encephalopathy: current perspectives and future directions. Curr Opinions in Neurol. 24: 525-531.McKee, AC., Stein, TD., Nowinski, CJ., Stern, RA., Daneshvar, DH., Alvarez, VE., Lee, H., Hall, G., Wojtowicz, SM., Baugh, CM., Riley, DO., Kubilus, CA., Cormier, KA., Jacobs, MA., Martin, BR., Abraham, CR., Ikezu, T., Reichard, RR., Wolozin, BL., Budson, AE., Goldstein, LE., Kowall, NW., and Cantu, RC. 2012. The spectrum of disease in chronic traumatic encephalopathy. Brain. DOI: 10.1093/brain/aws307. Larissa Szlavik studied neuroscience at the University of Victoria. She can be contacted at [email protected]’s Note: For more information on CTE visit, www.brain-streams.ca; the Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephal-opathy www.bu.edu/cste/about/what-is-cte/ and http://www.sportsmd.com/Articles/id/44.aspx.In September 2012, the NFL announced its donation of $30 million to the Foundation for National Institutes of Health for research on brain injuries. To read the announcement, visit: http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000058447/article/nfl-donates-30-million-to-national-institutes-of-health.
Headline is also available in PDF format.If you would like a copy sent to your email address contact Mary Lou by email at: [email protected] add Headline to the subject line
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Bill Cawker will give you his perspective of life’s everyday events and how he feels it is shaping our society.For this piece, Bill has actually written it while sitting in the environ-ment he is describing here. Enjoy his experience as he writes in real time.Jan. 30, 12:10pm-Food Court Mayfair Mall, Victoria, BC:
Flashing neon signs and constant movement be-longing to people of all demographics fills my field of vision. People of different races, religions, abil-ities, ages and economic standing are all scram-bling around to fulfill their own needs. This mass of individuals makes up one whole group. They are today’s version of the Community Kitchen.All of my senses are busy at work. I am presently enjoying a mountainous muffin filled with fresh flakes of cranberries, which are melting in my mouth.The Bay Centre, where I am presently writing this column, is a hustle and bustle during today’s lunch hour. It is as busy as a beehive giving away free honey to hungry bees.
Thoughts In The Moment
The animals are scattering around in a shopping for a sale frenzy caus-ing my mental facilities to go into overdrive.
My taste buds, auditory system, visual senses, tac-tile senses and olfactory glands are taking in lots of information.Even with the busyness I still sense a feeling of inner peace amongst these busy bees. The exterior light entering the food court through a large bay window adds a touch of brightness to a somewhat dreary day.The scent of fresh meals permeates the air. Shop-pers quietly enjoying their lunch take what’s left of their leisure time to converse with others.However, many of the fatigued and not so talkative ‘Bargain Hunters’ take this opportunity to remain silent, refuel and recharge their batteries for the afternoon rush hour of deals.The crowd is increasing as the lunch hour proceeds. All of my senses are still alert and in overdrive. They need to be because………(Be sure to read Bill’s column in the next edition of Headline to get the surprising conclusion to Thoughts in The Moment)
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ReflectionsBy Janelle Breese Biagioni
“You can’t stay in your corner of the forest waiting for others to come to you; you have to go to them sometimes.” ~ Winnie the Pooh (Piglet, Pooh’s Little Instruction Book.)
It’s a funny thing about life – we can’t sit on the sidelines waiting for things to come to us. We often have to take “the bull by the horns” and go after it ourselves. Sometimes we do not know exactly where to go, or who to seek out, but I assure you that the most important thing is for you to take action!Countless individuals have great ideas and wonderful dreams that they would like to manifest. Yet, nothing hap-pens. The doors they need for success don’t open. The right people don’t magically appear. And, five years down the road, it’s still just an idea or a dream. Why? Because they didn’t take action. They waited and waited and waited for the perfect scenario to come to them.
Taking action does not mean making a move when the textbook situation or the picture-perfect person is in your life. Action is moving one foot in front of the other and doing something with the constant belief that no matter what door opens, and/or subsequently closes, that you will eventually get to where you need to be.Know what it is that you want to achieve and make a plan and then work the plan. The caveat is that you don’t mess with the hows. For example, if I want to start a new career as a floral designer than I need to set my intention clearly. “I intend to work as a floral designer for such and such com-pany (or in my own business) by (insert date).” If I sit back and do nothing but wait for the days on the calendar to pass and the company of my choice to approach me, nothing is going to happen. Nothing. However, if I develop a plan and break it down into detailed steps and start working through those steps, I will eventually end up where I want to be. Here is what my plan might look like:1. Take a floral design course2. Gain experience and create a portfolio by volunteering to design floral arrangements for an organization or making bouquets that I can take pictures of and then give away.3. Begin networking with numerous flower shops – includ-ing the one I want to work for. (I may get offered a job with another shop before my choice shop offers me one, but that may be part of the divine plan, so I have to assess it when it happens.4. Develop a functional resume outlining my volunteer and paid positions doing floral arrangements.5. Frequent the shop I want to work in, even if I take another job, to build a relationship with the owner/manager and to get the scoop on a position coming open.As you can see my list is a little flexible and allows for many things to happen along the way, but it’s all about me taking action. Each and every day. Just keep moving forward one day at a time. Make a plan and work your plan… eventually, you will get to where you want to be because you will make it happen. Believe in yourself.
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January 2013 – The Ontario Neurotrauma Founda-tion (ONF) is pleased to announce funding for the development of Pediatric Guidelines for Concussion/Mild Traumatic Brain Injury and Persistent Symp-toms.Concussion/Mild Traumatic Brain Injury has been receiving warranted attention over the past 2 years, after years of the impact of concussion being mini-mized. It is now clear that there is nothing “mild” about concussion/MTBI, and children are not im-mune to the potential for longer term consequences and persistent symptoms. Management to date has focused primarily on return to play, but insuffi-cient attention has been paid to the comprehensive management of concussion/MTBI from a medical, psychological, cognitive and social perspective. ONF is the sponsor of the Guidelines for MTBI and Persistent Symptom for adults, to assist health practitioners who manage patients over the age of 18. These guidelines have become internationally known. Research on pediatrics has always lagged behind that of adults in the area of brain injury, and now is the time to gather that evidence and develop a similar type of guideline to that for adults. The Pediatric Guidelines will be led by Dr. Roger Zemek, Emergency Physician at the Children’s Hos-pital of Eastern Ontario, along with Carol DeMatteo, McMaster University and CanChild Centre for Dis-ability Research; Bev Solomon, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehab, Michelle Keightley, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehab and University of Toronto, and Martin Osmond, Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, University of Ottawa will comprise the core team.The core team has engaged over 30 experts to form a Consensus Panel, representing expertise across the full spectrum of pediatric health disciplines with expertise in mild traumatic brain injury, the Chair of the 2012 Zurich Concussion in Sport Conference, community and school-based experts and organ-izational stakeholders. The team will create guide-lines for pediatric concussion across the spectrum of care; diagnosis, early management, persistent symptom management, returning to learn and play recommendations, and prevention of further injury will be addressed. The project will begin in February 2013 and will be
completed by the end of March 2014. The Practice Guidelines Evaluation and Adaptation Cycle will be used as the model for developing the guidelines. A comprehensive literature search will focus on identifying effective interventions in pediatric MTBI, existing MTBI guidelines, and other guidelines relevant to symptoms common to pediatric mTBI (e.g. headache, dizziness, etc.) with the aim of reviewing their applicability in the pediatric MTBI set-ting. Existing guidelines will be evaluated using the AGREE II tool to assess the quality of the informa-tion. Collaboration with the adult guideline team will identify articles that addressed the pediatric popula-tion in their project. Information from the recently completed Review of Risk Factors and Prognosis following MTBI will be used as well. A consensus process with the larger groups of Expert Consensus Conference will produce recommendations using ADAPTE, a systematic approach for the adaptation of guidelines, used with great success for the adult guideline development. Finally, the draft guidelines will be circulated amongst external reviewers who were not involved in the development process.The Pediatric Guidelines for Concussion/Mild Trau-matic Brain Injury and Persistent Symptoms will facilitate bridging the research-to-practice gap and raise the overall standard of care for children with concussion. These guidelines will assist clinicians to properly diagnose concussion, optimize treatment and provide families with realistic and appropri-ate anticipatory guidance with the aim of avoiding a potentially more serious second concussion and reducing the frequency and severity of persistent symptoms. ONF and the Concussion/MTBI Strategy will collaborate with the project team to facilitate the KT process and implementation to ensure the broad-est sharing of information and uptake.Please see the following link for more information: http://www.concussionsontario.org/onf-funds-pediat-ric-guidelines/.
Headline is also available in PDF format.If you would like a copy sent to your email address contact Mary Lou by email at: [email protected] add Headline to the subject line
ONF Funds Guidelines for Management of Concussion/mTBI Symptoms in Children and Youth
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When it comes to finding the newest group program at the East Kootenay Brain Injury Association (EKBIA), you can let your senses guide you. First, you will hear laughter and shouted questions and instruc-tions: “Do we have oil?” - “I need two and a half cups of sliced zucchini.” Then your nose will pick up the first smells of on-ions browning and vegetables cooking. Finally, you will see where the magic happens.Admittedly, this is not the professional kitchen of popular cooking shows, with chefs running back and forth, dressed in white coats, holding large knives. But once a month, a group of brain injury survivors and outreach worker, Thom McCaughey, get together in Cranbrook in the kitchen of a local church to chop and slice, laugh and eat.The EKBIA cooking program started about half a year ago with the help of a grant from the Cranbrook and District Community Foundation. On a regular basis, the class has about six participants. Every second
Wednesday of the month, the group decides on a menu. The week after, one or more of the survivors join Thom at the gro-cery store to get needed sup-plies before joining the others to cook.“I think the benefits are social time and just building some teamwork and taking some food home,” Thom says of the
cooking program and adds,“and, hopefully they learn some skills along the way.” The group uses the kitchen at Connect Church in Cranbrook. “I knew they had lots of space and two stoves, so we can keep going,” Thom says. Connect donates the use of the space, giving a great example for community part-nerships.“I like coming here, it’s something to do,” says Bev, one of the regular participants. “I used to be famous for being a good cook,” she adds. Now she has lost interest. “And my cats don’t like veggies,” Bev jokes. Fellow cook Eleanor has a similar story. “I used to be a gourmet cook, but since my brain injury, it’s all gone,” she explains. The two women enjoy the time spent together in the kitchen and often go for coffee and visit afterward.John also enjoys the group and the camaraderie of being with other brain injury survivors. He is also looking to learn a few things about cooking along the way. “I’m a bachelor and almost 48 years old and I don’t have that many cooking skills,” he says. Unlike his two brothers, who are great cooks, John states he never had a chance to learn his way around the kitchen.This time on the menu: Reggae Gumbo and Veg-gie Soup. So far, the group has always been able to agree on the meal plan and discover some healthy options. Even after their shared meal, there is always enough food for participants to take home to eat or freeze. The grant will keep the program running for a year, but EKBIA would like to see it continue beyond that and if funding allows, even expand it to the com-munity of Golden.For more information, Kerstin may be reached at [email protected]
Recipe for Success – East Kootenay Brain Injury Association~ Kerstin Renner
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Photo: Once a month, the cooking group participants get together to chop and slice, laugh and eat. Photo: Kerstin Renner
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Heads UpWHAT’S HAPPENING
AROUND THE PROVINCE
BRAINTRUST CANADA BrainTrust Canada will host the 2013 Okanagan Conference on Brain Injury, June 13 -14th at the University of British Columbia – Okanagan Campus. For more information on the conference and programs offered by BrainTrust Canada, please call (250) 762-3233 or visit www.braintrustcanada.com.
BULKLEY VALLEY BRAIN INJURY ASSOCIATION (BVBIA)BVBIA offers case management services, and assistance with accessing rehabilitation programs, one-on-one emotional sup-port, family support, and social and recreational activities. For more information, call 250-877-7723.
CAMPBELL RIVER HEAD INJURY SUPPORT SOCIETY (CRHISS)CRHISS provides education, advocacy, support, and fellowship. For more information, call 250-287-4323. *Note: CHRISS has a new fax number – 250-914-1120.
COMOX VALLEY HEAD INJURY SOCIETY (CVHIS)CVHIS welcomes Cathy Stotts as the new Executive Director. CVHIS hosts a weekly drop in luncheon for a nominal cost to survivors and their families. For more information, call 250-334-9225 or visit, www.cvheadinjury.com .
FRASER VALLEY BRAIN INJURY ASSOCIATION (FVBIA)FVBIA is hosting its Fifth Annual Pathway to Hope Gala on Saturday, March 30, 2013 at Northview Golf and Country Club. For more information call 604-557-1913 or (toll free) 1-866-557-1913 or email [email protected].
HOWE SOUND REHABILTATION SERVICES SOCIETY Howe Sound Rehabilitation Services Society is hosting the Sea to Sky Aphasia Camp from September 14 – 16, 2013. To receive more information on updates regarding details about the camp call 604-936-9944 or email [email protected]
KAMLOOPS BRAIN INJURY ASSOCIATION (KBIA)KBIA offers many services and programs, including case coordination and life skills support. For more information, call at 250-372-1799.
NANAIMO BRAIN INJURY SOCIETY (NBIS)NBIS offers rehabilitation and case management services, dis-ability benefits assistance, and workshops focusing on issues ranging from trauma recovery to life skills strategies and anger management. For more information, call 250-753-5600 or visit their website at www.nbis.ca.
NORTH OKANAGAN-SHUSWAP BRAIN INJURY SOCIETY (NOSBIS)Please take note: Our email addresses have changed to: [email protected] [email protected]. Please make the neces-sary changes in your address books. Contact us for information on programs and services.
MAPLE RIDGE BRAIN INJURY SUPPORT GROUPThe support group welcomes Nora Chambers as the new facilitator. You may contact Nora at 604-462-9392 or by email at [email protected]. New mailing address: P.O. Box 21114, Maple Ridge Square RPO, Maple Ridge BC V2X 1P7. Many thanks to former facilitator Ian Moore, for his contribution over the years.
POWELL RIVER BRAIN INJURY SOCIETY (PRBIS)PRBIS www.braininjurysociety.ca provides support and services for persons with acquired brain injury, spouses, family members and caregivers included. For more information, call 604-485-6065 or toll free 1-866-499-6065.
SOUTH OKANAGAN SIMILKAMEEN BRAIN INJURY SOCI-ETY (SOSBIS)SOSBIS provides the following services: Case Management, Psychosocial Recreation, Peer Support – Cognitive Enhance-ment, Family Support, Stroke Recovery Support, Education, Personal Support, Women’s Support and Prevention and Edu-cation. For more information, visit www.sosbis.com
TRI-CITIES BRAIN INJURY SUPPORT GROUPAs months have gone by, Tri-Cities Brain Injury Support Group continues to have its meetings every 1st Thursday of each month from 2 - 4 pm. At our meetings, friends get together and discuss interesting topics and do fun activities. We meet at the Coquitlam Public Library - Poirier Branch on 575 Poirier Street. For more information, please contact Sandi Caverly at 604-916-5027 or [email protected] or Martin Granger at [email protected]. New members are welcome!
VICTORIA BRAIN INJURY SOCIETY (VBIS)VBIS offers individual and group programs to survivors and their support system. Programs offered include: Peer Support, ABI 101, Coping Skills, Personal Enhancement, Creative Arts, a Family Support Group and Education & Awareness seminars to community groups. For more information call 250-598-9339 or visit www.vbis.ca.
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For twenty-eight years, Brian Romeril worked as an electrical wholesaler. His job took him and his Canadian wife to live in the United Kingdom and Florida before settling in St. Mary’s, Ontario, in 2000. Nine years later Brian lost his job due to an economic downturn and what the company described as a restructur-ing. Brian and Karen shared a unique hobby of painting murals and faux finishes such as marbling for theatres and restaurants. They continued to do this after Brian became unemployed. About twelve months later, they were approached by a long-term care facility to provide artwork to disguise their de-mentia unit. The most effective method was to transform the doors into pieces of furniture – wall units and built-in cab-inets. Known as an “Exit Diversion” to dissuade exit seeking, which not only enhanced security, it also lessened anxiety and provided a more “homey” feeling to what was often an institution-al looking metal door.In the summer of 2011, Brian and Karen started the Memory M-AID™ line with help and advice from Gail Elliot, Gerontologist and a few friends at the Alzheimer Society of Hamilton/Halton - all of whom who had seen their “Exit Diversion” Art Work. Memory M-AID™ is a series of re-usable peel-and-stick “Wayfinding” aids created for those with memory loss due to a brain injury, stroke, dementia or any other cause. The colour and contrast of the images are exagger-ated to compensate for poor vision and depth perception which is often a fac-tor. Glass doors do not offer the same
clarity of contents. The Romerils have received positive feedback that sug-gests the designs are attractive enough to be used in other situations (such as shared accommodation - church kitch-ens, vacation homes etc.) and this was of course, intended!Memory M-AID™ uses a patented, high quality, polyester coated fabric that can be re-positioned many times over with-out leaving any sticky residue so that it may be used long or short term. This is helpful if a person is initially oppos-itional about having images on the cup-boards; they can simply be removed and implemented at a different time. As well, if the person’s memory recovers and they no longer require the aid it is easily discarded. The Alzheimer Society of Hamilton/Halton is currently studying the ef-fectiveness of Memory M-AID™ with a number of volunteer families - results are expected in April. A smaller, previ-ous study produced some very positive results! In the meantime, Brian and Karen are preparing to expand their products and are very interested in receiving ideas from the brain injury community on what types of aids would be beneficial. To learn more about Memory M-AID™ and/or to offer feedback and sugges-tions to Brian and Karen, please visit their Facebook page https://www.fa-cebook.com/MemoryMAID/ or website at http://bkrcarteffects.com/items. You may also contact them by telephone 1-519-284-3149 or by email at [email protected].
A Couple’s Hobby Leads to Creating Brain Injury Memory Aids
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Abbotsford Carol Paetkau 604-557-1913 TF 1-866-557-1913
Acquired Brain Injury Society of the Yukon Anne-Marie Yahn 867-668-5283
Alberni Valley Head Injury Society/Port Alberni Linda Kenny 250-724-6772
Barriere/Merritt Terry-Lynne Stone 250-372-1799
British Columbia Brain Injury Association Deborah St. Jean 604-465-1783
Brain Trust Canada Laurie Denton 250-762-3233
Brain Trust Canada - Vernon Contact Marcie McLeod 250-307-6064
Bulkley Valley Brain Injury Association Michaela Slipp 250-877-7723
Burnaby Chinese Brain Injury Support Group Angela Kan 604-877-8606
Campbell River Head Injury Support Society Shelley Howard 250-287-4323
Caribou Brain Injury Society Stacy Turcotte 250-392-7772
Chilliwack FVBIA 604-557-1913 TF 1-866-557-1913
Comox Valley Head Injury Society Cathy Stotts 250-334-9225
East Kootenay Brain Injury Association Karen Stermer 250-417-6220
Fraser Valley Brain Injury Association Carol Paetkau 604-557-1913 TF 1-866-557-1913
Golden East Kootenay Brain Injury Association Debbie Gudjonson 250-344-5674
Kamloops Brain Injury Association Terry-Lynn Stone 250-372-1799
KBIA - Barriere/Merrit Contact Terry-Lynn Stone 250-372-1799
Langley/Aldergrove Brain Injury Support Group FVBIA 604-557-1913 TF 1-866-557-1913
Maple Ridge Support Group Nora Chambers 604-462-9392
Mission FVBIA 604-557-1913 TF 1-866-557-1913
Nanaimo Brain Injury Society Mark Busby 250-753-5600
New Westminster Headway Gabrielle Pape 604.520.0130
B.R.A.I.N. (Brain Resource, Advocacy & Information Network) Tina Suter 604-540-9234
North Okanagan Shuswap Brain Injury Society (Salmon Arm/Shuswap) Robyn Coatta 250-833-1140
Northern Brain Injury Association Carmen Jose 1-866-979-4673
Powell River Brain Injury Society Deborah Dee 1-866-499-6065
Prince George Brain Injured Group Society Alison Hagreen 250-564-2447 TF 1-866-564-2447
Sechelt/Sunshine Coast Brain Injury Support Group Susan Goddard 604-885-8524
Semiahmoo House Society Acquired Brain Injury Services Office 604-592-1006 Local 230
South Okanagan Similkameen Brain Injury Society Dave Head 250-490-0613
Terrace Brain Injury Support Group NBIA 1-866-979-4673
TriCities Support Group Sandy Caverly 604-916-5027
Vancouver Headway Leah Pentilla 604.732.4446
Vancouver Survivors Support Group Lillian Wong 604-873-2385
Victoria Brain Injury Society Helen Lang 250-598-9339
West Coast Support Network Wanda McAvoy 250-726-7459
West Kootenay Brain Injury Association Kelly Johnson 250-304-1259
*Please email name and phone number changes to [email protected] to ensure this list is kept as up-to-date as possible.
BC BRAIN INJURY ASSOCIATIONS &*This list updated Spring Issue, 2013 Support Groups
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