FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JUNE 1, 2021
Shining a light on brain injury in Canada
VICTORIA, BRITISH COLUMBIA – June is Brain Injury Awareness Month in Canada. 452 Canadians suffer a serious traumatic brain injury every day. This amounts to nearly one person every 3 minutes, equaling almost 165,000 serious brain injuries per year. This does not include concussions, non-traumatic brain injuries, military injuries, or unreported cases.
The results of a recent survey conducted by Canadian brain injury associations revealed that approximately 61% of respondents found general lack of awareness about brain injury a key issue. These results demonstrate that we need to work harder to shine a light on the prevalence and intersectionality of brain injury.
Through multiple digital platforms and events, Canadian brain injury associations are working together towards one common goal: raising awareness about the prevalence of brain injury, the challenges faced by those living with it every day and how we can work together to ensure every individual is valued, supported and engaged in their communities.
Acquired brain injury is defined as damage to the brain that occurs after birth. Brain injuries can have a variety of causes and affect every aspect of a person’s life. The statistics surrounding brain injury are astonishing. Approximately 1.5 million Canadians live with the effects of an acquired brain injury. Annual incidences of acquired brain injuries in Canada are:
- 30 times more common than breast cancer
- 44 times more common than spinal cord injuries
- 400 times more common than HIV/AIDS
The term physical distancing was introduced as a safety measure during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, but social and physical distancing is something that is often experienced by survivors of brain injury in their normal lives. Individuals with brain injury face environmental, cognitive, mental, emotional, physical, and societal barriers that cause increased isolation and affect daily living. And still as we all cope with months of separation from loved ones and restrictions from normal activities, those with brain injury are not considered or widely recognized. It’s time for that to change.
Brainstreams.ca is the official website of the BC Brain Injury Association (BCBIA). We are a non-profit provincial organization in British Columbia serving the interests of the acquired brain injury population. It was founded in 1982 and was incorporated July 6th, 1983. In November 2012, BCBIA and the Pacific Coast Brain Injury Conference Society (PCBICS) joined together to become one organization with a focused and clear purpose to support the province of BC’s brain injury community.
For further media information contact:
Contact person: Geoff Sing
Title: Chair, BC Brain Injury Association
Tel:250-479-5299
Email: gsing@nullcridge.org
