Summer Migrations by Debra Erickson
Last week anxious travelers watched as WestJet mechanics negotiated on a tentative deal. It resulted in 1,078 flights being canceled and over 100,000 frustrated customers stranded in cities across Canada.
Have you ever experienced airport anxiety? We all know it’s part of the travel experience to have flights canceled […]
Mother’s Metamorphosis by Debra Erickson
We will take a moment this month to wish Happy Mother’s Day to the person who fills that role in our lives. It is a role that is always changing. We find ourselves flexing and stretching through the years to straddle the demands of home and work. Throw a Traumatic Brain Injury into the mix and all bets are off!
The Impact of Brain Injury on One’s Inner Calendar
Forgetting something here and there usually isn’t a problem. It happens to everyone.
Memory loss is often associated with aging. People say things like, “My memory isn’t what it use to be.” But what if you were in your 20s and as a result of a traumatic brain injury, your memory was significantly impacted.
Sheila Willis of Alberta, shares her story of traumatic brain injury and the challenges of her inner calendar shifting as a result. Although she was in her early 20s when she was injured, she did not receive a diagnosis of post-concussive syndrome until her late 40s.
Sheila Willis’ story highlights the challenges faced by individuals […]
Why Write a Blog?
~By Debra Erickson
May 16, 2008, I was heading up our city’s Bike to Work Week. While cycling home from my office that day, I was hit by a truck. The vehicle fled the scene and left me unconscious at the side of the road.
That split second forever altered my life. Two and a half years in neurological rehabilitation, chronic pain, fatigue, and confusion marked my daily life. Navigating the strange new landscape of Traumatic Brain Injury was lonely and difficult. Even my husband of thirty-three years could not understand my behaviour and sadly our marriage ended. My journey is only one story. There […]
Call for Abstracts – 11th Annual Concussion Research Symposium
Canadian Concussion Centre (CCC) – Call for Abstracts
The Canadian Concussion Centre at the Toronto Western Hospital is holding its 11th Annual Concussion Research Symposium entitled “Update on Research and Care of the Concussion Spectrum of Disorders” on April 26, 2024. This symposium will be of major interest to the members of the Canadian Society of Medical Evaluators.
This year’s conference will be hybrid and can be attended online by Zoom or in person at the BMO Education & Conference Centre located in the Krembil Discovery Tower, Toronto Western Hospital. The Symposium usually has about 20 research presentations and attracts about 150 attendees.
Who are the speakers?
The keynote speakers include the […]
Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhages (aSAH) Patient and Caregiver Advisory Board Opportunity
The Center for Information and Study on Clinical Research Participation (CISCRP ) is an independent non-profit organization, dedicated to including the voice of the community in the clinical research process. As part of our mission, we regularly engage with affected individuals and families through patient (or community) advisory board meetings, global surveys, and workshops to include the community voice in research endeavors.
At this time, CISCRP, together with a pharmaceutical company, is planning a virtual standing patient and caregiver advisory board meeting for Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhages (aSAH). Over the course of a year (12 months) there will be up to 4 meetings and possibly online surveys to gather patient […]
Moderate to Severe Brain Injury as a Chronic Condition
Brain Injury Canada issued a statement announcing the momentous collaboration with Canadian Traumatic Brain Injury Research Consortium (CTRC) to produce a position paper calling for the official classification of moderate to severe Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) as a chronic condition in Canada.
This announcement represents a significant milestone in the recognition and proposed designation of moderate to severe TBI, an issue that affects Canadians of all ages. The condition primarily arises from motor vehicle collisions among the younger population and falls among the elderly, making it the leading cause of death and disability in children, youth, and adults under the age of 40.
The collaboration […]
Brain Injury Survivor Reunites with Neurosurgeon After 17 Years
In 2006, Michael Coss and his family were traveling the Coquihalla highway when their van left the road. Michael sustained a traumatic brain injury.
Michael was fortunate to have tremendous family support and to fall under the care of Dr. Jean-Francois Chevalier in Kamloops. Dr. Chevalier gave the family a grim prognosis and recommended Michael be transferred back to the lower mainland to be closer to his wife and children. Michael’s parents also relocated from Quebec to British Columbia to help with his care.
Years later, after enduring intensive rehabilitation, including physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy, and against all odds, Michael is doing amazing. He declared to his dad some […]
Researcher Strives to Make TBI Care More Equitable
Ensuring brain injury services are equitable requires a comprehensive approach that addresses various aspects of access, affordability, awareness, and support.
Services must meet the needs of diverse populations affected by brain injury. This means we must develop culturally sensitive outreach programs, support groups, and educational materials to ensure that services are accessible and relevant to individuals from different cultural backgrounds.
A researcher from Toronto is striving to ensure TBI services are equitable. Samira Omar, graduated with a PhD in rehabilitation sciences from the University of Toronto’s Temerty Faculty of Medicine.
Her research lies at the intersection of equity, rehabilitation science and racism — with a focus on rehabilitation care for Black-identifying people with traumatic brain […]
Music and Guitar aid in Brain Injury Survivor’s Recovery
Allan Boss, a CBC radio producer living in Alberta, credits music and guitar playing to aiding in his recovery following a brain injury.
Music has been found to have a variety of beneficial effects on brain injury recovery in several ways, including emotional and psychological support, cognitive stimulation, motor rehabilitation, speech and language recovery, mood enhancement and stress reduction, and social interaction and engagement.
Boss also credits ‘resilience and grit’ for his recovery. He states “I’m sure that music and guitar were a big part of why my brain healed as well as it did. As I’ve learned, music enhances neuroplasticity — the brain’s ability to adapt and change due to training and experience. […]
Voices of Brain Injury (VBI)
Voices of Brain Injury (VBI) was founded during COVID-19 with the aim of bridging the gap between the general public and the brain injury community.
We conduct online interviews with brain injury survivors, healthcare workers, caregivers, and family members; VBI hopes to help raise awareness of the challenges that survivors face, while also giving individuals a platform to share their stories and inspire others.
Our team was grown to 25 volunteers from across the world, contributing by conducting interviews, writing research and informative posts, hosting webinars and various other projects.
To learn more about us, visit our site, Voices of Brain Injury. Follow @voicesofbraininjury on Instagram […]
BC Government Proclaims June as Brain Injury Awareness Month
Brain Injury Awareness Month
In Canada, Brain Injury Awareness Month is an observance held in June each year, with the aim of raising awareness about brain injuries and their impact on individuals and communities.
The British Columbia government has proclaimed June as Brain Injury Awareness month. The campaign seeks to educate the public about the causes, prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation of brain injuries, as well as to support those affected by them.
Brain injuries can result from various causes, including trauma from accidents, falls, sports-related incidents, and violence. They can also occur due to non-traumatic causes such as strokes, brain tumours, infections, and certain medical conditions. The numbers of brain injuries occurring in […]
Technology for Living
“We work with people with disabilities.”
Technology for Living (TFL) is dedicated to helping people in BC with limited movement, and physical disabilities reduce barriers to participation in their home and community.
Provincial Respiratory Outreach Program (PROP)
For over 20 years, PROP has supported individuals who require ventilatory assistance to move into and continue living independently in their communities. Our team of Respiratory Therapists provide equipment, supplies, education, and ongoing support both remotely and in the home, no matter where you are in BC. Our team of Biomeds keeps our equipment up-to-date, safe, and available for the over 700 members we serve across BC.
We have extensive experience facilitating transfers from hospitals, care facilities, and rehabilitation […]
Call for Stories
Call for Stories!
BC Brain Injury Association (BCBIA) is celebrating 40 years of service. Over the years, many stories of survivors overcoming adversity have been shared. These stories are powerful. As part of our celebration, BCBIA is actively seeking inspirational stories from individuals and families living with a brain injury to publish on Brainstreams.
We know that rehabilitation and recovery is a very long process. People need hope, encouragement, and unlimited cheerleaders to rebuild life after brain injury. It is our intention to share stories of triumph and success to inspire and give hope. Join us and share your story today.
Click here to enlarge poster.
Story Submission Guidelines:
We […]
Blind Sighted by Anne Mok – TEDxSFU
“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.”
~ Helen Keller (1880 – 1968)
Helen Keller, after becoming ill at the age of two, which resulted in her becoming deaf and blind, grew up to become a world-renown author, disability rights advocate, political activist, and lecturer. In an eerie similarity, at the tender age of three, Anne Mok began experiencing vision challenges and she too, has grown to become an amazing woman dedicated to creating change.
“I’m a digital storyteller seeking beauty with purpose and inspiration to the visually impaired community to make the view accessible.”
Call for More Research on Intimate Partner Violence and Brain Injury
Researchers are calling for more research on brain injury and domestic violence.
Many will equate concussion with sports-related injury. But a concussion can be sustained from a punch to the face or someone’s head being hit repeatedly against the wall or the floor.
Halina Haag, a social worker and PhD candidate in social work at Wilfrid Laurier University and Dr. Carmela Tartaglia, a neurologist with the Canadian Concussion Centre in Toronto, in a recent article, share the need to do more research on the impact of brain injury for women. For the Globe and Mail article, click on the link below.