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Brain Injury Survivor Reunites with Neurosurgeon After 17 Years

Michael CossIn 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 […]

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First Diagnosed Case of CTE in Female Professional Athlete

The family of Heather Anderson, Australian rules footballer,  donated her brain to the Australian Sports Brain Bank following her death in November 2022. Anderson was 28 years old.

In a paper published on June 30th, outlining the findings of Anderson’s post-mortem analysis declares she is the first female to have Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE). CTE is a disorder associated with repetitive head injuries, often related to sports or military activities.

Anderson was diagnosed with one concussion; however, her family suspected she may have had four additional concussions not diagnosed. She also was in the military for nine years and engaged in amateur martial arts for three years – neither of these activities resulted in […]

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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 […]

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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. […]

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Voices of Brain Injury (VBI)

Head with sketch of brainVoices 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 […]

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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 […]

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Survive-Strive-Thrive Conference – Save the Date!

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Bootlegger & Canadian Royal Purple BC Join Together to Raise Funds

Canadian Royal PurpleWe’re extremely thankful to the staff and customers of Bootlegger, who in partnership with the Canadian Royal Purple BC, raised over $2,600 to support Brainstreams. On behalf of those we serve, thank you!

Every year, the Canadian Royal Purple raises funds during the month of March for Brain Love.  This annual campaign is launched in conjunction with International Brain Awareness Month and Brain Health Month in Canada. The provincial lodges of Royal Purple work hard to raise funds and awareness about the importance of brain health and brain injury prevention.

In Canada, June is Brain Injury Awareness month, and the lodges will assist our Brain Injury Associations to distribute information […]

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Technology for Living

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 […]

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GF Strong Adult Concussion Services (GFACS)

GF Strong Adult Concussion Services (GFACS)

The GF Strong Adult Concussion Services (GFACS) offers 2 streams of service:

  1. GFACS Group Education Session 
  • An Occupational Therapist provides group-based education about concussion recovery and self-management skills.
  1. GFACS Rehabilitation Program
  • Time-limited concussion treatment emphasizing self-management for clients with prolonged concussion symptoms.

How to refer: All referrals must be made by a Physician or Nurse Practitioner. This program does not accept self-referrals. Please see the link below for the referral form and more information about the program: http://www.vch.ca/Locations-Services/result?res_id=811

Referral criteria: must live within VCH, aged 18+ years old, diagnosis of concussion/mTBI less than 1 year ago. Individuals with ICBC or Worksafe BC related injuries […]

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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 […]

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Become a Charity Champion!

“It’s not how much we give, but how much love we put into giving.” ~Mother Teresa

We hope this message finds you well. We wanted to let you know about a new monthly donation campaign we’re starting up in March and invite you to participate.

Monthly donations are a great way to make a big impact and help us achieve our goals for the year. With your help, we can continue our work to create educational content on Brainstreams. Each month, Brainstreams has approximately 6,000 visitors to the website with an estimated 85% being new users. This tells us that survivors of brain injury, their families, caregivers, friends and support team are looking […]

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National Letter Writing Campaign to Support Bill C-277

logos_ CGB, Brain Injury Canada, Brainstreams, CBISAsk Your MP to Support Bill C-277

In addition to having you sign e-Petition #4266, MP MacGregor requires the support of your local Member of Parliament.

We do all the work for you! Go here  to enter your name, email address, and postal code and we will do the rest. When you click on ‘Add Your Voice‘ at the bottom of the screen, the letter will automatically be sent to your MP (selected by your postal code), the Prime Minister, Health Minister, and other appropriate decision-makers.

Bill C-277 is an initiative of the CGB Centre […]

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National Strategy on Brain Injury – Sign e-Petition #4266

Establish a National Strategy on Brain Injury

We need 500 signatures – Click here to sign!

Support Bill C-277

It’s estimated more than 165,000 new cases of traumatic brain injury annually occur in Canada, and an estimated national prevalence of over 1.5 million cases (Brain Injury Canada, n.d.). These statistics are grossly understated given the thousands of brain injuries resulting from concussions, intimate partner violence, violence among the homeless, individuals incarcerated, combat injuries and those surviving an opioid/stimulant poisoning that are not diagnosed, treated, or tracked medically. Constituents, Canada-wide, are struggling to navigate a siloed system, preventing access the services and supports they need.

NDP MP Alistair MacGregor of […]

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Blind Sighted by Anne Mok – TEDxSFU

“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.”

~ Helen Keller (1880 – 1968)

Anne Mok

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.”

In her TEDxSFU talk, 

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Call for More Research on Intimate Partner Violence and Brain Injury

Domestic ViolenceResearchers 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.

Article:

Globe and Mail Intimate Partner Violence and […]

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YOGA for Post Concussion Recovery – Part 2

Yoga stretch touching the floor

Last week you were introduced to a missing piece in concussion recovery, Empowerment.

Now let’s chat about why a concussion specific YOGA program can provide that missing piece.

In Yoga we change our mindset, allowing self acceptance and discovery. We practice intentions or mantras, essentially new ways to talk to ourselves.

In Yoga we practice breathing and grounding techniques to get a handle on a frantic nervous system and to create safety in our minds and bodies.

In Yoga we practice movement flows which improve spinal mobility, strength, and posture. Special attention is given to the neck in this concussion specific practice.

In Yoga we build overall strength and resilience which creates courage […]

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Get EMPOWERED in Your Post Concussion Recovery – Part 1

Yoga stretch touching the floor Occupational Therapist/Yoga Instructor Shelley Latendresse coaches you through a 12 week Yoga based post concussion recovery program. Could this be the missing piece in your healing journey?  Read on…

Often people with persistent concussion symptoms are on THE SEARCH, searching for any possible treatment that might work to get them back to feeling normal.  But somehow they can end up feeling scattered, more confused, overloaded, and not sure what’s working for them. 

Others may feel STUCK despite treatments. They may struggle with life outside of appointments and therapy. They can begin to feel like they have lost their identity and their life. They […]

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Kris Letang Suffers a Second Stroke

Kris Letang, 35, defenseman for Pittsburgh Penguins suffered a stroke – his second stroke to be exact.

Letang, a native of Montreal, Quebec, recognized and reported the symptoms to the training staff, who in turn, got him immediately to hospital.

In 2014, Kris Letang sustained his first stroke and was out of the game for about two months. The cause of the first stroke was due to a small hole in the wall of his heart. Everyone is born with this condition, but it generally closes on its own.

We wish Kris Letang all the best in his recovery and his return to the game of hockey.

Click here for the full article […]

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Tribute to Michael Rossiter

Michael RossiterThe Brain Injury Community is extremely saddened by the passing of Michael (Mike) Rossiter on November 23, 2022.

The one thing you could not do when you were with Mike was keep a frown on your face. Mike, dubbed “The Happy Fellow” by his wife, Mary Lou, was always smiling, and he made it his personal mission to make people smile and laugh right alongside him.

Although Mike was born and raised in Vancouver, he moved to Terrace with his young family, where he operated Totem Press with his partners. Mike also invested time into his community. In Terrace, he served on the Terrace City Council and on the board for […]

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