Attention Prince George – June is Brain Injury Awareness Month in Canada. Four hundred fifty-two Canadians suffer a serious traumatic brain injury every day. This amounts to nearly one person every three minutes, equaling almost 165,000 serious brain injuries per year. This does not include concussions, non-traumatic brain injuries, military injuries, or unreported cases.
If you would like to join the Prince George Brain Injured Group in recognizing and celebrating Brain Injury Awareness Month, please join them on Friday, June 25 for a Brain Injury Awareness parade. Participants will meet at 12:30 p.m. at the CN Center parking lot to get organized, and the parade starts at 1 p.m. (See route above.)
The Prince George Brain Injured Group has been serving our community for over 30 years. Its service and expertise in the field of brain injury assists almost 500 individuals in the Prince George area annually.
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 is time for that to change.
For more information, please contact Paul Zorzi, Case Manager, and Injury Prevention Facilitator at 250-564-2447.