Success Stories With Funding From The Brain Injury Alliance

Brandy R, a Langley Coffee and Chat participant, is passionate about raising awareness for how an acquired brain injury changes a person’s life, as well as the lives of their family. She helped organize “Light Up the Heavens for Brain Injury Awareness” on March 31, 2016, for Brain Injury Awareness Day. Twenty-five people (FVBIA clients/supporters along with Cheshire Home clients/supporters) attended. Brandy arranged for a reporter from the Langley Times to come. He took pictures, and interviewed Jane M. for an article that was published in the April 6, 2016 paper. This story resulted in a residential program for young […]

Prior to her brain injury, ‘M’ was leading a busy, full life. She enjoyed her job teaching others, and was always on the go. Then, in the winter of 2015, M had a dissection of her carotid artery, which left her with a brain injury. Unable to return to work, M felt lost and alone. She had difficulty describing her feelings and thoughts, found decisions overwhelming, and tired quickly from any form of concentration. Her ability to form short term memories and organize herself was impacted, and she found herself overwhelmed, flooded, and unable to cope with simple tasks. As […]

South Okanagan Similkameen Brain Injury Society (SOSBIS) received funding to offer individualized support services to clients in order to achieve paid employment, and to upgrade computer services. Supports include communicating with employers, helping the client worker to understand the scope of the work, and skill building for timely attendance at work. SOSBIS has assisted 19 clients with support since this funding became available. One of the supported clients now plans on going into business for himself. He is working toward purchasing his own equipment, including a trailer to transport equipment, in order to start his own yard maintenance business and […]

Prince George Brain Injured Group received funding for critical concerns, to increase operational efficiencies, to create and produce their Rebuilding after Brain Injury course, and to run a pilot brain injury education course in a Corrections facility for both staff and inmates. The Correction Acquired Brain Injury Education program has achieved a positive increase in coping scores for 87% of the inmates who have completed the program. When changes in group scores for pre and post program coping levels are considered, there was a positive increase in 10 of 16 areas. The life changing 22 week Rebuilding After Brain Injury […]

Powell River Brain Injury Society received funding to meet organizational needs, and to expand their amazing healthy and green initiatives, providing support, education, and advocacy through goal specific unique programming. The Nutrition, Cooking and Gardening Program provides clients with the skill set required to work at the Centre’s garden and kitchen. Clients learn to do garden maintenance, harvest the bounty, and preserve delicious home grown food. One client had not worked since a car crash ten years before that had left him feeling suicidal and with an acquired brain injury. He reported the first day of work he was standing […]

North Okanagan Shuswap Brain Injury Society received funding for critical needs, to hire a support worker, and to run a work search program. The support worker has contributed greatly to the office, and improved client service. There have been many positive outcomes such as: A middle-aged woman entered the NOSBIS office in April, 2016 looking for information on brain injury. The support worker asked if she could be of any other assistance. The woman began to share her struggles with headaches and being unable to sleep. She had just moved away from her family in Vancouver, and needed someone to […]

Northern Brain Injury Association received funding for critical infrastructure, and to provide regional services, community development, brain injury education, injury prevention, as well as case management (direct and remote) and professional development. Funding from the Brain Injury Alliance assisted the NBIA to provide community education events, develop educational videos, create family support materials and resources, provide education to health care providers, provide community health centres with information and materials to distribute, as well as supply public facilities (such as ski hills and skateparks) with injury prevention posters, handouts, etc. Funding also allowed the NBIA to expand outreach to sport communities, […]

Kamloops Brain Injury Association received funding from the Brain Injury Alliance for critical infrastructure, increased case management, facility needs, and IT upgrades. We have been delighted with the progress we have made with a full time case manager. In addition to ensuring the highest level of service to all our IHA clients, we have been able to dramatically increase the number of hours and clients not covered by any third party funder (including IHA). We have seen a surge in intakes and had 21 new referrals! Without Brain Injury Alliance funding, we would have faced a significant wait list. Thanks […]

Fraser Valley Brain Injury Association received funding for critical infrastructure and to provide the Pay it Forward: Healthy Lifestyles for Acquired Brain Injury program, to deliver prevention and awareness programs, and facilitate both 1:1. and group life skills support for the activities of daily living. (Meal planning, finances, shopping, etc.) In response to ongoing requests for improved communication, several people with brain injuries are now actively involved in developing improved multi-modal communications strategies. Funding provided by the BC Government through the Brain Injury Alliance has enabled members to attend nutrition workshops facilitated by a local registered dietitian and nutrition consultant. […]

Comox Valley Head Injury Society received funding to take care of critical expenses, provide art and music therapy, teach frugal living, provide a youth outreach program, and offer family counselling. The Art and Music Therapy Program has been full of surprises. Members who never participated in previous program activities have found a place, where regardless of ability, can participate in a meaningful way. The CVHIS Frugal Living Program promotes health and wellness for those with brain injuries, providing opportunities to learn about nutrition prepare balanced meals, gain life-skills, and participate in physical activities that support community integration. Family Counselling is […]