In November of 2016, I received another traumatic brain injury while doing high risk support and outreach when I ended up being assaulted by two individuals, putting me in the hospital. I did not know what day or year it was or even my own name. I carried on with untreated Post Concussion Syndrome for over a year (May 2018), before I was put in touch with a Case Manager (CM) from NBIA in Terrace. I was scheduled for a tribunal to defend my PWD (Persons with Disability Pension) application that had been denied. CM coordinated a team of community […]

Gordon had always been into highly physical contact sports including hockey, MMA and boxing. Playing these sports meant his brain was continually sustaining trauma from repeated hits. Throughout his life, Gordon was involved in 2 major car accidents which added to his brain trauma. Doctors suspected that Gordon was suffering from persistent concussion symptoms and potentially had chronic traumatic encephalopathy. This news was devastating to Gordon and left him with feelings of extreme anxiety about the future. No one in his life truly understood what he was going through which made him feel alone and unsupported. Gordon tried to find […]

“An off duty fireman and an off duty respiratory therapist kept me alive.” Interviewed and written by Ovey Yeung. Edited and formatted by the Brain Injury Alliance. Can you tell me a little bit about yourself? I grew up in West Vancouver and went to Hillside Secondary. I am the youngest of five. After being a Registered Nurse for 38 years (almost 25 years at St. Paul’s Hospital and 14 years at the NurseLine) I retired in 2018. I have been [living] in Cloverdale since 1992 and moved from my house into a townhouse, 5-minutes away, in 2014. I love […]

Brain Injury can happen to anyone, anywhere, anytime. For people living with Acquired Brain Injury, their lives have changed forever. A brain injury can affect every aspect of someone’s life, but is not always visible on the outside. The ability to perform activities of daily living and routines can be hugely impacted if you have difficulty remembering or when your ability to make decisions and problem solve a situation is affected. A speech impairment makes it hard for people to communicate with others. Fluctuating changes in mood and personality changes often affect the brain injury survivor’s relationships with family and friends.  […]

With staff and client safety and well-being always our first priority, NBIS closed our doors and started working remotely on March 17, 2020. Our staff didn’t skip a beat getting set-up at home offices, communicating with clients, volunteers and key stakeholders. A summary of our activities follow. Navigator Program NBIS Community Navigator, Mick Trimbell (photo right), has been busier than usual during this time frame working with existing and new clients and family members affected by ABI. The nature of the support provided by the Navigator has moved from largely centred around brain injury and resource connection to include a […]

When the Victoria Brain Injury Society closed its doors to the public due to COVID-19, our volunteer Peer Supporters came to the rescue. Before COVID-19, Peer Support volunteers provided support to brain injury survivors from Monday – Wednesday 10-3 and Thursday from 10am – 8pm. Last year the team were visited over 2500 times. Individuals use the service for socializing and feeling part of the community as well as emotional and practical support. This drop-in service is extremely popular and cancelling the sessions seemed inevitable, until the Peer Support volunteers stepped up and moved the drop-in sessions to a virtual […]

We closed our Drop-In Centre on March 16, 2020. All our group programming ceased that day. Our staff and board were committed to continue to provide services and support to our clients. Because of the generous funding from the Province of British Columbia through the Brain Injury Alliance, we were in a position to carry on, albeit in a different looking format. We needed a solid support plan as everyone was having difficulty processing the information which was coming in at lightning speed, often from different directions. Right away, we met with our Head Gardener who is a client of […]

As I sit down to reflect on this past month, I find myself in a bit of a fog. It is truly unbelievable to think we have only just begun this journey, this new way of life and even though the future is uncertain, I know we will get through it – together. I want to take a moment to thank the Brain Injury Alliance for being a stable and reliable entity during this time of crisis and uncertainty. It is because of this funding we were able to act quickly and adapt our programs to serve our member’s when […]

The Comox Valley Head Injury Society provides programs and services for acquired head injury survivors and their families. To do this, particularly in these uncertain times due to the COVID – 19 pandemic, CVHIS has relied on their staff team to be flexible, constantly adjust to change and look at new and innovative ways of supporting clients. Many Changes Occurred Within The Organization Due To COVID-19 At first the changes were small. Right away we went into ‘clean mode’ making sure everyone was using hand sanitizer, washing their hands, social distancing at the office and during activities. We served food […]

Hubert Hacking was referred to NBIA in June of 2017. He had sustained multiple acquired brain injuries, including a trauma from a car crash. When he came to us, he was living alone, being victimized, and his health was deteriorating resulting in frequent trips to the hospital. Hubert’s case manager, Tekah Sabal, worked closely with him and other community partners and health services to get him into a long-term care facility in Terrace, and to get the supports and protections that he needed. Hubert is now living in a safe and secure environment where he has healthy social interactions. He […]