Building a Community Response to Brain Injury

Brain Injury Awareness Month

Brain injury is a community issue that requires a community response. Every June we celebrate Brain Injury Awareness Month to bring awareness to the cause of brain injury and educate the community on brain injury.

Did you know…

  • Worldwide, 69 million people sustain a  traumatic brain injury every year.
  • Every 5 minutes, someone in Canada has a stroke.
  • 1 in 4 people accessing mental health and substance use services have a history of brain injury.
  • People with brain injury are 2.5x more likely to be incarcerated.
  • Up to 82% of people experiencing homelessness have a traumatic brain injury.

 

How can you participate?

RAISE AWARENESS – Start a discussion with your friends, family, and coworkers about brain injury. Don’t know where to start? We will be posting information and statistics every day in June to help you get the conversation going.

SHARE YOUR BRAIN INJURY STORY – Help us turn invisible injuries into visible stories. Whether you have a brain injury or care for someone that does, tell us how brain injury has impacted you and what you wish others knew about brain injury.

SUPPORT THROUGH OUR E-AUCTION – BrainTrust Canada has partnered with KelownaNow for an e-auction aimed to raise awareness and shed light on the challenges faced by those living with the effects of a brain injury. The e-auction will run for the month of June. All proceeds will be channeled back into the community, funding essential services and programs tailored to support families and individuals impacted by brain injury. To support, please visit here.

MAKE A DONATION – During the month of June, Canada Helps puts on the Great Canadian Giving Challenge. Every dollar donated to a charity registered with Canada Helps during June enters them into a draw for an additional $10,000. All donations to BrainTrust Canada directly support programs for brain injury survivors in our community.

June 1

KelownaNow e-Auction

BrainTrust Canada has partnered with KelownaNow for an e-auction aimed to raise awareness and shed light on the challenges faced by those living with the effects of a brain injury. The e-auction will run for the month of June. All proceeds will be channeled back into the community, funding essential services and programs tailored to support families and individuals impacted by brain injury.

Visit here.

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June 2

Share Your Brain Injury Story

Help us turn invisible injuries into visible stories. The impacts of brain injury are often invisible to outsiders but have a very real impact on the life of a person living with brain injury and their loved ones. Stories are a powerful way to share knowledge and grow understanding. We are asking our community to share your brain injury stories with us for Brain Injury Awareness Month in June.

Share your story here.

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June 3

GoByBike Week

Ride your bike to work/school for GoByBike Week.

Learn more here.

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June 4

GoByBike Week

Ride your bike to work/school for GoByBike Week.

Learn more here.

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June 5

GoByBike Week

Ride your bike to work/school for GoByBike Week.

Learn more here.

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June 6

GoByBike Week

Ride your bike to work/school for GoByBike Week.

Learn more here.

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June 7

GoByBike Week

Ride your bike to work/school for GoByBike Week.

Learn more here.

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June 8

GoByBike Week

Ride your bike to work/school for GoByBike Week.

Learn more here.

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June 9

GoByBike Week

Ride your bike to work/school for GoByBike Week.

Learn more here.

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June 10

Spirit of Sail Light Up

This iconic fiberglass sculpture by well-known local sculptor, Robert Dow Reid, will be lit up blue until June 15th to spread awareness around Brain Injury Awareness Month.

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June 11

Pushor Mitchell LLP West Coast Brain Injury Conference

The Pushor Mitchell LLP West Coast Brain Injury Conference (WCBIC) 2024 will bring together inspiring change-makers and leading minds in the field of brain injury, public health, and politics for a full day of collaboration, dialogue, and learning.

In line with this year’s conference theme, “Brain Injury Breakthroughs: Current Issues and Emerging Solutions”, our focus is to explore the nexus of brain injury with crucial frameworks such as health, governance, and societal fairness and inclusion. Through insightful discussions, we will examine the criminal justice and healthcare systems from a current perspective and provide understanding into the possibilities that can be enhanced through community partnerships and research informed strategies.

Learn more and purchase tickets here.

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June 12

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June 13

Find Brian the Brain

Follow our social media to see where Brian the Brain is hiding ice cream coupons within the community.

Instagram

Facebook

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June 14

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June 15

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June 16

Safety Selfie Sunday

Show us what safety means to you! Post a selfie wearing your helmet or practicing other safe behaviours and tag us in your post.

Find BrainTrust on:

Instagram

Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

TikTok

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June 17

Find Brian the Brain

Follow our social media to see where Brian the Brain is hiding ice cream coupons within the community.

Instagram

Facebook

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June 18

Resource Share

Stop by the BrainTrust office in Kelowna (100-215 Lawrence Avenue) between 9 am – 4 pm to browse our collection of resources.

Resources include:

  • Brain Injury Impacts Handout
  • Kids Activity Book
  • Helmet Safety Tips
  • Sleep Tips
  • And much more!
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June 19

Brain Break

We want to know what you and your friends/family/workplace are doing to keep your brain and body healthy! Post a picture of your brain break and tag BrainTrust, whether your brain break is yoga, art, a lunch break walk, or something else!

Find BrainTrust on:

Instagram

Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

TikTok

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June 20

BC Consensus Day on Brain Injury

BC CONSENSUS DAY ON BRAIN INJURY

BrainTrust will be hosting a satellite site for the third year of the BC Consensus Building Days. This year’s event will focus on the intersection of of brain injury, mental health,  addictions/substance use and housing.

The purpose of the BC Consensus Building Days is to gather, in a good faith effort, the perspectives, ideas, and values of healthcare providers, community stakeholders, and individuals/families including Indigenous groups and marginalized minorities with lived experience of the intersections of brain injury, mental health, and addictions, to reach a Consensus on the priorities and solutions needed to best serve people experiencing the intersections of brain injury, mental health, and addictions in British Columbia.

Learn more here.

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June 21

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June 22

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June 23

Safety Selfie Sunday

Show us what safety means to you! Post a selfie wearing your helmet or practicing other safe behaviours and tag us in your post.

Find BrainTrust on:

Instagram

Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

TikTok

Read More

June 24

Client Social: Creating Identity After Brain Injury Through Art

BrainTrust clients can join us for a special version of Monday’s Healing Art group!

Brain injury survivors will be guided through the process of creating an art piece that represents important aspects of their life after brain injury. Participants will explore what meaning and purpose means to them through artistic means. No prior experience is required and all materials will be supplied.

Existing BrainTrust clients can contact their Community Support Facilitator for more information.

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June 25

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June 26

Action for Advocacy

Awareness is just the first step. Check out our social media for tips on advocacy including strategies for self-advocacy and crafting an effective message.

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June 27

Find Brian the Brain

Follow our social media to see where Brian the Brain is hiding ice cream coupons within the community.

Instagram

Facebook

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June 28

Turning Invisible Injuries Into Visible Stories

Throughout June, we are collecting brain injury stories from people affected by brain injury. Keep an eye on BrainTrust’s website and social media channels to hear their stories.

More details to follow.

Haven’t shared your brain injury story yet? Share your story now.

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June 29

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June 30

KelownaNow e-Auction

Today is the last day to put in your winning bid on items donated throughout our community, supporting brain injury services and programs.

Visit here.

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