News

Brain Injury Awareness Week

Date Posted: Friday 12 March 2004

The silent epidemic that is crying out to be heard. That is just one description of Brain Injury and an example of how people are unaware of it. The Cedar Foundation works in partnership with people in Northern Ireland who have physical disability and/or brain Injury and the week of 15th-21st March is of particular interest and significance to The Foundation, as it is Brain Injury Awareness Week, a UK and Ireland event.

All of The Cedar Foundation''s Brain Injury Service Units throughout Northern Ireland are highlighting this week, devoted to raising awareness of brain injury, through a series of events, information days and press interviews.

The Cedar Foundation''s Socio-Vocational Brain Injury Services concentrate on four core areas. Focusing on individual strengths and training needs and agreeing an action plan. Understanding the strengths and difficulties an individual experiences in use of memory, attention, concentration, planning and organising. Promoting awareness of interpersonal relationships, especially in work and training environment and work tasters, which are designed to give individuals samples of different types of work.

Marius Rooney, a service user with the Brain Injury programme explains:

"The road was like a dead end with nowhere to go, I really thought I was going nowhere. The Cedar Foundation has worked me through the programme and look where I am now, just about to finish my HND in Building & Engineering. It just shows you what The Cedar Foundation can do. Without The Cedar Foundation I wouldn''t be where I am today."

Elaine Armstrong, Brain Injury Services Manager for The Cedar Foundation adds:

"Brain injury is a major and increasing problem, due to medical advances more people are surviving, due to trained paramedics offering medical assistance much quicker, due to more speed and traffic on our roads, all in the last decade. In the UK brain injury is not recognised as a separate disability from, for example, stroke or mental health problems and there is generally insufficient or inappropriate community support for survivors and their carers/family. So for The Cedar Foundation it is important to emphasise what is happening to promote even more opportunities and resources and Brian Injury Awareness Week gives us the chance to do this."

The Cedar Foundation Brain Injury programme is based in Enniskillen, Londonderry, Bessbrook, Lisburn, Ballymena and Belfast. Referrals to the programme are received from the Community Brain Injury Teams.

Ends

Gayle Campbell PR Officer

The Cedar Foundation

31 Ulsterville Avenue

Belfast BT9 7AS

Tel: 028 9066 6188 or e-mail: g.campbell@cedar-foundation.org

Click [here] to download assigned publication

Designed and Developed by Biznet Solutions