June was declared Brain Injury Awareness Month by the Saskatchewan Brain Injury Association, and although the month is coming to a close soon, it's a topic that the local SBIA chapter wants people to think about all the time.
Glenda James, executive director of the Moose Jaw SBIA chapter, emphasized the theme of this year’s campaign: “Anytime.”
“It really is an epidemic. It really can happen to anyone, anywhere, anytime,” said James.
Around 1.5 million Canadians live with a brain injury, according to Brain Injury Canada. There are two types of acquired brain injuries: non-traumatic and traumatic. Over half of all traumatic acquired brain injuries occur due to accidents involving vehicles — cars, motorbikes, snowmobiles, ATVs, and such — and around half of these injuries involve alcohol.Brain injury is the number one cause of death and disability in people under the age of 45 worldwide, according to the SBIA, and the annual instance of acquired brain injuries is larger than the combined cases of multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury, HIV/AIDS, and breast cancer.
James shared one more concerning statistic: all over the world, every second that passes sees two people acquire a brain injury.
There is no cure for brain injury, only treatment to help improve a patient’s quality of life. This is why James, and the SBIA, finds awareness to be so important; prevention is the only way to reduce the number of brain injuries that occur.
“We want people to realize that it does, in fact, affect them. It could in a blink of an eye,” said James. “Brain Injury Awareness Month is more about recognizing the prevalence and the effects of it.”
Each injury is different, but many share some symptoms — memory loss, balance problems, dizziness. Some people lose the ability to walk, talk, see, or to look after themselves. Often, in recovering from an accident, some people lose touch with family or friends and find themselves isolated.
The programs offered through the SBIA aim to help alleviate that struggle, said James. Support for the SBIA and awareness about the danger of brain injuries can only help the issue.
To support their many programs, the SBIA organizes their annual fundraiser, the Brain Boogie. The charity walk happens in five cities in Saskatchewan, and all of the proceeds stay in the province to support SBIA programming.
This year, the Moose Jaw Brain Boogie will be on Aug. 25, and more details will be announced later.
The bottom line that James emphasized is for people to be safe and smart about protecting their brains; she recommends wearing a helmet in any situation that calls for one and obeying every safety rule.
Accidents happen, but James wants to see fewer brain injuries however possible.
“Follow every safety rule you've ever learned. Take it seriously,” said James. “Be safe. You don't want one of these.”
