Dear Editor,
I sustained an Acquired Traumatic Brain Injury 30 years ago in a head-on car crash in northern B.C. I was in the back seat of the car with my seat belt on. I also sustained a spinal cord injury and a stroke on the right side. The driver and the passenger in the front seat died at the scene.
Over the years I have gone to many conferences in Vancouver, other places in B.C., and across Canada. I learned about brain injury and I relayed the information I learned from the conferences to Terrace, including the Headline news letter to the Terrace RCMP, Terrace Fire Department, Terrace Paramedics, Terrace Mayor and council, M.L.A, M.P., doctors office, library, other survivors and hospital to name a few. The Headline news letter is no longer published, but I have written about Traumatic Brain Injury to the Terrace Standard since 1989.
I hope over the years providing information, posters, media, displays, on TBI everyone has some understanding of what a TBI.
Providing all the information has been done on a volunteer bases. If it wasn’t for me, there would be no media coverage, no Headlines, no books donated. I would like to say thank-you to everyone.
Yvonne Nielsen
Terrace, B.C.
Recources and media on brain injuries:
On CFTK I did an Open Connection show on Brain Injury and I did another show on Accessibility.
In the UK, Royal Highness Prince Harry launches Headways new Brain Injury Identity Card. Headway is the Brain Injury Association in the UK.
www.headway.org.uk/news/national-news/headway-news-autumn-2017
Headway News autumn 2017: www.headway.org.uk/idcard Listen to a simple solution to a tricky conversation. Apply now for id card. About the brain injury id card.
Go to www.terracestandard.com e-edition to Jan.28, 2015 to read about my presentation to city council for support of id card.
Northern brain injury association www.nbia.ca Informational Videos: Advice to police Responding to Persons with a brain injury (ID card mention) & Helping person living with a brain injury deal with law enforcement.
I have been informed from the federal government that the RCMP incorporates training to address traumatic brain injuries, emotionally disturbed persons and anyone with mental health considerations.
Other websites:
www.parachutecanada.org
www.braininjurycanada.ca
www.brainstreams.ca
www.stopconcussions.com
www.braintrustcanada.com
Books written by Canada survivors on Brain Injury
Winds of change: A collection of inspirational stories by survivors after brain injury that illuminate the power of the human spirit to overcome adversity. By David E. Scott.
(* I donated a copy of the book to the library, Terrace RCMP, Terrace Fire Department, Paramedics, and to other places and to Don Cherry ( I received a thank-you card from Don Cherry).
Concussed! Sports-related head injuries: prevention, coping and real stores. By Keith Primeau & Kerry Goulet (* I donated a copy of the book to the Terrace Library)
Concussion Recovery by Colleen Butler
( I donated a copy of the book to Terrace Library)
Game Change: The life and death of Steve Montador and the future of hockey By Ken Dryden
March Forth: The inspiring True story of a Canadian Soldiers’ journey of love, hope and survival By Trevor Greene and Debbie Greene
( I donated a copy of the book to Terrace Library)
The Man who lost himself-the Terry Evansher story By June Callwood
( A television movie was made from the book)
The courage to come back: Trumph over TBI a story of hope By Michael Cross
Wondering who you are By Sonya Lea
The Church of 80% Sincerity By David Roche
Life side-up—Encounter disability experience life By Ron Didur
(I donated a copy of the book to the Terrace Library)
Hold on to your kids- Why parents need to matter more than peers. ( New chapter on raising children in a digital world). By Gaber Mate & Gordon Neufeld
Scattered Minds—The origins and healing of attention deficit disorder By Gaber Mate
When the body says No By Gaber Mate
We Generation—Raising socially Responsible kids By Michael Ungar
The Social Worker—a novel By Michael Ungar
The Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Workbook By Douglas J. Mason
Memory Workbook By Douglas Mason
All the information I have provided above, comes from the brain injury conferences.
When working with TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury) Survivors, whatever the person needs to do must be meaningful to that person.
For exercise try out Yoga.
I hope over the years providing information, posters, media, displays, on TBI everyone has some understanding of what a TBI. Over the years, I have had posters display at Terrace City Hall, RCMP, Library, at Trades Fair, Bike Rodeo, Farmers Market, Skeena Mall.
Providing all the information has been done on a volunteer bases. If it wasn’t for me, there would be no media coverage, no Headlines, no books donated. I would like to say thank-you to everyone.
Yvonne Nielsen