Ballymena backs brain campaign

Know the RISKS of mild brain injury. Launching Action for Brain Injury Week are Gayle Baird, Child Brain Injury Trust, Angela Thompson, Reconnect, Kevin Keenan, Assistant Director, Health and Social Care Board, Elaine Armstrong, The Cedar Foundation, Katherine Dawson, The Cedar Foundation, Pauline Matthew, Headway. The major campaign to raise awareness of the risks of mild brain injury takes place from 12-18 May and has been organised by the Action for Brain Injury Working Group who also launched an educational credit card sized information leaflet that will be used to engage and increase awareness of the risks of mild brain injury. Each year more than 2,000 people in Northern Ireland sustain a brain injury and many more individuals and their families are living with the long term effects. A series of recognition and awareness raising events will be delivered in each of the five Health and Social Care Trust areas during the week. These events also highlight the range of health and social care rehabilitation

Action for Brain Injury Week received backing from Headway Ballymena with representative Pauline Matthew speaking at the launch event about the charity whose support meetings provide brain injury survivors and their families with the opportunity to meet with other people who have had similar experiences, offering emotional and practical support and understanding, have played a vital role in the Ballymena community.

Taking place from 12th - 18th May, the Action for Brain Injury Week was organised by the ABI Working Group and included a series of creative and educational events to promote recognition and educate people on the signs and symptoms of mild brain injury.

In a bid to explain and inform the general public, the Action for Brain Injury Working Group launched an educational credit card sized information leaflet that will be used to engage and increase awareness of the risks of mild brain injury and revealed the theme for the week – Mild Brain Injury – Know the RISKS.

The credit card information resource will be used across the five Health and Social Care Trust areas and by voluntary groups to promote the campaign’s central theme – ‘Know the RISKS’ – which stands for:

R – Rest and avoid stressful situations

I – Inform others who can keep an eye on your condition

S – Signs and symptoms

K – Know what to do if you have persistent problems

S – Seek medical help if in any doubt