In Canada, June is Brain Injury Awareness Month. Each year national, provincial, and local associations run campaigns to increase awareness about the prevalence of brain injury, the obstacles that exist for those with brain injury, and the need for more services and support at all stages of recovery.
The prevalence of brain injury is well-established. But awareness of brain injury in the general public remains low. Lack of awareness of brain injury contributes to both personal and systemic barriers that make daily living and community interactions challenging for the over 1.5 million Canadians with brain injury, their caregivers, and their families. And these are not short-term challenges – for the majority of individuals, the effects of brain injury are chronic and life-long. Yet there is little research on the long-term implications of brain injury, resulting in critical gaps in care for hundreds of thousands of Canadians.
This month, Brain Injury Canada is publishing a position paper on moderate to severe traumatic brain injury, its prevalence, and how classifying it as a chronic condition will help address the lack of recognition and understanding of TBI as a chronic health condition and ensure health systems have the data to allocate appropriate supports and resources over the life span. This position paper will be a valuable advocacy tool in the efforts to build awareness of brain injury and the need for supports.
We encourage you to follow along on our social media, share our posts, and connect with local associations to find out how you can support them this #BrainInjuryAwarenessMonth
Resources
- Media Release-2023
- What is an acquired brain injury? – Information video
- Brain Injury Canada’s YouTube – featured stories, past webinars, mindfulness activities, and more
Past campaigns
Anyone, Anywhere, Anytime
