This year’s Action for Brain Injury Week saw the Child Brain Injury Trust launch our new support service for young people with acquired brain injuries.

I am so proud that we have launched our Brain Injury Information Card which are suitable for young people aged 11-18. The idea behind the card is that young people can carry the card as they go about daily life and present it in situations where they need a little help and understanding.

The response has been phenomenal with applications flowing into idcard@cbituk.org . Our social media activity has been very active, and we are delighted with the response, because this means more people will know about the ID card and hopefully it can help them if they find themselves in a difficult or confusing situation.

We are grateful to everyone who has retweeted our messages and supported us this week.  Its made a huge difference to the campaign and you know we have so may supporters is amazing not only for the charity but for the families affected by brain injury.

“Such a positive step for young people with an Acquired Brain Injury – great resource to support those adapting to the daily challenges they now face, at the same time as being a young person growing up in the world, experiencing new and different things. #ABIweek #cbitIDcard”  – Bush and Company

 

“The things many of us could take for granted are massive hurdles and challenges to young people following ABI – what a great resource from @cbituk to support young people to rebuild their lives and be treated fairly #ABIweek #cbitIDcard” – Headway Salisbury

 

“Brilliant idea @cbituk .This is going to be a huge help to bridge the gap and help children with brain injuries to communicate their needs, help enhance their participation and seek more independence.#ABIweek #cbitIDcard”  – More Rehab Paediatrics

 

Our guest bloggers and vloggers Connor Lynes, Owen Pugh and Debbie Carletti provided thought provoking and inspiring stories which enabled families to see exactly how the ID cards can be used on a practical level.

We were also most grateful to Koulla Yiasouma, Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People who said:

“One of the challenges of acquired brain injuries is that it is often not immediately clear or obvious that a person has a condition.”

The endorsement from Dr David McCormick Consultant Paediatrician, Neurorehabilitation and Epilepsy Clinical Lead, Paediatric Neurosciences, King’s College Hospital, London, was both powerful and was spot on when he said;

“Brain injury can lead to a wide range of difficulties in young people. Some are obvious but may be mistaken for other conditions such as rudeness, poor behaviour or even intoxication. Some are not obvious at all, meaning that appropriate allowances may not be made for the young person.  In either circumstance the Young Person’s Brain Injury Identity Card provides a vital source of identification and information in a range of social situations – I fully endorse the distribution and use of these cards.”

I’ll leave the last words to Owen Pugh who just about sums up why we have launched the ID cards:

“It’s a secret weapon you can hide away and use as necessary, like a superpower which will help you through a world that’s sometimes scary and which needs more heroes like you.”

Thank you to everyone who supported the launch, to the team at charity for putting their energy into this year’s Action for Brain Injury Week.

 

Lisa Turan CEO – Child Brain Injury Trust

 

To receive an application form email idcard@cbituk.org

 

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