Media Release
Charlottetown, PE
June is Brain Injury Awareness Month

June is Brain Awareness Month and parents are being reminded of the importance of helmet safety. Wearing a helmet can significantly reduce the risks of brain injuries in many sport and recreational activities, such as skiing, biking and in-line skating.

The following are some of the initiatives being carried out by the Brain Injury Coalition of Prince Edward Island along with its partners:
* Premier Robert Ghiz will sign a proclamation proclaiming June as Brain Injury Awareness Month,
* Brain Injury Coalition will be partnering with INIP and the City Police to introduce a program regarding bicycle helmet safety,
* We will be partnering with business in the downtown area raising awareness of brain injuries, through a national initiative called “Great Canadian BBQ”,
* On June 24th we will be hosting a forum on “Prevention of Brain Injury” at Murphy’s Community Centre. We will also be showing the documentary “Wipeout”

Wipeout, produced by Lionel Goddard and the Knowledge Network, tells the story of three young BC men who thrived on extreme sports until traumatic brain injuries changed their lives. Olympic gold medalist Ross Rebagliati narrates this documentary, which offers unprecedented insight into the lives of those who are part of what doctors call the “invisible epidemic” – brain injury, the leading cause of death and disability among men under the age of 35.
For further information contact: Kenneth Murnaghan at 892-0367 or By email at info@bicpei.com

Designed to Entertain, Educate and Legislate

Gatineau, Québec – June is Brain Injury Awareness Month, a national initiative helping Canadians of all ages become more aware of the causes of acquired brain injury and its prevention. Year-round, the Brain Injury Association of Canada (BIAC) spearheads ways to teach people how to protect their brain and those of their children. During Brian Injury Awareness Month, BIAC will be organizing various events and activities designed to entertain, educate, and legislate.

Brain Injury Awareness Month 2009 – Entertaining & Educating
* (Across Canada) The Great Canadian Barbecue… BIAC invites Canadians to host barbecues in their backyards, a park, campground, parking lot, or anywhere friends, work colleagues, and family can be brought together. BIAC will provide someone to talk about brain injury prevention, while a brain injury survivor can inspire change with his/her success story. The format is whatever is comfortable. BIAC can also supply its logo for BBQ event signs or banners. Interested organizers should contact harry.zarins@biac-aclc.ca.
* The Brain Injury Association of Nova Scotia will be hosting their Annual Golf Tournament (June 15, Brightwood Golf and Country Club).
* The Brain Injury Society of Toronto will be organizing a Brain Injury Prevention Rally (June 18, noon-2pm, Nathan Philips Square) and an evening reception at Toronto’s Hard Rock Cafe (5-8pm).
* In June, Alberta brain injury survivor, Ian Young, will be riding VIA Rail across Canada, stopping in selected towns and cities to bring his acquired brain injury story and message of prevention. Go to www.biac-aclc.ca for more information about the voyage and to learn more about Ian (Happening Now section; story, “Glenrose Patient Rewarded for Courage” Follow the journey at www.ianyoung.ca

Brain Injury Awareness Month 2009 – Legislating
* BIAC is calling on all Canadians to support Private Members Bill C-289 by writing to the Public Health Agency of Canada to explain that they want all helmets sold in this country to be built using the highest standards possible, as developed by the Canadian Standards Association. The bill would amend the Hazardous Products Act, so as to prohibit the advertising, sale, or import into Canada, of recreational snow sport helmets that do not meet a national standard. The amendment is being re-introduced by the Honourable Dr. Hedy Fry (Vancouver Centre). For more information about Bill C-289, the issues involved, and how Canadians can support Dr. Fry’s efforts, please visit www.biac-aclc.ca.

6th Annual BIAC Conference (Pierrefonds, QC; July 10-12)
Successful STEPS (STrategies for Education, Prevention and Support)
Join us once again at Villa Saint Martin, along the banks of the Des Prairies river for BIAC’s 6th annual three-day conference. Highlighted by a Friday evening Hawaiian Oyster Odyssey, the weekend is an invaluable opportunity to exchange ideas and participate in informative presentations, as hosted by many renowned brain injury professionals and survivors. For more information, and to register, visit www.biac-aclc.ca/en/annual-conference.

National Bursary Program
BIAC will award its two $2,000 bursaries at the Successful STEPS Annual Conference (Pierrefonds, QC; July 10-12), which help Canadian acquired brain injury survivors pursue educational opportunities in an English or French post-secondary institution or apprenticeship/trades program.

For more information about the Brain Injury Awareness Month, please contact us.

Your Canadian Healthcare Newswatch

Brain Injury Edition – March 31/09

CTV.ca News Staff

Updated: Wed. Apr. 1 2009 9:59 AM ET

The sudden death of actress Natasha Richardson last month may have helped save the life of a seven-year-old Ohio girl.

Two days after Morgan McCracken was hit in the head by a baseball in her family’s Mentor, Ohio, front yard, her parents watched news reports about how Richardson, 45, died following a skiing accident.

When Morgan began complaining of a crippling headache, her parents took her to the hospital, where she was diagnosed with the very same injury that eventually killed Richardson.

Like the late actress, Morgan didn’t show any symptoms immediately after her injury, her father, Donald McCracken, told Canada AM Wednesday.
Read the rest of this entry »

By Sarah Schmidt, Canwest News Service

OTTAWA — An international group of scientists is calling on Canada and other countries to bring in tougher safety standards for cellphone use after a Swedish team found a fivefold elevated risk of malignant brain tumours in children who begin using mobile phones before the age of 20.

The plea — and the science underlying it — is published in the forthcoming edition of Pathophysiology, devoted to peer-reviewed research about the biological effects of the global explosion of wireless technologies and devices like cellphones, cordless phones, wireless Internet and cell towers.

The findings of 15 studies from health researchers in six different countries, looking at the effects of electromagnetic fields and radio frequency radiation on living cells and on the health of humans, should jolt government agencies into action as a precautionary measure, Dr. David Carpenter, director of the Institute for Health & the Environment at the University at Albany, and one of the co-authors, said in an interview.
Read the rest of this entry »

The Brain Injury Society of Toronto (BIST) invites you to join us on Thursday, June 12 at Nathan Phillips Square to celebrate Brain Injury Awareness Month, featuring a Battle of the Bands hosted by Supernova!

The Survivor VIP tent opens at 3:30 – The Concert will begin at 5:30

There are many ways you can get involved:
As a member of the audience:
Enjoy the art show and the music. Stop by the Survivors VIP tent to meet friends, old and new
HOW? Just stop by, no fee or reservations required. Friendly BIST greeters will meet you if you are anxious about walking into a big space alone. Contact us at JuneGreeters@gmail.com

As an artist:
Display your visual art at a booth in the square. HOW? Call Julie Osbelt 416-425-6220 ext. 3298 josbelt@bloorview.ca

As a volunteer:
Offer your time and talent to help make this event a success and raise awareness of brain injury.
HOW? Contact Cynthia at (416)830-1485, or email info@bist.ca.

Hope to see you there!

These are Newfoundland happenings for Brain Injury Awareness Month (BIAM).

JUNE 12th – NLBIA works with Mary Brown’s Chicken, the RNC and RCMP on special Helmet Initiative. 500 Helmets will be donated, to be distributed across the province of NL.

JUNE 16TH – Tom Lush, Keri McGrath and NLBIA Survivor (TBA) meet with the Mayor at City Hall, he will sign a “Proclamation” declaring JUNE Brain Injury Awareness Month.

JUNE 22ND – NLBIA “HIKE for HELMETS” Join us at Quidi Vidi Lake 1p.m.-5p.m event sponsored by West Jet and Workplace Health and Compensation Council. Contact office to pick up pledge sheet or for more information.

JUNE 25th – AGM 2008, Elizabeth Towers 6p.m-8p.m, Special Guest Speaker (TBA)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, June 2, 2008

GATINEAU, Québec – The Brain Injury Association of Canada (BIAC) and its national partners are gearing up for Brain Injury Awareness Month in Canada, June 2008. From the movie house to the House of Commons, events aiming to inform and protect Canadians against this costly, yet preventable injury will occur throughout the month.

“Some sport helmets sold in Canada offer no more protection than putting a bag of milk over your head.” – Ski Canada Magazine (December 2002)

Locally and nationally, Brain Injury Awareness Month brings to light the ongoing struggle organizations such as the Brain Injury Association of Canada have chosen to undertake to reduce the number of preventable injuries in Canada, including brain injuries. Treating preventable injuries costs Canadians $14.7 billion per year. This price is putting Canadian business at an economic disadvantage, lowering the standard of living for all Canadians, and putting our publicly funded health care system at risk.

In June, the BIAC will ask Canadians to do their part to protect themselves, and their children. Many communities and legislators are already doing their part. Olympic host municipality, West Vancouver, has taken a resolution to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities urging them to develop a national injury prevention strategy. The Canadian Standards Association will publish, in June, the world’s best standard for ski and snow-board helmets; however, helmet manufacturers have refused to apply these standards unless legislated to by the federal government. Doctor Hedy Fry, MLA for Vancouver Center, has written to Prime Minister Harper, asking for an Order in Council to have her private members bill (C-412) passed.

Bill C-412, if enacted would amend the Hazardous Products Act, and prohibit the advertising, sale, or import into Canada of recreational snow sport helmets that do not meet the requirements of applicable Canadian Standards Association specifications.

“There is no legislation requiring other sport helmets to be CSA approved. This places many children and youth at risk of serious brain injuries or death.” – George Abbott, Health Minister, British Columbia

To support Dr. Fry’s efforts, Canadians are asked to tell our prime minister and health minister that we need Bill C-412. Until such a law is passed, our government is turning its back on the leading killer and disabler of children and young adults in Canada. As a result, Canada will remain near the bottom of a list of countries whose governments invest in youth injury prevention programs.

June 2008: Brain Injury Awareness Month Activities

• June 6, Lower Mainland Brain Injury Association Community Picnic: To celebrate Brain Injury Awareness Month, the LMBIA is organizing a picnic to encourage brain injury survivors, their family and friends, to get behind Canadian injury prevention efforts. Richard Kinar, spokesperson for the BIAC, will be a guest speaker. For information, contact Gabrielle Martin at 604-521-0833, extension 225, or gmartin@lmbia.org.
• June 11, 8pm: Wipe Out to air on the British Columbia’s Knowledge Network. The film—which premiered at Vancouver’s DOXA Documentary Film Festival, May 30th— highlights the dangers and consequences of head injuries through the eyes of extreme sport accident victims; and is produced by British Columbia’s Knowledge Network, written and directed by award-winning film maker, Lionel Goddard, and narrated by Canadian Olympic gold snow-boarder Ross Rebagliati.
• Beginning June 11: a companion website to Wipe Out will be accessible at www.knowledgenetwork.ca/wipeout. In addition to being able to view the documentary in its entirety, the website will offer valuable resources for parents and teachers, a video blog, and messaging for kids.
• Hawaiian Oyster Odysseys occur all over the country throughout the year. In June there will be two: Charlottetown, June 7, and Vancouver, June 16. These fun fund raisers raise awareness of brain injuries and their impact on survivors and their families.
• BIAC Bursary: In June, the BIAC will award its first $2,000 bursary to a brain injury survivor pursuing post-secondary education opportunities in an English or French institution or apprenticeship/trades program in Canada. More information.

Brain Injury Association of Canada
The BIAC’s mission is to improve the quality of life for all Canadians affected by acquired brain injury and promote its prevention. It is dedicated to facilitating post-trauma research, education and advocacy in partnership with national, provincial/territorial and regional associations, and other stakeholders. The BIAC is incorporated as a national charitable organization under the Canada Corporations Act and Canada Revenue Agency.

For more information on Wipe-Out, helmet issues, or interview requests, contact:
Richard Kinar
Brain Injury Association of Canada
Cell: (604) 910-2435
Home: (604) 922-8197
richard_kinar@yahoo.ca

For information on Brain Injury Awareness Month or the bursary program, please contact:
Yvan Teasdale
Chair, Government Relations and Public Affairs Committee
Brain Injury Association of Canada
Tel. (819) 685-9023
yjk.teasdale@sympatico.ca

BC Region
Friday, June 6th, 2008, 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Queen’s Park Bandshell, First Street and Third Avenue, New Westminster, BC
Brochure (pdf)

The Brain Injury Society of Toronto (BIST) invites you to join us on Thursday, June 12 at Nathan Phillips Square to celebrate Brain Injury Awareness Month, featuring a Battle of the Bands hosted by Supernova! Read More.