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.