Media personalities, survivors and Ontario Transportation Minister to headline

(TORONTO – JANUARY 12, 2011) – It’s time to chuck your winter gear and grab grass skirts and Hawaiian shirts. There are only days left before a winter warm-up is set to take place at Toronto’s historic Miller Tavern at 3885 Yonge St. The Brain Injury Association of Canada’s (BIAC) premier fundraising event, the Hawaiian Oyster Odyssey (HOO) is set for January 24th from 6 to 9 pm.

For the 7th year running, this Hawaiian-themed event will be jam-packed with oodles of oysters, mystery prizes, fancy tropical cocktails and stories from brain injury survivors and plenty of mingling with medical experts, community leaders, public figures, business professionals and the media.

“Brain injury is Canada’s leading cause of death and disability for Canadians under 45,” said Larry Carlson, BIAC president and the first survivor of a brain injury to ever hold the post. “The Hawaiian Oyster Odysseys are our main source of funding to spread our message,” he said. Carlson will be a special guest at the Toronto event.

Some other highlights:
- Back by popular demand is the evening’s host, CTV Canada AM host Beverly Thomson.
- Special guests include Jim McKenny, former Toronto Maple Leaf and CITY-TV sportscaster, Maclean’s magazine columnist Andrew Coyne and Hon. Kathleen Wynne MPP, Ontario’s Minister of Transportation.
- Brad Cownden, a University of Victoria student will speak about his summer 2010 solo bicycle trip across Canada that raised money and awareness for brain injury.
- Toronto brain injury survivor Rob Ashe will give insight into his personal experiences.
- An exciting announcement from the Brain Injury Association of Canada and Ontario Neurotrauma Foundation is also set for the Toronto event, as plans for national brain injury research initiatives are currently in the works.

HOO fundraisers started in Toronto in 2005 and are held annually in cities across Canada including Ottawa, Montreal, Edmonton, Saskatoon, St. John’s, Charlottetown and Vancouver. They are organized by BIAC, in partnership with other brain injury organizations and made possible purely through volunteer efforts. The first event raised $30,000 and over $750,000 has been raised over the last five years from HOOs across Canada. Proceeds from the event go directly to BIAC and local associations to raise awareness of brain injuries.

The National presenting sponsor is the Insurance Bureau of Canada. Other sponsors include: TD Bank Financial Group, We Care Home Health Services and Air Canada who donates a pair of Airline tickets to Hawaii nationally. Local sponsors include the Posluns Family Foundation, Novartis Pharmaceuticals, Goodmans Law Firm, Stem Cell Canada, Alpha Laboratories and CTV.

Tickets can be purchased online at www.hawaiianoysterodysseys.ca/ for $200/person or $150/person before January 17.

For further information, contact Howard Brown at 416-844-1180 or howard@brown-cohen.com.

www.twitter.com/TO_HOO
www.facebook.com/TheTorontoHoo

OTTAWA – Two young students from northern British Columbia joined MP Nathan Cullen in Ottawa today to ask parliamentarians to consider tax incentives the students say will make Canada a safer and more caring country.

Smithers residents Emily Hobley McCosker and Justin Steenhof will watch Cullen present their winning entries in the Create Your Canada contest into the House of Commons as private member’s bills this afternoon.

“It’s really exciting to see the creative and practical ideas that our young people have to make our already privileged lives in Canada even better,” said Cullen.

Emily, 11, a student at Muheim Memorial Elementary, proposed a federal bill that would modify tax law to allow individuals to donate a portion of their Income Tax Return to a registered charity by filling out a new section on their tax forms. The amount would then be paid directly to the charity by Canada Revenue Agency.

“By checking off the humanitarian tax box on your tax form, you can easily help to share your good fortune and care for others less fortunate,” said Emily, 11.

Bulkley Valley Christian School student Justin Steenhof wants to encourage ski resort operators to make responsible safety choices by providing branding and pricing incentives. He proposed resorts be certified by the Minister of State for Sport as a “Head Smart Ski and Snowboard Facility” and be permitted to exempt skiers and boarders wearing helmets from paying HST/GST on their ski passes and equipment rentals.

“We know that the leading death factor for skiers is head injury,” said Justin, 17. “We can significantly cut down on the amount of head injuries and death related to head injuries if downhill skiers and snowboarders just all wore helmets.”

While in Ottawa, Cullen and the students also met with Harry Zarins, Executive Director of the Brain Injury Association of Canada, Jack Layton and the NDP caucus, and MPs from other parties. The students held their own press conference in the National Press Theatre and toured Parliament with their MP.

Cullen launched Create Your Canada last year to challenge students in Grades 5-12 to write a piece of federal legislation to improve Canada. Winners are flown to Ottawa to watch Cullen introduce their bills in Parliament. MPs in Victoria, Vancouver, Winnipeg and Ottawa also ran contests.

Contact: Shelley Browne, 250-877-4140; cullen1@parl.gc.ca

Senior Category Justin Steenhof, Head Smart Ski and Snowboard Hills, Grade 11, Bulkley Valley Christian School
Justin submitted a proposal for the mandatory use of protective helmets on ski and snowboard hills to reduce serious head injuries. The proposed federal legislation would create an incentive to encourage ski hill operators to implement mandatory helmet policies on their hills. Qualifying resorts would be certified by the Minister of State for Sport as a “Head Smart Ski and Snowboard Facility” and would havetheir ski passes and equipment rentals exempted from HST/GST.

These measures would encourage resort operators to make responsible safety choices by providing both a branding and pricing advantage.

Full text of the bill (HTML)
Full text of the bill (PDF)
Press release from the introduction of the bill
Facebook group for Bill C-562 (just started today – we will add content)

Tim Howlett | Legislative Assistant
Office of Nathan Cullen, MP – Skeena-Bulkley Valley
New Democrat Critic For Natural Resources And Energy
_______________________________________________________
825 Confederation Building, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0A6
Tel: 613-993-8662 | Fax: 613-993-9007
Email: Cullen0@parl.gc.ca
Web : www.nathancullen.com

St. John’s, N.L. – August 11, 2010

Cross-country bike odyssey to finish on Thursday in St. John’s, NL with emotional reunion between aunt and nephew – University of Victoria student cycled 7,500 km by himself to raise awareness and funds in support of brain injury survivors in honour of his aunt.

As he arrives on Thursday, August 12, 2010 at St. John’s historic waterfront centre, University of Victoria physics student Brad Cownden, 23, looks forward to a warm embrace from his aunt who inspired him to cycle across Canada. His aunt, Connie MacKenzie, traveled alone, mostly by bus, all the way from Victoria to greet Cownden upon his successful finish in St. John’s. MacKenzie suffered a near-fatal car accident 10 years ago that severely impacted her brain and her lifestyle. A former nurse, MacKenzie has not been able to work due to permanent damage to her critical-thinking centres. It was her battle to recover that inspired Cownden to embark on his cross-country ride.

Cownden has come a long way since June 1, when members of the Victoria Brain Injury Association bid farewell, and when he departed on his cross country cycle trek from Victoria by himself. He has averaged over 120 km a day, through hot temperatures, snow, sleet, headwinds and floods, as well as healthy doses of fatigue. However, the journey is just beginning for this physics and astronomy major who will be entering his fourth year at the University of Victoria this fall: Cownden has become the unlikely poster boy for a growing grassroots movement in support of acquired brain injury.

Brain injury is the leading cause of death for Canadians under 45, according to the Brain Injury Association of Canada. Every year, over 50,000 Canadians suffer a brain injury. The medical system is still catching up with this widespread challenge, as there are not many long-term rehabilitation programs available to survivors across the country. Much of the support is provided instead by the volunteer-based brain injury associations all across Canada, under the umbrella of the Brain Injury Association of Canada.

“When my cousin Caryn and I created brainStormRIDE, we never expected the overwhelming response from families of brain survivors, to politicians or the general public,” Cownden says. “What we have also learned is that all those voices were out there, waiting to be heard and connected. My plan is to help build on the interactive, national network of friends and volunteers that we have developed together.”

Along his journey, Cownden made hundreds of friends and promoted his cause among thousands more, thanks to his daily blogs on www.brainstormride.org, filed via his BlackBerry. Federal Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff, MP, declared himself a fan as he twittered a picture with Cownden following their meeting in Toronto at the Thunder Beach cottage of Liberal MP Carolyn Bennett, MD, Health Care Critic.

Cownden’s reception committee, headed by Jeannette Holman Price, on Thursday will be made up of admirers of all walks of life, including members of C.A.N.D.O. – Children and Adolescents with Neurological Disabilites Organization – of Newfoundland and Labrador and an active group within the BIAC community dedicated to pediatric brain injuries and other volunteers.

Fans all over the country will be cheering him as well. Cownden has been invited to speak at a series of brain injury fundraisers across the country.

From September 30 to October 2, he will be in Regina, Saskatchewan, attending the 7th Annual Conference of the Brain Injury Association of Canada.

On November 15, he will be the guest speaker at the 4th Annual Vancouver Hawaiian Oyster Odyssey (HOO), to be held at Van Dusen Gardens. In January, he will be attending Toronto’s own fundraiser. “This is an incredible young man,” says Shirley Johnson, President of the Brain Injury Association of Canada. “We want to also recognize his achievement across the country and we can’t wait to congratulate him for all he has done for brain injury survivors.”

Ms. Johnson and all the representatives of like minded associations across Canada need all the help they can get from inspiring people like Cownden, as well as donors and sponsors. The Brain Injury Association of Canada has been built on passion and commitment ever since its founding in 2003, while annual, star-studded Hawaiian-themed “FUNdraisers” have become a staple of communities. Since the first HOO was held at Toronto’s Miller Tavern in 2005, more than $600,000 has been raised over the last 6 years.

For more information, please visit brainstormride.org, biac-aclc.ca or hawaiioysterodysseys.ca.

Or contact Jeannette Holman Price at 1-709-697-2530, cando@biac-aclc.ca, Harry Zarins at 1-613-762-1222, harry.zarins@biac-aclc.ca, or Howard Brown at (416) 844-1180, howard@brown-cohen.com.

The Brain Injury Association of Canada wishes all Canadians a Safe and Happy Holiday Season

Media Release
Friday, November 13, 2009 FOR NOON RELEASE
Presentation at West Vancouver Community Centre on Saturday, November 14 at 12:30 p.m.
Spirit Room | 2121 Marine Drive | West Vancouver | BC | V7V 4Y2 | 604 921-3411

Read the full Press Release

- By Yvan Michel Teasdale

On July 11th at the National Conference held at Villa St Martin in Pierrefonds, Quebec , our President Shirley Johnson and Yvan Teasdale, Chair of the Government Relations and Public Affairs Committee, presented a $2,000 Bursary to Phillip Roy, a student at the Université du Québec at Rimouski in the presence of his proud mother Manon Lefort. Phillip is pursuing a master’s degree in Management of Maritime resources.

A second $2,000 bursary will be awarded to Akira Peters of Yukon who is pursuing an Honours BA in English and History at the University of Saskatchewan.

The Selection Committee composed of Board of Directors, namely, Marina White (Nfld & L.), Larry Carlson (Sask.) and Yvan Teasdale (Que.) had the difficult task of selecting only two candidates for the second edition of a $2,000 Bursary Program awarded to brain injury survivors pursuing post-secondary education opportunities in an English or French institution or apprenticeship/trades program in Canada.

Upon learning that he would be receiving a bursary, Phillip said: ‘’I danced in joy when I learned that I qualified for a bursary’’.

Congratulations to the selected candidates! We wish them success in their endeavours and we will follow their progress with interest.

If you were not selected this year, please try again, or, if you did not apply, you should consider doing so in time for the 2010-2011 school year. If you are applying using the BIAC online application or BIAC’s application form, you must send it by April 30th of the given year. Bursary information will be posted on our website.

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.

The Brain Injury Association of Canada fully supports the establishment of a Canadian Caregiver Strategy. So many of our families fill the role of primary caregiver and therefore this initiative has great significance in the acquired brain injury community. We encourage Canadians to write to their Members of Parliament indicating their support for the development and implementation of a Canadian Caregiver Strategy.

Federal government urged to establish a Canadian Caregiver Strategy
Ottawa, May 8, 2009 – The Canadian Cancer Society (CCS) and the Canadian Caregiver Coalition (CCC) urges the federal government to acknowledge and support family caregivers through the establishment of a Canadian Caregiver Strategy. The groups are bringing their message to more than 50 Parliamentarians during a luncheon held on May 7 on Parliament Hill.

Family Caregivers contribute an astounding $25 to 26 billion of unpaid labour to the health care system, providing care and assistance for immediate and extended family and friends who are in need of support because of age, illness or long term conditions.

In a 2007 Pollara survey, 23 per cent of Canadians said they had cared for a family member or close friend with a serious health problem in the preceding 12 months, with 22 per cent of these people missing one or more months of work and 41 per cent using personal savings to survive financially while providing care.

The CCS and the CCC are recommending that Parliamentarians establish a Canadian Caregiver Strategy; key components of the proposed Strategy would include:

Minimizing excessive financial burden placed on family caregivers by expanding the scope of the current tax measures and Compassionate Care Benefit (CCB) administered under federal employment insurance programming.
Safeguarding the health and well being of family caregivers through the provision of respite care.
Enabling access to information and education to ensure that caregivers can competently and confidently provide care.
Creating flexible workplace environments that respect caregiving obligations.

“The current economic downturn will only increase the need for a Canadian Caregiver Strategy, which is central to ensuring that our health care system can meet the needs of all Canadians,” says Jimm Simon, Chair of the Canadian Cancer Society. “A quick win is possible for family caregivers through an expansion of the Compassionate Care Benefit.”

“Today’s reality is that it will become increasingly difficult for families to provide care for their loved ones,” says Nadine Henningsen, President of the Canadian Caregiver Coalition. “The CCC believes that caregivers must be supported, recognized and protected through a Canadian Caregiver Strategy.”

The CCS and CCC commit to continuing to work with the government to advance the interests of Canadian family caregivers.

Nadine Henningsen, President, Canadian Caregiver Coalition

Congratulations to the CSA
The Brain Injury Association of Canada lauds the Canadian Standards Association in the development of recreational alpine skiing and snowboarding helmet standard to to help protect winter sports enthusiasts on Canadian slopes

The next step is to have the government approve Bill C-289 which will require the recreational alpine skiing and snowboarding helmet industry to follow the CSA standard in the same way as is required for hockey and lacrosse helmets in Canada.

Canada’s first Alpine Helmet standard helps make skiing, snowboarding and tobogganing safer!
Toronto, March 24, 2009 – Each year, hundreds of preventable head injuries are reported on Canadian ski, snowboard and toboggan hills.1 Canadian Standards Association (CSA), a leading developer of standards and codes, announces the country’s first recreational alpine skiing and snowboarding helmet standard to help protect winter sports enthusiasts on Canadian slopes.

According to the Canadian Ski Council, 2007-2008 Canadian Skier and Snowboarder Facts and Stats report, there are now some 4.2-million Canadians participating in downhill skiing and snowboarding. Since 2004, the total number of skiers has increased by 25 per cent, snowboarders by 23 per cent.

As the popularity of these sports has grown, so too have the number of traumatic injuries and even fatalities, with traumatic brain injury cited as the main cause of death among skiers and snowboarders.2 Research has shown that helmets used for skiing and snowboarding are associated with a 60 per cent reduction in head injuries.3

“Canada’s first recreational alpine skiing and snowboarding helmet standard was developed by leading industry, medical experts, Health Canada, and other stakeholders to help improve head protection for participants in these popular winter activities,” says John Walter, Vice President, Standards Development, CSA. “The sobering statistics and increased number of head injuries indicated a need to develop the standard specifically designed for the Canadian market. CSA is all about life and we want to facilitate family and individuals’ safety while they enjoy these sports.”

CSA’s Z263.1 Recreational Alpine Skiing and Snowboarding Helmets applies to helmets intended to help reduce head injuries for recreational alpine skiers and snowboarders. It defines the areas of the head that are to be protected for impact injuries and covers the basic performance requirements for shock absorption, helmet stability, and retention system strength as well as marking and labelling requirements. Helmets that comply with the standard will be designed to sustain multiple impacts. The standard also applies to helmets worn for other non-motorized recreational snow sport activities such as tobogganing or sledding.

Many alpine ski and snowboard helmets currently on the Canadian market are “self-certified” by manufacturers to American and European standards. In Canada, there are no requirements for helmets to meet any standard and some helmets may offer little protection at all. In order to meet the CSA standard and earn a certification mark, alpine ski and snowboard helmets will have to be certified and tested by a laboratory accredited by the Standards Council of Canada (SCC).

Although the CSA Z263.1 Recreational Alpine Skiing and Snowboarding Helmets standard was in place in 2008, until now there has not been a Canadian certification program accredited by the SCC. CSA International has made a formal application to the SCC, and anticipates the office in Montreal will soon offer Canada’s first SCC accredited certification program to the new standard. The Montreal facility will be accepting submissions from helmet manufacturers beginning in April 2009.

The standard in particular would not have been possible without the tireless efforts of Richard Kinar of West Vancouver. After witnessing a serious collision between two young skiers that resulted in serious head injuries, Kinar began a grassroots campaign to raise funds for the development of a Canadian standard for alpine ski and snowboard helmets. Richard Kinar’s devotion to ski and snowboard safety ultimately led to the Government of British Columbia providing initial funding to make the standard possible.

CSA is a not-for-profit, non-government organization and compliance with all CSA standards is voluntary unless legislated by government or mandated by industry or trade associations. It will be up to manufacturers to submit their product for certification by certification and testing organizations recognized by the Standards Council of Canada.

Helmets alone cannot prevent all injuries. Skiers, boarders and sledders should always be aware of their surroundings and practice sports in a manner compliant with their level of experience.

1 Injuries associated with downhill skiing, snowboarding and sledding: Canadian Hospitals Injury Reporting and Prevention Program (CHIRPP) database, 1990-91 to 2006-07.
2 Ackery A, Hagel BE, Provvidenza C, Tator CH. An international review of head and spinal cord injuries in alpine skiing and snowboarding. Inj Prev 2007;13:368–375
3 Helmet Use and Risk of Head Injuries in Alpine Skiers and Snowboarders. Steinar Sulheim, MD; Ingar Holme, PhD; Arne Ekeland, MD, PhD; Roald Bahr, MD, PhD. JAMA. 2006;295:919-924.

About CSA
Canadian Standards Association (CSA) is a membership association serving industry, government, consumers and other interested parties in Canada and the global marketplace. As a leading solutions-based standards organization providing standards and codes development, application products, training and advisory services, CSA aims to enhance public safety, improve quality of life, preserve the environment and facilitate trade. The Canadian Standards Association is a division of CSA Group, which also consists of CSA International, which provides testing and certification services for electrical, mechanical, plumbing, gas and a variety of other products; and OnSpeX, a provider of consumer product evaluation, inspection and advisory services for retailers and manufacturers. For more information visit www.csa.ca

Contact: Anthony Toderian, Senior Media Relations Officer, CSA Group, T: 416-747-2620, E: anthony.toderian@csagroup.org

The NFB is pleased to inform you that the film Wipe Out is currently available for sale on DVD.

Brain Injury is the number one cause of death and disability amoung young men. Wipe Out tells the story of three young BC men who suffered traumatic brain injuries while pursuing extreme sports. Through their stories, the documentary explores the science or thrill-seeking and reveals how cultural forces and ignorance are propelling young men to dangerous new heights. This DVD was produced by the Knowledge Network in cooperation with the Brain Injury Association of Canada.

The DVD is available at $19.95 for home viewing or $89.95 for public viewing, plus shipping and handling ($4.00 + $0.75 per additional item) and applicable taxes.

Please note:
-Home viewing: Restricted to home consumers for personal use.
-Public Viewing: Cleared for classroom use and public performance, provided no entry fee is charged.
-Organizations wishing to share, loan or otherwise circulate copies between various locations or sites within their organization, are required to pay an additional “Circulation Copy” fee (normally twice the standard Public Performance Rights price). For more information, or to purchase Circulation Copies of NFB products, please call 1-800-267-7710.

Ordering is easy!
Purchase NFB titles online
NFB DVD Purchase Webpage
For Home Use
Schools and Libraries

By phone: From anywhere in Canada, just call toll-free at 1-800-267-7710 or (514) 283-9000 if you live in the Montreal area, Monday to Friday, 9 am to 7 pm (ET); agents will gladly take your order and answer any questions.

By fax: (514) 283-7564

By mail: National Film Board of Canada,Sales and Customer Service, D-10
P.O. Box 6100, Station Centre-Ville
Montreal QC H3C 3H5

We accept American Express, MasterCard or Visa as well as cheques or money orders (made payable to the Receiver General for Canada). We can also invoice institutions if required. When ordering, please provide a complete shipping address, your telephone number and a contact name as well as a P.O. number, if applicable.

It is our pleasure to serve you.
Jolène Lessard, Sales and Customer Service
National Film Board of Canada 514-283-9000 / 1-800-267-7710
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