Brain injury doesn’t just affect individuals; it can transform the lives of entire families. Emotional and behavioural changes in the individual can affect relationships and the dynamic of the family. There may also be physical demands on the carer, while a loss of income can add additional stress to the family.

Caring for someone with a brain injury can require a great deal of patience and sacrifice. This year’s Action for Brain Injury Week will highlight the issues surrounding caring for someone with a brain injury while providing practical support to those who need help.

Action for Brain Injury Week 2012 posters for general use

Make a donation
Help improve life after brain injury.

While Action for Brain Injury Week is a great way to raise awareness of brain injury and its effects, there is still plenty of time to have fun – and what better way than with Hats for Headway Day!

The event gets bigger and better every year, with supporters donning their weirdest and most wonderful hats to support Headway.

Put the date in your diary and contact us for more information about how your company, organisation, school or college can get involved!

Each year Channel Tlevision like to lend our support to a different good cause in the Channel Islands, and this year it is Headway.

They have bases in Guernsey and Jersey and work with islanders who have suffered head injuries.

For people whose lives have changed forever, the work of Headway really can be a lifeline.

http://www.channelonline.tv/channelonline_jerseynews/displayarticle.asp?id=498997

This year Mark has not been deterred from his marathon experience and is organising and encouraging Islanders to travel across the water to compete in the Mont St Michel Marathon. “As part of my training last year I completed the marathon and it was a fantastic event. You can see the famous monastery throughout the course and being so close to home it was so easy to travel to and from, staying in St Malo over night. I would definitely recommend it as a new challenge for local runners.”

The Mont Saint Michel Marathon will take place on Sunday 13^th May and Headway have organised travel, accommodation and race entry for 20 islanders who are willing to raise funds for the local charity. The race starts in Britanny and finishes in Normandy, the Mont Saint-Michel Bay Marathon welcomes 5000 runners from all over France, Europe and elsewhere. Some 30 plus different nationalities take part in this event, in a scenic and friendly environment. Accomodation has been arranged in St Malo, runners will register on the Saturday before the race and then return to Jersey on Sunday evening following the race.

Those wishing to take part are asked to get in contact with Mark Harris or Headway fundraiser Beth Gallichan on 505937 or email beth.headway@gmail.com.

Mont Saint Michel Marathon Key Facts-

The race starts in Britanny and finishes in Normandy; the Mont Saint-Michel Bay Marathon welcomes 5000 runners from all over France, Europe and elsewhere. Some 30 plus different nationalities take part in this event, in a scenic and friendly environment. The Mont Saint-Michel is a UNESCO world heritage site.

A DAY AS THE HEADWAY PHYSIO.

9.30am – Arrive at Headway Centre. Set out room for rehab sessions with appropriate equipment. Identify exercises for each member to follow this session.

9.45am– Members and volunteers arrive – allocate volunteer to a member and clarify exercises.

10.00am – Assist and check Saebo units are all correctly fitted and working and trouble shoot when needed.

10.45am – Members and volunteers move to lounge to continue with exercises involving gym equipment or balance activities on Wii equipment.

11.00am – Assessment of new Headway member for use of Saebo unit.

11.30am – Take a younger member to meet the Youth Service staff to discuss voluntary work.

12.30pm– Home visit to treat new member and support family. Treatment to improve standing ability and joint review of functional ability with community therapy team in order to identify appropriate equipment.

As the role of the physiotherapist is a new one to Headway Jersey my role is flexible and developing. Currently I am available every Tuesday and Thursday morning and contact can be made through the Headway Centre.

“Physiotherapy is a healthcare profession that works with people to identify and maximise their ability to move and function. Functional movement is a key part of what it means to be healthy. This means that physiotherapy plays a key role in enabling people to improve their health, wellbeing and quality of life.”

Chartered Society of Physiotherapy 2011

Age- 27

Jason has lived with his brain injury for the last 10 years. At the age of 17 Jason had a terrible accident whilst on a snowboarding holiday in the French Alps. When snowboarding offpiste he plunged 80m off acliff sustaining a serious head injury.  Jason was rescued by helicopter for emergency treatment in Geneva. He remained unconscious for 6 weeks and was then transferred to London.  Jason spent 9 months in hospital relearning how to communicate & regain movement. The biggest difficulty was coping with loss of memory. Jason explained “It felt like everything I had learnt in my life had been cleared off a table and I had to put every item back individually to piece my life back together”.

At the time of the accident Jason was studying for his A levels at De La Salle College and with the support of family and the school he returned the following year to take his exams. Jason recalls the most difficult part of ‘getting on with life’ was a feeling of being left behind; he felt that the most difficult part of his recovery was coping with how brain injury had changed his personality. As he explained “It affected my moods greatly and I would have extremes of emotions. There were times when I found it difficult to control my temper and I started pushing people away. I had changed as a person and become more of a ‘solo’ act”.

Despite Jason coping remarkably well and finding employment following his brain injury, earlier this year Jason contacted Headway for support following a period of very low self esteem. Headway recommended that Jason would be suitable for some counselling and hypnotherapy, one of the services Headway offers to local members following an assessment.  Jason found the service very useful “It helped me get over issues, control anger and accept what happened following the accident and how I can move forward”. Jason also started to visit the centre more regularly, meeting other people whose lives are affected by brain injury. “The staff are very friendly and the centre is a very relaxed place where I can see in other people a bit of myself. It made me want to help and I started volunteering at the centre. This has been very rewarding and it’s great to feel part of the team”.

Jason, who works as a postman, has now become a familiar face at Headway and helps to assist within the centre as a volunteer when he is available. Having survived a brain injury he hopes that his personal experience will assist others and added “I hope by telling my story, people who haven’t had a brain injury can start to understand the effects and how it can change the way a person thinks and behaves. Sometimes we just have to accept people’s differences”.

Mark Harris, Headway services manager completed his phenomenal challenge to run the Standard Chartered Jersey Marathon course on 7 consecutive days raising over £8800 for Headway.  Although Marks week started with nerves and a sleepless night he surprised everyone by building in confidence with each marathon despite temperatures reaching 27 .

During the week not only did more supporters cheer him at the start and finish of each marathon but with the media updating the public many Islanders ran or cycled alongside Mark. He explained “The encouragement and support I received was a key element to me completing my challenge.  As I ran, people would stop in cars to make a donation, horns sounded for encouragement and builders shouted from rooftops.

I would like to thank everyone at Headway, my friends, family and the public for all their support in making this challenge achievable.” All at Headway are incredibly proud of Mark’s achievement and very grateful for the funds Mark has raised through sponsorship. The media awareness and publicity for Headway here in Jersey has been amazing and this will again help greatly with our fundraising in the coming years.

Headway were delighted to welcome His excellancy Lietenant-Governor Sir John McColl and our new Patron Lady Gene McColl to our members Christmas party at our Headway Centre, La Coie in wednesday 14th December

His Excellency and Lady McColl being greeted by Chairman Phil Sturgess and CEO Ray Cooper Around 80 of our members, staff and volunteers attended the event.

The party was already well under way when the Government House party arrived and they were immediately thrown in at the deep end meeting members and talking openly about personal experiences. 

We were delighted that Lady Mccoll could accept a cheque for £10,000 from Murray Norton, who has been fundraising for 10 local charities in 2010 and 2011. The funds were very gratefully received and will be used to help support people locally who are affected by BI.

We very much look forward to welcoming His Excellency and Lady McColl to future Headway events.

Special thanks to Nicos from Chicago food Bar who provided the food for the Christmas party and all the volunteers and staff who ensured the Christmas party was a great day for all.

Jersey Cow’ and ‘Jersey Snow scene’ Images Donated by Matt Porteous  www.mattporteous.co.uk  

Headway this year have produced a charming selection of charity christmas cards, featuring local scenes in the snow captured by local photographers. Each pack of 10 is available for just £4 and are available from Romerils Charity Christmas Card shop, Jersey Post Office and Headway Charity Shop on New St. 
 
All funds raised will benefit local people who are affected by brain injury. This year Headway Jersey celebrates 10 years since first opening the day centre. The charity  provides information support and services to local people with a brain injury, their families and carers. Brain injuries can happen for a wide variety of reasons including accidents, strokes and brain tumours. There are many people in jersey who have a brain injury of some description.
 
Headway are inviting the bravest of Islanders to join in the Old Smugglers Inn Christmas swim which will be on Christmas day at 10.30am on Ouaisne beach. Swimmers will be rewarded with mulled wine and mince pies in the Smugglers Inn to warm up afterwards. Sponsorship forms are available and donations will be divided between Headway Jersey and Jersey Hospice Care. 

 OLD SMUGGLERS INN CHRISTMAS DAY SWIM- Sponsor Form 

For more information please contact  Beth Gallichan (Headway Fundraiser) on 505937 or 07797776854, email beth.headway@gmail.com

The ‘Santa Swim’ Christmas Cards were created on a autumnal day down at Beauport bay with a group of Headway supporters daring enough to jump in the sea wearing very little, some only a Santa hat! The photographer Chris Elward chose this shot to create our special Headway Christmas Card raising money for local people affected by brain injury. The card is just £1 and available from Headway Shop, Charity Christmas Card Shop at Jersey Post Office, The Forum, The Old Smugglers Inn and Moulin De Leq.

At some point in life – many will face the task of caring for an elderly or sick relative. But some children in the Channel Islands are also bearing this extraordinary burden.

Amongst them seven year old Oliver Flavell. He helps care for his mum and was recently won the Variety Child of the Year Award. They were honoured remarkable courage, thoughtfulness and maturity at Variety the children’s charity’s annual Child of the Year Awards at the Hotel de France.Oliver won the top award in his age-group for his selfless devotion to helping his mother Ali, who suffered a brain tumour when she was 20.

Ali Flavell who is a member at Headway Jersey made a miraculous recovery from a malignant brain tumour back in 1993 when she was just 19. But the treatment left her with problems speaking and with her balance. Ali survived a series of operations and defied doctors who said she would never walk again.

Oliver was considered to be a miracle baby who was born just before new year of 2003. With the support of her husband Jeremy and advice from professionals, Ali and Jeremy went on to defy the odds and had another child, Morgan, two years later.

Ollie helps his mother and father regularly. Jeremy works long hours to support his family and Ollie helps care for both his mother and younger brother. He pushes his mother’s wheelchair and even makes phonecalls on his parents’ behalf. In recognition of his work, Ollie was nominated for this year’s Variety Child of the Year Award.

Oliver’s last year took part in a fashion show for  Headway. To see a video clip on how ollie helps his mum please click below!
http://www.channelonline.tv/channelonline_jerseynews/displayarticle.asp?id=489975