By James Bowler

Need for brain injury awareness sparks new partnership

Mar 3, 2014 | 4:38 PM

The first big step in raising awareness for brain injury and providing support for those afflicted has taken place in Saskatchewan.

The Saskatchewan Brain Injury Association has recently announced a partnership with the Royal Purple Lodge Association, which will help the former with funding and campaigning.

The Royal Purple has so far donated $5,000, and with the help of the Elks another $500, to the Prince Albert division of the Brain Injury Association. They are also donating $1,000 to the provincial division.

One major spokesperson when it comes to brain injury awareness is the woman who helped bring this partnership together. The issue has also touched Elaine Perkins’ life personally.

Her 21-year-old grandson became the sufferer of traumatic brain injury when he was involved in an accident five years ago.

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“It was a snowmobile accident in a snowstorm,” said Perkins, who added that her grandson was wearing a proper helmet at the time of his injury.

Now, he is left to the responsibility of his family, being kept in special care.

“He’s in a nursing home, and the kids have to pay for that,” said Perkins. “They have pretty much all the expense of all the supplies and things while in the nursing home.”

She said only a few costs are covered by insurance benefits only through their work and not from the government.

“They do have a bit of coverage through their jobs,” said Perkins. “For the medicine and things.”

Perkins said she hopes that this partnership will lead the eventual funding of facilities for persons who are suffering from brain injuries and to ease the costs on their families.

“We do need help out there for rehab and things, once the accident has happened you need instant rehab once they are stable and able to perhaps respond if they can,” said Perkins. “I’m hoping in time we can have the proper facilities for these people so that they can get the proper rehab that they need.”

The first thing they’ll aim to do is raise more awareness, as well as the funds to help do so by running the Brain Love campaign in conjuncture with brain injury awareness month.

“The campaign that is coming is between the Saskatchewan Brain Injury Association and the Saskatchewan Royal Purple association, to encourage the public to learn about the brain and make the health and safety of their brains a priority,” said Perkins. “You only have one brain and we want people to be aware of this by wearing helmets. It’s very important to remember that when you are going to be doing something that could require a helmet to please wear it.”

Perkins noted that brain-related injuries including concussions from sporting events have been on the rise.

“They say even concussions can lead to dementia, and so it’s very important that everybody wear helmets.”

Glenda James is the executive director of the Saskatchewan Brain Injury Association. She is excited about the partnership.

“We’ve only been able to have a presence in the larger cities and so this really allows us to reach out and connect with people who might need our services, might want us to connect with our programs, and of course this is a fundraising, as well as an awareness campaign, and so it allows us that reach,” said James.

Speaking about her grandson’s future, Perkins is hopeful.

“I hope someday I see him at least being able to respond to us some,” said Perkins. “To talk to us maybe a bit, and of course being any grandparent or parent, we would love to see him recuperate fully, but you know that’s what anybody would wish for.”

-With files from Alex Soloducha.

jbowler@panow.com

On Twitter: @journalistjim