Are You Aware?
June is Brain Injury Awareness Month in Ontario.
BRAIN INJURY CAN HAPPEN TO ANYONE. Just as no two people are alike, no two acquired brain injuries are alike. Survivors will experience the effects of acquired brain injuries in many different ways.
Did You Know:
- The annual incidence of TBI is greater than that of Multiple Sclerosis, Spinal Cord Injury, HIV/AIDS and Breast Cancer combined
- 50,000 Canadians sustain brain injuries each year; more than 11,000 Canadians die each year as a result of brain injury
- Traumatic brain injury is the leading killer and disabler of Canadians under the age of 45.
What is a Brain Injury?
An acquired brain injury (ABI) is an injury, which occurs after you are born. It is not a cognitive condition (such as Alzheimer’s) or a genetic condition, (such as Tay-Sachs disease). A stroke, a brain tumour or an infection can cause an ABI. It can also result from external factors, such as a near drowning, substance abuse or a poisoning.
A traumatic brain injury (TBI) can be caused by events such as a car accident, a fall, a gunshot wound or a sports injury. They can be classified as mild, moderate or severe. Some TBI symptoms may get better over time, and others may not. Some survivors who’ve had ‘mild’ TBIs experience very severe, life-altering symptoms.
Visit www.areyouaware.ca for more information on brain injury and help spread the word.
