Action for Brain Injury Week - Friday

Today we have chosen to highlight the crucial work the Child Brain Injury Trust’s Northern Ireland team have been doing during Action for Brain Injury Week.

Our Northern Ireland office has joined forces during this week with other voluntary sector organisations who work with children, young people and adults with a brain injury and their carers. The group have produced a video to help people understand ‘there is life after brain injury’.

Teresa’s Story

Teresa with her son's Conor and Jamie

In 2005, the lives of mum Teresa McKee and her two young boys were to change forever.
The freak accident had been no-one’s fault– there was no speed, drink or drugs involved and the driver was only doing 25mph. Jamie had suffered from multiple injuries.

Both of his lungs had been punctured and there was evidence of brain damage. Hooked up to the life-support machine, the next few days played out in slow motion in the confines of the intensive care unit at the hospital, as Teresa watched for the rise and fall of Jamie’s little chest.

Whilst she waited for her son’s condition to improve, Teresa came across a poster for the Child Brain Injury Trust and she decided to contact the trust.

“The Child Brain Injury Trust was a lifeline. They set up counselling for both the boys. Jamie is different to how he was before the accident and both of them needed to understand that. They also helped me deal with his schooling because the accident means he needs educational support. Thanks to the Child Brain Injury Trust, Jamie was moved into a special unit in a mainstream school. If I hadn’t seen the poster that day, we’d have been left totally isolated. They have been alongside me every step of the way and are always at the end of the phone with practical and emotional support. I am so thankful for all they have done for us and I do what I can to give a little something back”.*

‘There is life after brain injury’

Today “Jamie has almost finished his first year at high school, although this change was a huge issue for Jamie at the time he has coped really well with the change. His self-confidence and independence are improving greatly, Jamie is very determined to succeed and not let his disability hold him back from anything. He continues to improve and still gets weekly physio and occupational therapy input, but has now started taking charge of his own therapies and doing his exercises daily at home.”

We would also like to congratulate Jamie’s brother Conor who recently won the ‘Young Carer of the Year’ award at the Credit Union Awards in Belfast.

Taking Action

Tomorrow Teresa and other supporters will be taking action and raising money for the Child Brain Injury Trust. They have chosen to abseil down one of Belfast’s tallest buildings, the Europa Hotel.

If you would like to show your support and help others text CBIT18 followed by the amount you would like to donate to 70070. Or if you happen to be in the area come and cheer everyone on.

Thank you to Teresa, Conor and Jamie McKee.

*Quote from article in the Big Lottery Fund magazine.

For more information on Action for Brain Injury Week, please contact Emily Honey.

Action for Brain Injury Week - Thursday

Today we will hear from Katie Wightman from Prestwich, Manchester to find out how the Child Brain Injury has helped her and how she is giving something back.

Katie’s Story

“Before Megan’s accident I had never actually heard of an Acquired Brain Injury to be honest.”

Megan before her accident in 2010

A few years ago Katie’s daughter Megan acquired a brain injury after suffering 5 bleeds to the brain following being hit by a car travelling at 41 mph. Katie found about the Child Brain Injury Trust when she was struggling with Megan at home and decided to get in touch with the charity.

As a charity we can help parents understand what has happened to their child and what this might mean for the future.

“When Fiona [Regional Child and Family Support Coordinator for the North West] was sent out to us we were given lots of information and I found things that I could never really understand before a lot clearer. It is good to be able to just pick up the phone and ask for advice or just have someone with an understanding to talk to.”

Taking Action

Since becoming involved in the charity Katie has held various fundraising events and has taken action to raise awareness of acquired brain injury and to fundraise for the Child Brain Injury Trust.

Katie is an actively involved supporter who has held collections, an Easter Bonnet parade, bake sales and pub quiz nights raising around £350 from the last one that took place recently.

Action for Brain Injury Week is focused on taking action during 13th-19th May this year; however, we would like to thank Katie for her continued support. She is also planning more activities throughout the year.

‘Hope for tomorrow – today’

Megan with her sisters Emily and Alice

 “I would feel lost if the Child Brain Injury Trust did not exist, I have learned to deal with things in a more positive way and it is also nice to know I am not alone, there are other people out there with the same if not more problems than myself but it is also good to know there are people like the Child Brain Injury Trust out there to help us through the good and the bad times.” 

If you take one action today, help us spread the word to get people to understand childhood acquired brain injury and know that the Child Brain Injury Trust is here to provide support.

Thank you to Katie for her fundraising and for sharing her story.

If you would like support or more information, contact our helpline on 0303 303 2248 or helpline@cbituk.org. 

If you'd like to get involved in taking Action or supporting our work, please email Emily Honey.

Action for Brain Injury Week - Wednesday

We have decided to do something different today; JMW Solicitors have kindly put together a video of how they have been taking action to raise awareness and fundraise for the charity.

You can watch the video on our YouTube channel here. Or read below for the transcript of the video.

JMW Manchester Marathon Team

“Hello my name is Gordon Cartwright; I’m a partner in the Personal Injury department at JMW. Foolishly, I agreed to do a zip slide in aid of the Child Brain Injury Trust, a fantastic charity but I cannot say it is something that I am particularly looking forward to, not over the moon about falling off the end of a building on a zip wire so the part that I am looking forward to most... is being un-clipped at the other end of the zip line.”

Gordon joined the rest of Team JMW who have been taking action for the Child Brain Injury Trust, doing everything from zip slides to marathons.

Action for their cause is important to us [JMW] let us tell you why...

An estimated 1 in 30 children and young people in Britain will sustain a brain injury.

The brain is not fully developed until you reach your mid-20s, so predicting a final outcome in the case of childhood brain injury is very hard.

“If you have a child who has a brain injury, that is something that is more than likely going to be with them for the rest of their lives, so as a charity I think it is as worthwhile as you get.”

JMW Solicitors has worked with many families affected by brain injury, and we see firsthand the heartache and pain it can cause. The Child Brain Injury Trust provides VITAL emotional support to families affected by brain injury during a very difficult time.

“I think it is important, that as Personal Injury lawyers we give something back to the clients that we represent.”

This is why Hannah Atkinson (Paralegal) was one of four from JMW who took action and ran the Manchester Marathon in 3hr 48!

“Naturally it is a fantastic cause; I think it deserves being thrust into the public eye and every bit of support that we can possibly raise for it, and every bit of awareness I think is well deserved because it really just gives the charity the opportunity to bring to the public attention how difficult it is for both the children and families on a day to day basis.”

When we take action for the Child Brain Injury Trust, we think about all the families who have been affected by brain injuries who we have encountered as lawyers.

Why is Action for Brain Injury Week important?

“It is an important issue, and I think that there are a lot of misconceptions out there about brain injuries and people perhaps don’t realise just what a massive impact it can have on people’s lives and to bring that more into the public eye is definitely very worthwhile.” 

JMW is a member of the Child Brain Injury Trust’s Legal Services Directory and we would like to thank them for their support.

If you would like support or more information, contact our helpline on 0303 303 2248 or helpline@cbituk.org.

If you'd like to get involved in taking Action or supporting our work, please email Emily Honey.

Action for Brain Injury Week - Tuesday

Please share this story and help us raise awareness of brain injury amongst children.  A brain injury can be hidden and often leads to difficulties at school.  Teachers and learning support staff attending our training days can learn strategies to help a brain injured child achieve their full potential.  

Today we’re sharing Melissa’s story as told by her mum Barbara…

Melissa with her artwork from our youth group's graffiti workshop.

“Two years ago my world was turned upside down, when my daughter Melissa, age 8, was knocked down coming home from school.  Melissa was in a coma, she suffered 5 bleeds on the brain which led to a brain injury.

We were told to say our goodbyes that day, there was little hope.  But our little princess was a fighter.  She came out of her coma and all we could do was wait and see if she would fully recover.  Anybody that knows Melissa is well aware that she likes to talk.  I just could not imagine how she would be not being able to chat.  Very quickly she began to walk, talk, feed herself.  It was like a miracle.  We were getting our little girl back.”

When she was discharged from hospital, the Child Brain injury Trust became involved, giving support to Melissa and the family, "We did not acknowledge the support at the beginning as we believed Melissa was fine and we would just get on with it all. 

Gradually, issues started to arise at school and Melissa was becoming so unhappy and lonely.  This broke my heart. She was aware that she was different from before the accident.  This was the stage that we realised we needed help and support.

"The Child Brain Injury Trust has helped us and the school to recognise Melissa’s needs.  Their specialist staff go into schools and train the teachers and work with other children to give them a better understanding.  They also have awareness days for professionals and will be involved with Melissa all through school.

The staff at the Child Brain Injury Trust have been a valuable support and continue to be.  Melissa had also gone through early puberty as a result of the brain injury and the charity supported us to support her with this in a child-friendly way.  We have now accepted that we will not know the final outcome until she is 21.”

If you would like support, please call our helpline on 0303 303 2248. 
For more information on childhood brain injury, visit our website.
If you’d like to get involved with supporting our work, please email Emily Honey.

Action for Brain Injury Week - Monday

Our main aim during Action for Brain Injury Week is to raise awareness of childhood acquired brain injury.  Many people are unaware that an accident or illness during childhood can go on to have long lasting consequences as it affects a child’s brain development.  Many families who are struggling with these consequences are unaware that the Child Brain Injury Trust is here to help.  Please share our stories this week – help us reach them, and help us continue to support them.  Take action!

Today we're sharing Laurie McGinley's story...

While getting ready for school one morning at the age of nine, Laurie suffered an intense fit.  He was rushed to hospital and found to be suffering from viral encephalitis.

Laurie had to undergo emergency surgery to relieve the pressure on his brain and went through weeks of hospital care. After his initial recovery, he then required months of mental and physical rehabilitation as well.  Laurie had been left with mild cerebral palsy – and little self-confidence.

Maggie, Laurie’s Mum, found out about the Child Brain Injury Trust and got in touch to see if we could help.  As he really enjoyed playing football, our Child and Family Support Coordinator Mary introduced him to the Scottish Football Association’s disability squad. He never looked back!

He won a place in the Scotland Cerebral Palsy Football Team, representing his country in dozens of games and being crowned Scotland’s top goalscorer at the Cerebral Palsy World Cup in 2011.  Laurie is a defender in the team, currently rated fifth in the world and fourth in Europe. 

He has also gained a degree in sports and active lifestyle promotion at Glasgow Caledonian University, graduating in 2012, and gives up a lot of his spare time to coach football to youngsters at a number of local clubs.  This summer Laurie plans to travel to the United States to advance his coaching skills so he can teach pro-youth teams.

During Action for Brain Injury Week Laurie, with the help of his colleagues, has arranged a fundraising day at the St Leonards Tesco store in East Kilbride where he works part-time.  On Saturday 18th May there will be bag packing, a tombola and a raffle with some great prizes from top Scottish football clubs. Laurie told us, “Raising cash for the Child Brain Injury Trust is my way of giving something back.”  Sounds like it’s going to be a great day! 

If you would like support or more information, contact our helpline on 0303 303 2248 or helpline@cbituk.org.
If you'd like to get involved in taking Action or supporting our work, please email Emily Honey.

Virgin London Marathon 2013

Ian Brennan with his medal at the finish

Like many, every year I like to get up early to watch the London Marathon on television. This year I was even more excited; I got up early to see if I could spot our two runners for the Child Brain Injury Trust. The male runners set off at about 10.00am and unfortunately my eye site wasn't good enough to pick out Alex Radford and Ian Brennan from the the 30,000+ runners also setting off.

People travel from all over the world to take part in this iconic race and our runners were no different. Ian Brennan travelled over from Northern Ireland and managed to complete the race in 4 hour and 4 minutes; whereas Alex Radford came all the way from Spain to join us on race day; completing the marathon in 4 hours and 28 minutes.

We thank both of the runners for their support, and congratulate Alex Radford for raising over £5,000. Alex chose to take part in the London Marathon to celebrate his 40th birthday. He said: "I have never run a Marathon before and I am absolutely terrified and delighted at the prospect of participating in the race and raising funds [for the Child Brain Injury Trust]."

Alex Radford raised over £5,000

Alex is still fundraising for the Child Brain Injury Trust; if you would like to show your support simply go to www.justgiving.com/LondonMarathon-Alex and make a donation.

We would like to extend our appreciation to all the runners who took part this year; without them this would not be the event it is. One can only imagine the dedication and passion you need to run a marathon, so a huge well done to everyone.

We would like to give specials thanks to Alex Radford, Irwin Mitchell and Ian Brennan for their support and hope they enjoyed the experience!

If you are interested in running in aid of the Child Brain Injury Trust, check out our website to see what we can offer or contact emilyhoney@cbituk.org to discuss further.


Posted by Emily Honey, Fundraising Assistant.

When the Bough Breaks - Annual Conference 2013

A huge thank you to all who attended our Annual Conference. 

One week ago we opened our annual conference at the Birmingham Hilton Metropole with a presentation from our parent speaker Mary Taylor White. This set the high standard of the rest of the day. Mary shared her own experiences with the different professionals and families who attended from across the country. We would like to take this moment to thank everyone who helped make this day a success. 

Mary Taylor White - Parent Speaker

This year's annual conference focused on the moment when the 'bough breaks'. We had a variety of speakers throughout the day who looked at different social areas that become impacted following an acquired brain injury. 

For those who were unable to attend we had our first live twitter feed available. This is still available to view by simply following #cbitconference. We had great fun tweeting on the day and look forward to more taking part next year. 

Among the speakers were Judith Middleton our ex-chair of trustees; Judith focused on the changes to the family unit following a brain injury, and the different social structures families can form as a result. Judith Middleton is a retired Consultant Paediatric Neuropsychologist. 

We have so many thanks to make and would like to express our appreciation to all our speakers who were very well presented and informative on a number of topics. Our new trustee Katie Byard delivered a useful presentation on the importance of family in the brain injury rehabilitation.

However, this year the presentations were not restricted to the conference room. We also had a poster display available for delegates and exhibitors to browse during the breaks.

Child Brain Injury Trust Youth Zone Exhibition

The annual conference also welcomed Beverley Turner to speak about her own experiences of living with her husband James Cracknell OBE, following his brain injury. Her presentation entitled 'Who's Moved my Keys' was a wonderful look into the everyday struggles families face following a brain injury. 

The day was rounded off with a presentation from Lee Ryan of Frenkel Topping on the current welfare benefits. A very fitting topic following the recent changes that have now come into place. 

A special thank you goes out to our sponsors; Ashton KCJ, Anthony Collins, Irwin Mitchell and Towry. 

If you would like to explore the presentations in more detail, please go to our website.

Once again thank you to everyone who attended and we look forward to seeing you next year! 

Photography by Simon Hadley

Written by Emily Honey, Fundraising Assistant  

Annual Impact Report

Read all about it! 

Our Annual Impact Report is now available to read online.  It includes a look back at the development and achievements of the Child Brain Injury Trust over the last financial year, including the last ever Chairman's Report from Judith Middleton, who says:

"Our long term strategy is to bring support to more children and families, to inform more professionals who work with these children, whether in health, education, social services or within the youth justice system, of the effects of acquired brain injury, and to influence the Government to ensure that appropriate help and support is available where needed."

You can read our report below. 

Child Brain Injury Trust Annual Impact Report April 2011 - March 2012 by Fundraising Team

Have you booked your place for our 2013 Annual Conference yet?

Annual Conference – Weds 27th March 2013, Hilton Birmingham Metropole

When the Bough Breaks

As the title suggests – when families are faced with a child’s brain injury they often describe it as if ‘part of their family has broken’. This means that they need to cope in new ways to understand what has happened and to ensure that the family moves forward as positively as possible. 

Our 2013 conference is your opportunity to learn about the issues that families face on a day to day basis following childhood acquired brain injury. The event will showcase findings from new evidence-based research, expert practitioners and the real life experiences of families living with the consequences of childhood acquired brain injury.

This conference aims to raise awareness of the issues families face when a child’s brain is injured.  It aims to showcase academic research, successful interventions and highlight how professionals can embrace the subject matter positively in their day to day work. 

Confirmed speakers so far include:

• Dr Peter Tucker - Clinical Psychologist and Chartered Psychologist 
• Dr Judith Middleton - Consultant Paediatric Neuropsychologist 
• Lee Ryan – Benefits Caseworker
• Parents - affected by childhood acquired brain injury 
• Dr Carol Hawley - Principle Research Fellow 
• Dr Katie Byard - Consultant Paediatric Neuropsychologist 
• Dr Anita Rose - Consultant Neuropsychologist 

Delegate Fees:

• Early Bird (book before 31/01/2013) Standard delegate place – £170
• Standard delegate place – £190
• Early Bird (book before 31/01/2013) Voluntary and Public Sector place – £140
• Voluntary and Public Sector – £160
• Legal Directory Member – £170
• Parent place - £10

To book your place and to see the full brochure for this event, please visit http://www.childbraininjurytrust.org.uk/services_cands.html

We look forward to seeing you in March!

Best wishes,
The Child Brain Injury Trust

This event is kindly supported by Anthony Collins Solicitors, Ashton KCJ Solicitors, Irwin Mitchell Solicitors and Towry.

Merry Christmas Everybody!

Festive fun for everyone!

Santa and Mrs Claus took time out of their busy schedule to bring toys to the boys and girls supported by our project in Northern Ireland at a recent family day out.  A cracking time was had by all at this well loved event, made possible by the Abby Harding Foundation.


Scottish project team Claire, Mary and Beth with Dani Greer
of Digby Brown and her goody bag delivering helpers!

Meanwhile, the Scottish project team were able to take 160 people along to watch Cinderella at the Lyceum theatre, Edinburgh!  A modern reimagining of the traditional tale, everyone enjoyed the songs, the ugly sisters and the goody bags supplied by Digby Brown solicitors who also sponsored the event.  

We're definitely starting to feel festive!



Posted by Claire, Regional Fundraising Officer (Scotland)