CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — Simon Micklethwaite knows from first-hand experience how life-changing a brain injury could be.
Now, as part of Brain Injury Awareness Month, the president of the Brain Injury Association of P.E.I. is trying to expand the organization’s reach and help others.
Micklethwaite was stationed in Afghanistan in 2009 with the Canadian Armed Forces as a bomb technician.
They were headed to the scene of an explosion when he drove over an improvised explosive device (IAD).
He suffered brain and back injuries and was immediately repatriated to Canada.
The native of Middleton, N.S., ultimately left the military in 2014.
Suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, Micklethwaite and his family moved to P.E.I. in search of a quieter life.
Not happy in retirement, he found out about the P.E.I. association and decided to join and ended up taking over as president when Kenneth Murnaghan stepped down three years ago.
Micklethwaite is now trying to expand the scope of the organization’s work to include peer-oriented support.
“We’re trying to do what we can to change the aspect of (the organization) a little bit," Mickelthwaite said.
Did you know?
Following is some information provided by the Brain Injury Association of P.E.I.:
- It is anticipated that a brain injury will occur in Canada every 3.5 minutes.
- Most common causes include motor vehicle collisions, falls, bicycle accidents, workplace injuries, sports injuries, assaults and medical conditions.
- Physical consequences can involve movement problems, co-ordination and balance issues, full or partial paralysis, chronic pain, fatigue, seizures and sleep problems.
- A brain injury can impair the sense of smell and/or taste and result in vision or hearing difficulties, as well as leave people with impaired speech, word-finding problems and a difficulty in understanding oral, written or non-verbal language.
- People can experience difficulty expressing emotions appropriately, mood swings, low frustration, anger management and depression.
- A brain injury can result in problems with concentration and focus, solving difficulties and challenges with memory and information processing.
Wendi Plets, a stroke survivor who is also a board member, said they want to spread the word that there are people out there who will listen and that Islanders who have sustained a brain injury are not alone.
“I went to the association looking for a peer support group," Plets said.
“People need to know that we’re not mentally handicapped. We have issues, yes, but we’re still functioning human beings."
Elton Poole, a Type 1 diabetic, said he spent nine years thinking he was the only person who experienced problems following a stroke 13 years ago.
“I have no balance, and my energy level is greatly reduced compared to what I had before," Poole said.
“I thought I was alone until I met this group. The first time I went I was absolutely amazed. I was sitting at a table with eight to 10 other people who knew exactly what I was going through."
Poole is also now a board member.
“People need to know about this. This isn’t just about the (after-effects) of accidents and sports injuries, but all health issues, and it's all brain related."
Micklethwaite said too often people who have a brain injury sit home and feel alone, struggling with depression and suicidal thoughts.
“We’re trying to get the word out to people to say, ‘look we're here. We want to sit down with you. We want you to know that you’re not alone and we want to hear your stories’," Micklethwaite said.
Board members recently met with Premier Dennis King to talk about financial help.
They hope to set up satellite locations across the province, even if it’s just an empty room where they can meet clients just to chat.
In the meantime, the organization hosts meetings usually on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month at Jack Blanchard Hall on Pond Street in Charlottetown and on the third Saturday each month in Summerside.
More information will be available on the group’s Facebook page.
