Brainstorm continues to change lives
Having to start over after suffering a stroke or head injury is not an easy task, but surrounding yourself with people who understand your situation may help to make the process bearable.
Non-profit organisation (NPO) Brainstorm Support Group provides support, education and group therapeutic services to people in the Ekurhuleni area who have suffered brain injuries, strokes, neurological injuries or diseases.
The NPO was founded about 10 years ago, by occupational therapist Sheldene Reynolds and speech therapist Ruthann Sedgwick.
The women saw a need for such an organisation to help members of the community in Benoni.
It started off with a session where families got together once a month, to interact and share their experiences on how to cope with people with head injuries.
The sessions then extended into a Wednesday and a Friday group, where members would participate in therapy sessions, exercise, occupational and speech therapy.
These sessions were aimed at giving caregivers a break.
The caregivers are volunteers who have dedicated their time to helping at Brainstorm.
”We love it here. It’s absolutely amazing to watch the progress of each member on a daily basis,” said Nicolette Scott, a volunteer at the organisation.
The organisation currently has 40 to 45 active members, who are taken on an excursion twice a year,
Apart from that, members are encouraged to interact and share their experiences with fellow members, who can relate to what they have been through.
Re-teaching the brain to concentrate again and to be aware of what’s happening around them is one of the goals Brainstorm aims to achieve.
Scott said: ”Your brain is like a tree that has been blown down by the wind, a forest that’s been devastated by a tornado.
”As it slowly starts regenerating a little branch will grow, then a twig and then a leaf will appear, and that’s what happens to the brain after a head injury.”
She mentioned how heart-warming it’s been to watch the friendships that members have formed during their time at Brainstorm.
Members who have left the organisation have gone on to various places and now live normal lives.
Witnessing members who were told that they would never walk, talk or read again doing the opposite and going against the odds, pushing themselves to reach a certain place, is something that is life-changing for her.
”The things we take for granted are the most difficult things that these members have to learn all over again; something as simple as putting one foot in front of the other,” said Scott.
People who have suffered any head injuries are welcome to join the organisation.
The meetings are held at 89 Mowbray Avenue.
For more information, contact Scott on 081 385 8949.
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