In wake of tragic ATV accident, new program launched for help with brain injuries

In the wake of a tragic ATV accident in Trout River, theNewfoundland and Labrador Brain Injury Association(NLBIA)islaunching a new subsidized counselingprogram to help provide a range of servicesfor injured people andtheir families.

• Tragedy in Trout River prompts wife to speak out about ATV safety
• Trout River family say precious time lost in ATV accident

JeremyCrocker sufferedsevere brain trauma after an ATV accident last month, and remainsin a medically induced coma and on life support at the Health Sciences Centre in St. John's.

His future is uncertain and doctors have said Jeremy may never regain consciousness.

'Itcan be a really lonely place'

AngieSmith,the co-ordinator of programs and services with NLBIA, says sheknows first-hand some of the struggles families and patients face.

Support is really, really important for people going through this situationit can be a really lonely place.- Angie Smith

About10 years ago she suffered from aneurological dysfunction calledhypertensive encephalopathy.

She has recovered, but saidthatbrain injury symptoms can still present themselves even after an 80 or 90 per cent recovery.

Smith said regardless of the severity, dealing with an injury becomes a lifelongbattle for everyone involved which is why the NLBIA'snew program is needed.

"We will help people find what they need to find," Smith told CBC's On the Go.

"Support is really, really important for people going through this situationit can be a really lonely place, especially for the caregivers and families,survivors when they come home."

In arelease from the NLBIA, itstates that brain injuries are the largestcauseof death and disability in the province for people under the age of 44.

Smith said this exceeds the numbers of deaths and disabilitiesfrom things such as multiple sclerosis, cancer and all other illnesses combined.

What people need

For familieslike the Crockers, Smith said one of the biggest issues they faceis access to programs and services for mental health.

She saidadjusting to life with a disability issimilar togrief or lossand recovery comes in stages, which can require many different services.

We'vearranged to have counselors that we can match clients with for their particular needs.- AngieSmith

The regional healthboardsin the province provide the main source of counselling and programs, and Smith addedthey come with long wait lists.

TheNLBIA'scounseling subsidy hopes to alleviatethat wait time by providing subsidized counseling for families with privatepractitioners.

"We'vearranged throughout the entire province and Labradorto have counselors that we can match clients with for their particular needs," said Smith.

Smith added thatfamilies can go through major life changes during this time, such as loss of income, having to move or justadjusting to a new way of life when sharing a home with and injured person.

The NLBIAreceivessome fundingfrom the provincial government, but Smith said mostis acquiredthrough fundraising eventslike their upcoming familyskate, which is scheduled forSundayat The Glacier in Mount Pearl.

The event will also highlight the importanceof safety and wearing helmets, said Smith.