Award-winning brain injury care specialist The Complete Group is encouraging people to become more brain aware in support of a global week-long campaign.
Brain Awareness Week, which takes place from 11-17 March, is a worldwide celebration that aims to raise public awareness of progress in brain research.
Complete is a specialist in care for adults and children with complex conditions – including acquired and traumatic brain injury, Huntington’s disease and spinal cord injuries – that enables them to live independently at home. During Brain Awareness Week, on 12 March, Complete will find out if it has been successful in the Laing & Buisson Independent Specialist Care Awards.
The company has been shortlisted in the brain injury category, which recognises excellence in the provision of brain injury rehabilitation.
The success of Complete’s approach to brain injury care is highlighted by client Fiona Bramhall, who has spoken of her pride in her achievements since suffering a severe brain injury in a serious car accident in 1998. She became a Complete client in 2006.
With the support of her care team of Complete Personal Assistants and friends, Fiona has been able to rebuild her life and come to terms with the loss of her husband Phil, who died in the accident, and later of her son James, who had been paralysed from the waist down in the accident. She also had to give up her career as a contact lens optician.
Fiona recently organised her own 50th birthday party, putting months of preparation into the event. She said: “For a long time after my accident, I never thought I could do anything like my 50th birthday party.
“I am so grateful for the support I have received in order to achieve so much: undertaking voluntary work at Capricorn Animal Rescue in Mold, learning skills like calligraphy. All these activities give me confidence to speak to people.
“At my party I made a speech. It may only have been a few words but for those who know me, they realise how difficult that would have been a number of years ago.
“I feel proud of what I have achieved. I don’t know what the future will hold but I am confident that with support and guidance from the team, I can look forward to what the future offers.”
The Complete Group’s Managing Director Sally Yandle said: “Fiona’s story is an inspiring one and underlines the value that specialist care and support can make to people with brain injuries. Brain Awareness Week is an excellent opportunity to raise awareness of the way that progress in brain research benefits health care.”
In the Laing & Buisson awards, Complete has also been shortlisted in the personalisation category. In June, the Complete team that won the Care Team category in the Great North East Care Awards will be a finalist in at the Great British Care Awards and also in June, the company will take its place in the finals of the HealthInvestor Awards 2013, in the complex care provider category.
Brain Awareness Week was launched by the US-based Dana Foundation, an organisation supporting brain research, in 1996. More information is available at www.dana.org/brainweek
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The Complete Group
www.completegroup.co.uk
