New lifeline for head injury victims (From The Westmorland Gazette)

New lifeline for head injury victims

7:00pm Wednesday 24th October 2012 in News By Daniel Orr, Reporter

VICTIMS of serious head injuries, and their families, often struggle to pick up the pieces and rebuild their lives.

But a new charity - Headway South Cumbria - has been launched aimed at helping people who have experienced brain trauma to start again.

And with one million people a year being treated for head injuries nationally, Glenys Marriott, chairman of the new Kendal-based branch, wants those affected to know they are not alone in dealing with the aftermath.

“A head injury can happen to anybody at any time without warning,” she said.

“They are normally caused by accidents, perhaps in a car, on a motorbike, or on a horse, or perhaps from a brain tumour, or haemmorhage. It is not a case of it being restricted to extreme sports.

“We have got brilliant neuro-surgery, with a major trauma unit at Preston, where people can be airlifted, but the impact of what happens to you, and your family, afterwards is massive.

“People are having their lives saved, but their lives are totally turned around. “They need support and help, as do their families, and we want to get to as many as we can and invite them to join our group, then we can see what needs they have.”

The aftermath of a head injury can include loss of memory, imbalance, persist-ent headaches, fatigue, and not being able to recognise family and friends.

“One of our members will ask her mother the same question 20 times a day because she cannot remem-ber, and this is a lady in her late 20s,” added Mrs Marriott.

“There are a lot of people who feel very lonely as a result of their brain injury. “One child said she did not know her father any more because he wasn’t the man he had been before his accident. We are here to help.”

Meetings are scheduled for the first Thursday of each month, at 1pm, at the Castle Street Centre, Kendal. The group will also be organising activities, such as cruises on Windermere. For more det-ails, visit www.headwaysouth cumbria.wordpress.com