The impact of isolation on families
Brain injuries often affect more than the person recovering - they create a ripple effect that touches family, friends and their entire support networks. Isolation can be one of the hardest challenges, leading to feelings of loneliness and stress for survivors and their loved ones.
line_escaped : <p class="xmsonormal0"><span>Brain injuries often affect more than the person recovering - they create a ripple effect that touches family, friends and their entire support networks. </span><span>Isolation can be one of the hardest challenges, leading to feelings of loneliness and stress for survivors and their loved ones. </span></p> line_encoded : %3Cp+class%3D%22xmsonormal0%22%3E%3Cspan%3EBrain+injuries+often+affect+more+than+the+person+recovering+-+they+create+a+ripple+effect+that+touches+family%2C+friends+and+their+entire+support+networks.%C2%A0%3C%2Fspan%3E%3Cspan%3EIsolation+can+be+one+of+the+hardest+challenges%2C+leading+to+feelings+of+loneliness+and+stress+for+survivors+and+their+loved+ones.%C2%A0%3C%2Fspan%3E%3C%2Fp%3EBrain injuries often affect more than the person recovering - they create a ripple effect that touches family, friends and their entire support networks. Isolation can be one of the hardest challenges, leading to feelings of loneliness and stress for survivors and their loved ones.
In collaboration with Anchor Point, a national association of strategic influencers committed to change to improve the lives of families after ABI, we explore how the experience of isolation may differ depending on whether you are a survivor or a family member.
line_escaped : <p class="xmsonormal0"><span>In collaboration with Anchor Point, a national association of strategic influencers committed to change to improve the lives of families after ABI, we explore how the experience of isolation may differ depending on whether you are a survivor or a family member.</span></p> line_encoded : %3Cp+class%3D%22xmsonormal0%22%3E%3Cspan%3EIn+collaboration+with+Anchor+Point%2C+a+national+association+of+strategic+influencers+committed+to+change+to+improve+the+lives+of+families+after+ABI%2C+we+explore+how+the+experience+of+isolation+may+differ+depending+on+whether+you+are+a+survivor+or+a+family+member.%3C%2Fspan%3E%3C%2Fp%3EIn collaboration with Anchor Point, a national association of strategic influencers committed to change to improve the lives of families after ABI, we explore how the experience of isolation may differ depending on whether you are a survivor or a family member.
See more here.
line_escaped : <p class="xmsonormal">See more <a href="https://www.sameyou.org/news">here</a>.</p> line_encoded : %3Cp+class%3D%22xmsonormal%22%3ESee+more+%3Ca+href%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Fwww.sameyou.org%2Fnews%22%3Ehere%3C%2Fa%3E.%3C%2Fp%3ESee more here.
line_escaped : <p> </p> line_encoded : %3Cp%3E%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E
In The News
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SameYou Advocate Chiara speaks at the UK Stroke Forum
SameYou Advocate Chiara speaks at the UK Stroke Forum
SameYou Advocate, Chiara Beer, took part in a panel discussion focused on young stroke survivors at the UK Stroke Forum, outlining the challenges to healthcare professionals.
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Spread some holiday cheer during our gift appeal
Spread some holiday cheer during our gift appeal
Brain injury happens in an instant. It doesn’t just happen to the brain but to the whole person - and everyone around them. Whether it's a one-time or recurring gift, your contribution through SameYou's Gift Appeal supports our vision to transform the way brain injury survivors and their loved ones are helped through emotional, mental health and cognitive recovery services.
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Raising awareness of young survivors in an ITV interview
Raising awareness of young survivors in an ITV interview
SameYou co-founder Jenny Clarke MBE, raises awareness for young stroke survivors in an ITV interview.
Survivor Stories
Many of you have written to SameYou about your experience of brain injury and told us how you identified with Emilia's story. There was a common feeling of relief about hearing a familiar story from someone young, and speaking out to normalize the injury. People were comforted that Emilia had gone through something similar to them or to a family member or loved one.
The overwhelming emotion was of gratitude that Emilia was breaking her silence and that enabled and emboldened so many others to tell their brain injury story - some for the first time. It was as if people now have permission to speak out about their story.
I get days when I just want to give up. But after hearing your story it has made me realize, I'm not on my own!
You have told us that by sharing your stories, and reading other people's, offers hope, comfort and much needed peer-to-peer support that is often hard to find.
SameYou have created this support resource called Portraits to tell the untold story of brain injury. If you would like to share your story, you can submit your story via our Share your story page.
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Portrait: Georgina
Portrait: Georgina
I frequently complained about intense pain behind one of my eyes, which I assumed was a migraine. This pain often left me violently sick throughout the day, but the common advice I received was simply to have a can of Coke to ease the discomfort.
By this time, I had become a regular at the doctor’s office, having been referred to an optician, and experiencing multiple changes to my contraception. All of this seemed to be part and parcel of being cabin crew and living with the effects of fluctuating air pressure.
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Portrait: Paul
Portrait: Paul
On April 7, 2017, at age 22, I was unintentionally shot in the head by my best friend in our on-campus apartment, one month before college graduation. He was in his bedroom, fooling around with a gun he didn’t know was loaded, and by some means, he pulled the trigger.
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Portrait: Timofey
Portrait: Timofey
On May 9, 2024, Timofey suffered an ischemic stroke in the brainstem, which then caused a hemorrhagic symptom in the pontine region. This life-altering event has brought numerous challenges, but also moments of profound hope and progress.
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Portrait: Mariana
Portrait: Mariana
My name is Mariana Hibert, I'm Mexican and I'm a social worker. My brain injury story begins in my adolescence when I was diagnosed at the age of 19 with Takayasu's Arteritis. a rare genetic and immune disease affecting the circulatory system. It's seen as an arterial inflammation causing an obstruction or aneurysm towards any vital organs. In my case, both of the carotids were occluded, so the blood irrigation of the brain was insufficient.
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Portrait: Jon
Portrait: Jon
Something didn’t feel right. I felt like my vision had changed. I was aware that I couldn’t see the full windscreen from my position in the driver’s seat. This was odd. I thought it was a migraine so I decided to leave the car, take my son on a short walk to my father’s house, take some paracetamol and have a lie down.
This short film tells the stories of brain injury survivors from the survivors themselves
We asked them to tell us how they feel. Some of them have done this for the very first time. We applaud their courage for speaking out. We invite everyone to hear and understand the lived experiences of brain injury and find out what has helped people recover and what is needed to help so many more.
Brain injury doesn’t only happen to the brain…
Brain injury happens to the whole person: body, brain and spirit. So we have developed a range of resources to help you find your SameYou.
