5 years with SameYou
On March 21, 2024, SameYou marks its five-year anniversary.
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From the moment we launched, and Emilia told her story, thousands of survivors reached out to us to share details of their own journeys – which shockingly revealed a huge unmet need for rehabilitation.
line_escaped : <p>From the moment we launched, and Emilia told her story, thousands of survivors reached out to us to share details of their own journeys – which shockingly revealed a huge unmet need for rehabilitation.</p> line_encoded : %3Cp%3EFrom+the+moment+we+launched%2C+and+Emilia+told+her+story%2C+thousands+of+survivors+reached+out+to+us+to+share+details+of+their+own+journeys+%E2%80%93+which+shockingly+revealed+a+huge+unmet+need+for+rehabilitation.%3C%2Fp%3EFrom the moment we launched, and Emilia told her story, thousands of survivors reached out to us to share details of their own journeys – which shockingly revealed a huge unmet need for rehabilitation.
That important outpouring from survivors led us to forging key partnerships with world-leading universities, health institutions and healthcare professionals to create innovations and solutions to help change the lives of survivors.
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Here we look back on all that has been achieved.
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In The News
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Calling for better brain injury rehabilitation
Calling for better brain injury rehabilitation
Brain Injury Awareness Month is dedicated to highlighting the complexities of brain injury and its true impact on survivors.
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Emilia and Jenny receive their MBE awards at Windsor Castle
Emilia and Jenny receive their MBE awards at Windsor Castle
SameYou co-founders Emilia and Jenny Clarke attended Windsor Castle today to receive their MBE awards for services to People with Brain Injuries.
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SameYou joins forces with healthcare charities to call for better access to rehab
SameYou joins forces with healthcare charities to call for better access to rehab
SameYou is backing a major campaign calling for an end to the postcode lottery for NHS rehabilitation services that help people recover from illness and accidents such as car crashes, cancer or strokes.
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 normalise 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 realise, 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, please get in touch here.
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Portrait: Emma
Portrait: Emma
Emma's story highlights how, despite experiencing a stroke and facing multiple life-saving surgeries, she had the courage and determination to rebuild her life.
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Portrait: Duncan
Portrait: Duncan
11 years ago, I was a 38-year-old P.E. teacher and father of 2 young children when I collapsed in my bathroom early one morning while getting ready for work...
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Portrait: John
Portrait: John
My story takes place back in May of 2000 when I was 10 years old. Around 5 pm on a Friday afternoon I started having a bad headache. I told my parents about it and they handed me some Tylenol, assuming it was just my allergies. That didn’t solve the problem.
I later found out that I was experiencing a brain AVM (arteriovenous malformation) - a tangle of blood vessels that connects arteries to veins. It had started to rupture on the left side of my brain causing the pain to get worse. I told my parents I was dying.
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Portrait: Kerry
Portrait: Kerry
In 2013, I suffered a ruptured brain aneurysm, like Emilia. It happened out of the blue, just 3 months after my baby was born. I had been experiencing what I would say was a very mild, dull headache for a few days. A bit like a hangover and I couldn’t shift it.
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Portrait: Tamsyn
Portrait: Tamsyn
7 years ago, on a Saturday after a night out, I felt unwell. I thought maybe it was a hangover. I went to bed early and woke the next morning with a terrible headache...
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.