THE BRAIN CHARITY
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THE BRAIN CHARITY
A 24-year-old in good health wakes up in the middle of the night . His right side has gone numb and his speech is slurred : he is having a stroke . In hospital he is diagnosed with an arteriovenous malformation ( AVM ), a tangle of blood vessels on the brain , and undergoes a life-saving operation . When he wakes up , he cannot speak or use the right side of his body .
He didn ’ t know it was possible to experience a stroke so young : it has turned his life upside down . He turns to The Brain Charity . The Charity help him with welfare benefits advice now he is unable to work full time , and provide him with free speech and language therapy , giving him back his voice , his independence and his agency .
Each year The Brain Charity supports more than 3,000 people with neurological conditions to live longer , healthier , happier lives .
Pippa Sargent , CEO of The Brain Charity , said : " There are over 600 known neurological conditions - disorders of the brain , spinal cord or nerves . Many are well-known and all too common , such as dementia , stroke , epilepsy , brain injury or multiple sclerosis . However , there are also many very rare conditions that only affect a few people in the country .
" For someone diagnosed with Alice in Wonderland syndrome , for example , or stiff Person Syndrome , which Celene Dion talked about recently , life can become very lonely and frightening . Getting the right support can make such a difference to people ’ s lives and future .”
The Brain Charity is unique in that it supports people no matter which neurological condition they are living with , and their families too . The charity also champions neurodiversity .
Pippa adds “ The human brain is the most complex and unique structure in the known universe . It is responsible for every thought , action , memory , feeling and experience we have of the world , making our decisions and producing the thousands of subtle differences that make us who we are . The neurodiversity movement celebrates the fact that these differences create people with a host of talents and that this diversity makes for a stronger society .”
The Brain Charity is based in Liverpool but supports people across Wirral , Merseyside and throughout the UK by providing practical help – like information and advice , emotional support such as counselling and a wider range of social activities in person and online .
The charity also has a specialist Neuro Gym , runs arts-based projects for children and young people and operates a successful neurodiversity training programme for businesses , to help more workplaces become neurodiversity-friendly .
Visit The Brain Charity for more information : www . thebraincharity . org . uk
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