Improve Brain Injury Services in Canada

Sign the e-Petition and Email Your MP to Support Bill C-277

Please sign e-Petition #4266 calling upon the Government of Canada to support Bill C-277 to develop a national strategy to support and improve brain injury awareness, prevention, and treatment, as well as the rehabilitation and recovery of persons living with a brain injury.
Email your Member of Parliament and decision-makers by adding your name, email address and postal code on the right. Click on 'Add Your Voice' to submit.

These initiatives are supported by CGB Centre for Traumatic Life Losses, Brain Injury Canada, Cowichan Brain Injury Society, BC Brain Injury Association, community stakeholders, and individuals with lived experience.

Bill C-277 National Strategy on Brain Injury

Support Bill C-277 to develop a national strategy to support and improve brain injury awareness, prevention, and treatment, as well as the rehabilitation and recovery of persons living with a brain injury. Fill in your name, email address, and click on 'Add Your Voice'. We do the rest!

First Name *

Last Name *

Email Address *

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Dear [recipient position will go here] [recipient name will go here],

Your Letter *

According to the World Health Organization, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) will surpass many diseases as a major cause of death and disability by 2020 (Hyder et al, 2007).  In Canada, the annual incidence of acquired brain injury (ABI) is 44 times more common than spinal cord injuries, 30 times more common than breast cancer, and 400 times more common than HIV/AIDS. The incidence and prevalence of brain injury surpasses that of HIV/Aids, spinal cord injury, breast cancer and multiple sclerosis combined.

It’s estimated more than 165,000 new cases of traumatic brain injury annually occur in Canada, and an estimated national prevalence of over 1.5 million cases (Brain Injury Canada, n.d.). These statistics are grossly understated given the thousands of brain injuries resulting from concussions, intimate partner violence, violence among the homeless, individuals incarcerated, combat injuries and those surviving an opioid/stimulant poisoning that are not diagnosed, treated, or tracked medically. Many constituents are struggling to navigate a siloed system, preventing access to the services and supports they need.

I strongly encourage you to support MP Alistair MacGregor (Cowichan-Malahat-Langford) in his efforts to establish a national strategy on brain injuries and call upon the Minister of Health to consult with representatives of the provincial governments responsible for health, Indigenous groups and relevant stakeholders, including individuals and families with lived experience.

This letter writing campaign, coinciding with an e-Petition, is in response to the Call for Action established in the 2020 BC Heads Together Think Tank, whereby participants declared the responsibility of all levels of government to take action and respond to the Canada-wide brain injury crisis. These initiatives are supported by Brain Injury Canada, CGB Centre for Traumatic Life Losses, Cowichan Brain Injury Society, BC Brain Injury Association, community stakeholders, and individuals with lived experience.

As the Government of Canada, it is imperative steps are taken now to address the nation-wide plea for implementation of preventative measures, improved surveillance data, increased awareness, education, training, research, and establishing national guidelines on the prevention, diagnosis and management of brain injuries in all communities, including recommended standards of care that reflect best methodological, medical and psychosocial practices.

It's time to ensure collaboration and to provide financial support to national, provincial, and local brain injury associations and brain injury service providers to develop and provide enhanced and integrated mental health resources for persons living with a brain injury and their families.

Thank you for taking the time to listen to my concerns, and I look forward to receiving a response from you on this matter.  Please support Bill C-277 and improve the lives of brain injury survivors and their families.

Sincerely,
[your name will go here]
[your email address will go here] [your location will go here]

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