Over 20-thousand people in Canada are hospitalized each year with a traumatic brain injury.
That’s according to the Prince George Brain Injured Group Society.
Case Manager, Paul Zorzi is happy to see the issue garner more national attention as concussions in sports continue to be monitored.
“I just came across a study where a Canadian university is tracking high school football athletes through their adult athletic career to see if those concussions they may have experienced as teenagers may have lasting effects throughout their life.”
“I don’t think those studies were being done 20-30 years ago so there is a growing awareness. I think that coaches and youth leaders or anyone who is involved with young people are hopefully starting to grow a real sensitivity when it comes to prevention of head injuries.”
Zorzi added the lasting impacts of a brain injury often vary from person to person.
“Some of these are very minor with very few effects that can be managed and unfortunately some people have more serious injuries when effects can be lifelong.”
“We have many members who have survived a significant crash that involved a head injury and that would be an example of a traumatic injury and then non-traumatic injuries are if someone has had a stroke or whether it would be a brain tumour or there could be a substance abuse issue over time.”
June is Brain Injury Awareness Month in Canada.
The local society’s office is located at 1070 4th Avenue.
Something going on in the Prince George area you think people should know about?
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