The most innovative and proactive brain injury association in Western Canada is celebrating a milestone.
The Prince George brain injured group(BIG) is celebrating 30 years of service to people living with brain injuries.
BIG held a gathering for people living with brain injuries, their families, and the community at their centre downtown, taking a trip down memory lane.
The Brain Injury Group of #CityOfPG is celebrating 30 years of operation. BIG is recognized across the province for the work they do to help people with brain injuries pic.twitter.com/pt0f0wgxEP
— My Prince George Now (@mypgnow) February 15, 2018
“30 year ago there was nothing in Northern BC for people with brain injury, at all,” says Executive Director of BIG Alison Hagreen. “It was actually a family member of somebody who had a brain injury, about 5 years previously, and had to move to Vancouver to get services. That family decided they needed to get something going here.”
Hagreen says BIG is the largest brain injury society in all of BC, serving about 2,000 people.
The organization is looking forward to the next 30 years and has plans to keep up their reputation.
“We’re hoping to start some outreach services for people in corrections throughout the northern part of BC. We’re doing some research about a stroke recovery centre here in Prince George, there’s nothing in Northern BC for stroke recovery or concussion.”
PG BIG also created and piloted the first brain injury education program in a correction institution in Canada. This program won a Healthier You Award, as well as a provincial Public Service Award in 2017. The program educates both staff and inmates about brain injury.