New help for brain-injured (From York Press)

New help for brain-injured

10:31am Saturday 8th September 2007 in News By Mike Laycock, Chief reporter

A CHARITY which offers a helping hand to brain injury victims and their families is set to be re-launched in York this autumn.

A public meeting is being organised at the Priory Centre on Monday November 26, with the aim of setting up a York branch of Headway.

Organisers are hoping that the event will be attended by the Lord Mayor and a representative of York Hospital will be able to come along to talk about neurology services.

Spokesman Stuart Hanley said that Headway offered a wide range of services for people suffering from brain injuries and their families, including rehabilitation programmes, care and support, social reintegration, community outreach and respite care.

He said: "Headway is as much about supporting the families as brain-injured patients themselves."

He said patients often left hospital and felt alone. The charity would give an opprtunity for patients and families to meet up with others in a similar situation and talk about their experiences.

He said: "They are able to offer each other mutual support."

There was a branch of the charity in York for some years, but it fell into decline, but now a concerted effort has been launched to get it up and running again.

The Press reported recently how a young brother and sister from Bishopthorpe, whose father had suffered a massive brain haemorrhage, had organised a sponsored walk to thank medical staff who helped him recover and to raise funds for the new Headway branch.

Julia and Andrew Seager, aged 12 and ten respectively, whose father Mark Seager is a lecturer at the College of Law, raised a staggering £3,362, some of which went towards the new branch.

Nearly 100 pupils Archbishop of York's Junior School joined staff from the College of Law for the three-mile walk from their school to the college, where they were joined by staff before walking together along the cycle path back to Bishopthorpe.

For more information about the meeting, phone Ann Hurley on 01709 511999.