Over 500,000 people in the UK are living with disabilities caused by brain injury. Scars can fade and bones heal but a brain injury stays for life and affects all you think, feel and do. Brain injury happens not just to an individual but to the whole family.
Headway Cardiff provides specialist rehabilitation and support programmes covering the south east Wales area, to enable hundreds of survivors of brain injury, their families and carers to cope with the difficulties that may arise. Over the past three years Headway Cardiff has supported over 1,400 brain injured people aged 17 – 74 years, together with their families from all walks of life. Without the support of Headway Cardiff many people with brain injuries would live very lonely, isolated lives or would be in care homes. The whole local community benefits when the families and survivors are better able to cope and are able to play a positive role in the local community.
Our Staff
Headway Cardiff seeks to employ individuals who have excellent inter-personal skills and are committed to delivering an excellent service. We are a small organisation, requiring staff who are flexible and empathetic and can work on their own with initiative and enthusiasm. Knowledge of social care, health and third sectors services is important.
Our Volunteers
Volunteers play a vital role in enabling Headway Cardiff to deliver the full range of services. Volunteering opportunities for anyone over the age of 16 years are mostly during the day supporting staff in the independence and wellbeing centre and in social groups. Volunteers also help with fundraising. It is an ideal experience for students of medical professions, psychology and sociology. Headway Cardiff invests in training volunteers and particularly values those who could potentially be longer term volunteers.
Lynne’s appeal for help brought Outreach Worker, Tania, to her house.
The lack of support services after hospital discharge was very evident in her appearance, poor health and appalling living conditions. A haemorrhage left Lynne* with significant physical and cognitive problems. She had not left the house in months and was very low and isolated. She was unable to get upstairs so she slept on the sofa in the only room downstairs and used a commode.
An urgent referral to Social Services brought in care and support. Social Services installed a stair lift and walk-in shower so for the first time in 2 years Lynne was able to get properly washed in hot water and sleep in her own bed. Headway’s Welfare Benefits Officer has been able to significantly improve the financial situation also securing a Headway UK emergency grant to fix the heating and deep clean the house.
The transformation in Lynne’s life has been amazing. Now she thoroughly enjoys attending the Cardiff Independence and Wellbeing Centre each week, is making friends and is gaining hugely in confidence.
“I can’t thank Headway Cardiff enough,” says Lynne, “I wish I had been told about them when I left hospital.” *Named changed to protect identity.
To ensure that our services continue to be delivered to those who need us most, Headway Cardiff needs to raise over £150,000 each year. £5 per month will ensure that another person like Lynne receives the support she needs.
Statistics show that every 90 seconds someone in the UK is admitted to hospital with brain injury and our challenge has never been greater. Your support has never been more valuable. To make a donation or to find out more about our services and how we can help please go to www.headwaycardiff.org.uk
You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
