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Mary – Retirement from Driving Volunteer

This week – National Volunteer Week, we chatted to Mary, our fabulous volunteer who helps support people through the process of retirement from driving, which can happen after illness, injury or from declining health.

What made you decide to become a volunteer?

In the past, I have worked as an English as a Second Language tutor and in Special Education . I believe that people have special strengths and should use these to help others. I love both creative and journalistic writing so use this to record any work I do. When I read of this volunteer role in “Volunteer Canterbury” I remembered how my husband reacted when we were told he could no longer drive, due to ill health and I have used this experience as a basis for my interaction in this role.

What is your role?

As the retirement from driving volunteer, I am notified of senior citizens who have lost their licences who would like some support in navigating this change. I wait a day or two and I contact them and generally chat for a bit, some are quite angry, so we talk it through, I support them and note their circumstances. I arrange to visit them or I can just chat over the phone if they prefer.

I send the person information about “Life After Driving” from Laura Fergusson Brain Injury Trust. There are actually many wonderful services out there for people who can no longer drive – Gold Band and Blue Star have 75% off their fares with a mobility services card so it makes travelling around more affordable. You can also save money by selling your car, and you’ll save on registration, maintenance, petrol and insurance. Uber has a new system that older people can register for. St John also has a service shuttle for transport to medical appointments – for a donation. Many people feel much better knowing about these services.

What do you enjoy about it?

I really enjoy meeting the people because everyone has a story to tell. Because I am not a friend or family member, they feel that can talk to me about what they are going through. Many people have quite a lot of concerns about not driving, so I just listen to their concerns. They are really pleased to have someone to talk to who they don’t have any personal history with. Some are very indignant, and I can understand that, because so much of our lives revolve around driving, but they usually feel a lot better once they know there is support that can help. I just give them practical information and a listening ear.

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As driving becomes more challenging for our aging population, we’re here to help. Our volunteer support role provides emotional and practical assistance during the transition from driver to non-driver. This service is unique to Laura Fergusson Brain Injury Trust. We’re committed to ensuring your transportation needs are met in new ways, offering hope and understanding throughout the process. We are so grateful to Mary for her amazing work in supporting people going through this transition!

National Volunteer Week – Simon Mortimer

At LFBIT, we have an incredible range of volunteers who contribute in their own way to what we do. From helping out in week to week activities, to helping run events, we are consistently overwhelmed by the time and effort our volunteers put in. This week we’d love to acknowledge one of these fantastic people: Simon Mortimer.

Nineteen years ago, Simon fell off his mountain bike and suffered a severe TBI.

“The things one does for a ride in a helicopter!” says Simon. “I have no real memory of my accident and the next four weeks in hospital. All I know is I broke my helmet, jaw and ‘jumbled up the marbles’ in my head. I was lucky, it could easily have been a lot worse.”

Recovery took time, to this day Simon has reminders of his TBI in his speech, and tiredness if he overworks. These days, he works three days a week, and has found himself with a little extra free time. Because of this, Simon decided it was time to help those who were in need and got in contact with us at LFBIT. Looking to help in any way he could, a role was found to support Can Do Catering with maintaining its vegetable garden.

Since 2021, Simon has helped out in the vegetable garden, planting, weeding and nurturing the vegetables that Can Do Catering use for their work. There is plenty to grow, with broccoli, spring onions, carrots, courgettes, edible flowers, and even some self-seeded cherry tomatoes that have sprung up thanks to some soil that Simon has brought.

“I generally visit once a week and spend 30 – 60 minutes in the garden depending on what needs to be done. I find it therapeutic and really enjoy it.”

Simon says that since his TBI he has found change in personality, for the better. He has found he has a higher sense of empathy and understanding, and is more willing to share emotions than he once was. Because of this, he wanted to volunteer for any work available at LFBIT, and we are so grateful for everything he has done!

Staff Appreciation Post: Lizzie McKay

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Today we would love to celebrate the work of Lizzie Mckay, one of our brilliant physiotherapists. As you will see, her work extends above and beyond what you may imagine the role of “physiotherapist” entails.

Lizzie has been with the Laura Fergusson Brain Injury Trust since January 2022 and works across many areas in the organisation. Beginning working in our rehab team with Training for Independence clients, she has since also moved into working simultaneously with our assessment team on specialised client equipment. “Equipment” could be a handcycle, a power add-on to a wheelchair, a sit ski, or could even be as simple as walking poles. She also has started working within our wheelchair and seating team and is also studying towards her level one accreditation.

For Lizzie, day-to-day work as a physiotherapist is never the same. There may be work in the office; writing reports and enquiring about equipment with suppliers, and supervising peers in different teams. But the majority of Lizzie’s work is done out and about.

“It could vary from being on Mount Hutt for the day skiing with a client; to getting a client into open water swimming, being at the beach or supporting them into the hydro pool; or getting them into the Port Hills, helping them to do some hiking; or even trials for equipment, at Bottle Lake or the Waimakariri River for hand cycles or; we could be working at the client’s house, on the pavement, or indoors with powered wheels; I could be at Ilam Road doing orthotic gait trials.” “It’s very, very varied!”

For the most part, Lizzie is on the road exploring new areas for her clients to expand into Sometimes this can be as far as the West Coast, where she will go for two days and see a group of clients, before making the drive back.

“The services over there are quite limited because of their population size. Our specialist service is integral to the recovery and rehab of the people who live there.”

Lizzie always knew she wanted to work with people in healthcare. Growing up, she spent time with family members who had Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis. After attending a physiotherapy seminar, and in watching the care of family, she immediately knew it was something she wanted to do herself.

“Being able to support other families who are going through lots of change is really quite special. I strive to empower them so that they feel a little control during a sometimes-powerless period. I really appreciate that I get to facilitate their journeys and hopefully make it feel less daunting and scary.”

The many paths that physiotherapy can take were also a big motivating factor for Lizzie. While living in the UK, Lizzie found herself working with spinal injuries and in critical care, and now in NZ, she has found herself specialising in neuro and adaptive sports. It is a career that is open to exploring something new!

“I feel very fortunate that I found a vocation that keeps me engaged, and is something I am really proud of. I’ve been able to enable access for others and promote inclusivity in the outdoors and sport. It’s a honour.”

One huge highlight of her work is seeing her clients thrive in a space that they didn’t know they could experience or explore.

“I remember once at Mount Hutt, there was all this commotion behind me, and I turned around and saw one of our clients skiing with his friends. It was so cool to see him in that realm, with people being like, ‘Whoa, like, what’s that?’ Other people were talking to him, engaging with him. It’s pretty amazing, because we’d spent three months teaching his dad and his friends how to do it with Adpative Snow Sports Canterbury, and then actually to see them putting it all to use was awesome.”

“Helping other people to be able to access this whole realm that they didn’t know that they could be in – it is so cool watching more people flourish in it.”

There are a few things that Lizzie enjoys about working at LFBIT. The first is flexibility. There is a wide range of cases to work with, and there is the opportunity to focus on what you are interested in, and to direct your learning. Adaptive sports is one main area where Lizzie has excelled in. Starting by volunteering with ParaFed, Lizzie’s connections in the space have grown, giving her a platform to learn and bring this knowledge back to LFBIT. She now works as a classifier for New Zealand wheelchair rugby. With so many staff bringing new knowledge, Lizzie really appreciates the work of our Interdisciplinary team.

“The team, honestly, it’s just a resource of specialty and knowledge. Anything complex and wonderful, there’s always somebody that you can chat things through with, and always somebody that’s willing to support or learn with you.”

Among all her work across so many spaces, Lizzie has also been a part of the team that developed a new respiratory service.

If someone were to have an accidental related respiratory issue there is no immediate community respiratory team. Lizzie and the team saw a need and developed the Respiratory Service to do just that. As a team they have developed a client database for respiratory needs and created pathways with GPs and ACC, so they can refer clients to our services. They assess those with respiratory needs and provide appropriate equipment to keep them in the community. They have created resources, client packs and respiratory training for clients, carers and whānau.

“This is a great opportunity to reflect on what I get to do every day and to express my gratitude to those that have helped shape my learning and development. Thank you to Mark McIntosh, Kathy Dwyer, Nicole Vercoe and Sophie Heath, appreciate your knowledge and skill endlessly but also thanks to my trusting clients!’.

We’d love to thank Lizzie for her work!

CRL Teams Up With Laura Fergusson Brain Injury Trust to Tackle Concussion Awareness and Recovery

The Laura Fergusson Brain Injury Trust are delighted to have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Canterbury Rugby League. Hear more on this partnership from the CRL below

CRL has signed a groundbreaking Memorandum of Understanding with the Laura Fergusson Brain Injury Trust, providing invaluable support and education to our rugby league community.

This MoU – a first for the Laura Fergusson Brain Injury Trust with a regional sporting body – aims to ensure everyone in our sport has access to the necessary information, support and treatment in regards to head injuries and concussion.

“CRL are excited and feel very privileged to sign this MoU with the Laura Fergusson Brain Injury Trust,” Canterbury Rugby League CEO Malcolm Humm says.

“We recognise head injuries and concussions occur in our game from time to time. In light of this, as the regional body for rugby league, we believe we have a responsibility to provide expert support and advice to players who sustain these injuries.

“What the Laura Fergusson Brain Injury Trust will be able to support our membership with is monitoring, assessment and recovery plans, through to a return to sport plan.

“Additionally, and as part of the MoU, they will provide education workshops to clubs, coaches, parents and CRL as a preventive measure.

“We feel the timing is perfect as NZRL recently released its new concussion policy, which marries well with the support CRL and its membership will receive from Laura Fergusson Brain Injury Trust.”

The Trust was established in 1967 and supports those impacted by brain injury in Canterbury and its surrounding regions – a provider unique to the South Island and one of only three in New Zealand.

Over 220 specialised staff in the charity’s interdisciplinary team which includes speech language therapists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, clinical psychologists, neuropsychologists, dietitians, social workers, nurses and rehab coaches who work together to provide an integrated approach to rehabilitation and recovery.

“We see people who’ve had traumatic brain injury from all walks of life for all different reasons, and sports is one of the areas,” LFBIT CEO Kathryn Jones says.

“Our whole vision and our values relate to how people are treated – inclusively, [making sure] they’re treated respectfully and that we do the best that we possibly can so that people get the right treatment at the right time and recover.

“We are on that recovery journey with them and their families, too – that’s really important to us. I look at the values of Canterbury Rugby League and we are very aligned in terms of that inclusivity and respect.”

Māori and Pasifika make up a high proportion of Canterbury Rugby League’s demographic but, as Jones explains, are underrepresented in terms of making use of the services available to treat injuries.

“Māori and Pasifika people inherently have very low rates of making claims for injury through ACC – it’s not that they’re not getting injured, they’re just not making the claim and getting the proper treatment,” she says.

“We [want to educate] those communities so people who need help are more inclined to put in a claim and get the proper support they need after an injury.”

Jones regards rugby league as being one of the most proactive sports in caring for their players around head injuries, putting strong guidelines in place and providing wraparound support.

The danger of a ‘you’ll be right’ attitude, which Jones says still exists in some sports, is that people are missing out on the appropriate treatment for what could potentially be a serious problem.

Awareness and knowledge are crucial – and at the heart of the MoU between the Trust and Canterbury Rugby League.

“We provide free education to a whole range of organisations in the community,” Jones explains.

“We go out to see the Police, we see Work and Income, schools and community agencies … the more people who are educated about traumatic brain injury, the better.

“A brain injury occurs every 15 minutes in New Zealand – it happens a lot more often than people realise but understanding the signs and symptoms and where to get help, that’s ultimately what we want to achieve.

“We’re really keen to get out and about into the community and provide more education for rugby league players and their coaches and their families. It’s a great opportunity for us.”

Meanwhile, the Laura Fergusson Brain Injury Trust has embarked on a capital fundraising campaign to build a centre of excellence in Christchurch, designed as a hub for a range of services for people who have suffered a traumatic brain or spinal injury.

Jones says the partnership with CRL with be beneficial in raising the profile of the Trust, which is also charity partners with Canterbury Cricket, in the local community.

Thank you for joining us on the trail!

Thank you for joining us on Elmer’s Ōtautahi Elephant Trail!

We are overwhelmed with gratitude for the immense support and dedication that made the trail possible. From sponsors to artists, volunteers to community partners, each of you has played an integral role in bringing this vibrant and impactful trail to life. We want to thank you all for your countless hours of hard work and the boundless generosity that has shaped this unforgettable art trail. As you can see, your impact on our city was tremendous.

As we bid farewell to this chapter, we look towards the future with optimism and determination. Our journey continues as we strive to build a modern, world-class facility providing our essential services under one roof. With your ongoing support, we can turn this vision into reality and continue making a meaningful difference in the lives of those affected by brain injury

Charlie Chase raises an incredible $5000 for Laura Fergusson Brain Injury Trust

A huge thank you to Charlie Chase who has raised a whopping $5000 for Laura Fergusson Brain Injury Trust in honour of his friend, John Jefferson.

Charlie achieved this by cycling the Sound to Sound Cycle Brevet, (a 1500km bikepacking route from Queen Charlotte Sound to Milford Sound) raising funds via Givealittle along the way.

Charlie explains, “The last dinner I shared with my good friend, John Jefferson, before he passed, he spoke of wanting to complete the Sounds to Sounds Cycle Brevet when “time” permitted. But time never permitted, so I took the opportunity to ride in his honour, and support the Laura Fergusson Brain Injury Trust. The Laura Fergusson Brain Injury Trust has become personal as they are helping John’s son through some difficult times following an auto accident.”

Initially Charlie hoped to raise $1000. His goal was quickly reached so he aimed for $2000. Charlie ended up raising an incredible $5000 for Laura Fergusson Brain Injury Trust. He describes his cycling journey as a mix of soul testing xc/mtb trails, local flavor coffee shops and cafés, conversations with others on the same trek, moments of pain and memories of a lifetime.

Rachael Jefferson acknowledged Charlie’s efforts. “The Jefferson and Low families thank Charlie very much for his support for the LFBIT, and we are very proud of what he has achieved.”

Charlie adds, “It has been a privilege to complete this brevet in honor of a friend, (and I’m 100% certain Jeffoe would have loved it,) and facilitate a wonderful donation to Laura Fergusson Brain Injury Trust in the Jefferson family’s name. Thank you so very much to all who contributed. And thank you all for the kind words of encouragement along the way.”

We are truly humbled and grateful for Charlie’s incredible efforts!

Staff Appreciation Post: Wendy

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Can Do Catering has an incredible team in the kitchen, and today we would love to acknowledge Wendy!

Wendy has been a part of the Can-Do Catering team for the past eight years. Currently, she works four-six hours, two to three days a week, although this does vary from week to week.

“I love my work, everything about it,” says Wendy. “Meeting people, they want to know everything about it!”

A regular day at work starts with setting up her workstation ready to commence preparing vegetables, savoury pastries and sausage rolls for customers’ orders.

One thing Wendy loves is the bliss balls and is even nicknamed the “bliss ball queen” by her co-workers.

Assisting with large-scale event setup, including conferences and weddings is something Wendy is passionate about.

Wendy loves her work with Can Do Catering and is incredibly hopeful that it will continue well

“The food is unbelievable, it is presented amazingly.”

Thank you Wendy for all of your work with us! It is fantastic to have had you on the team for so long!

The Hidden Cost of Violence – Unveiling the Silent Epidemic

Last week, two team members, Peta Murphy ( Senior Speech Language Therapist) and Katie Hodge ( Service Development Manager) presented at a conference in Whanganui addressing The Hidden Cost of Violence – Unveiling the Silent Epidemic.

The topic of the workshop was The Impact of Strangulation on the Brain- Practical Solutions and Accessing Timely Support.

The conference brought together experts, researchers, professionals, advocates and those with lived experience to deepen the understanding and ability to respond to traumatic brain injury caused by interpersonal violence.

The aim of the conference was to strive for innovative solutions to enhance prevention strategies, support systems and survivor-centred intervention through knowledge exchange, and collaboration.

Thanks Peta and Katie for this important piece of work.

LFBIT Awarded ACC Innovation Fund for Employer Peer Support Service

The Laura Fergusson Brain Injury Trust has been awarded funding from the ACC Innovation Fund for the development of an Employer Peer Support Service. The latest round of funding focused on projects that support recovery at work after an injury, so that injured clients can stay connected and engaged in their workplace while they’re recovering.

From 39 eligible proposals submitted from across New Zealand, LFBIT was one of two organisations awarded funding for their projects.

Established and managed by Katie Hodge, an extension of our Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Peer & Whānau Support Service, the LFBIT Employer Peer Support is a project that aims to train and support three employers to act as peer support to other businesses returning clients with TBI to the workplace.

The project also includes TBI training opportunities for large organisations and vocational providers.

We know that recovery from TBI is complex and not quick. The peer support service will help employers understand the workplace adjustments and changes to routines needed to enable success and sustained return to work. Congratulations to the team on being awarded this funding!

Staff Appreciation Post: Tommy

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Today we would love to celebrate Tommy, one of the wonderful team members at Can Do Catering.

Can Do Catering provides paid employment for a number of residents and clients of Laura Fergusson Brain Injury Trust, for whom mainstream employment is not an option due to their care needs. Tommy began his work with Can Do Catering eight years ago, and he has loved his time there!

Tommy works in the essential business of delivery. Alongside his co-worker Jane, Tommy is the face of delivery at Can Do Catering. If you have ever been lucky enough to have an event catered by Can Do, you likely will have met Tommy!

A regular week will often involve coming to work on a Monday and Wednesday, although this can change depending on what days a delivery is needed. Tommy has worked on different functions, from business catering to weddings. The deliveries take Jane and Tommy all over Christchurch and beyond.

Tommy thoroughly enjoys being involved in the community and says he is looking forward to the further expansion of Can Do Catering!

Thank you Tommy for all of your hard work! It is always such a joy to have a chat during the delivery of what is always an incredible bite to eat from Can Do Catering!

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