Have you had trouble describing what you are experiencing post brain injury? Is it hard for you to connect what makes symptoms better or worse? Felicia and Allie know first hand how hard it is to gain self-awareness, understand your new self, communicate your experience with others, and get the help you need. Their own personal journeys with brain injuries caused by concussions led them to start the Keep Your Head Up Foundation. The foundation aims to give others the tools and education needed to empower survivors and their support systems post injury. We love how these two used their injuries to support each other and have shared their learning to help others! We know you will too!

In this episode:

• Felicia tells her story: suffered a concussion playing ringette in grade 10
• Allie tells her story: suffered a concussion playing rugby in grade 12, 6 weeks before graduation
• Severity of symptoms at the time of the injury and/or loss of consciousness do not correlate with if you’ll get Post Concussion Syndrome/Symptoms
• They formed a friendship and supported each other through their recoveries
• Being able to connect with others going through similar injuries has been really helpful.  Recovery can be lonely and people that haven’t experienced it do not understand what you are going through
• Keep Your Head Up Foundation was born to connect people, make a community, and provide tools to help you connect with resources and cope with your brain injury. The goal is to teach and provide others what they need to get support and gain self-awareness
• The mission is to educate those with brain injury along with the community
• The website has tools to help those with brain injuries track symptoms and how they affect your life.  The tools help you become more aware of what is draining and what is restorative along with how this changes over time. 
• Energy journal
• Sleep journal
• Symptom tracker 
• Wellness plan
• Circle of Support
• Goal Setting
• You are in charge of how you carry your injury with you
• Community outreach through Keep Your Head Up Foundation--follow them on Instagram to stay involved.  
• The foundation also has education programs geared towards students, athletes, teachers, coaches, and parents that aims to empower individuals to be more prepared to face the challenges they may encounter after a concussion. Learn more here.
• Wisdom Wednesday: if you are interested in sharing your story and what you have learned reach out here
• Wisdom learned through the foundation: there is power in sharing your story; not only for your own healing but also to help someone else.  You never know when what you have to say will resonate with someone who really needs to hear it.  

Links to any resources mentioned: 

• Instagram: @keepyourheadupfdn
• Website: https://www.keepyourheadup.ca/
• Toolkit: https://www.keepyourheadup.ca/toolkit
• Community outreach: https://www.keepyourheadup.ca/what-we-offer
• Interested in sharing your story on Wisdom Wednesday? Click here!

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