When you have as good a life as we do living on the Sunshine Coast, it’s sometimes good to spare a thought for those not doing as well. This is one of those times.Every year around this time one Queensland based organisation, Synapse runs a national promotion called BANGONABEANIE that is aimed at raising awareness for those suffering a brain disorder, sometimes referred to as an Acquired Brain Injury (ABI).

You can get behind this promotion by visiting their web site at BANGONABEANIE.com or by liking their Facebook page.

ABI is a complex range of disorders that covers any type of organic damage to the brain occurring after birth. More recently however, it’s covered by the term ‘neurocognitive disorder’ and it’s caused by things like trauma, vascular disease, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s, cancer and infections.

So why should you or I care?

Because, and staggeringly, over 1.6 million Australians are affected with some form of brain disorder, that’s 1 in 12 people within our community according to statistics from the World Health Organization.

With our help Synapse want all Australians to spread information about this very invisible disorder and send a message of support to all those adults and children living with a neurocognitive disorder.

It’s important to us all because:

•‘One Punch Didn’t Kill’
•Repeated knocks to the head whilst playing sports does matter
•It can happen a result of motorcycle or motor vehicle accidents, and other trauma that can be as simple as a fall
•It can be the result of a stroke and other cardiovascular diseases
•It can be due to degenerative diseases like brain tumours, Dementia, Parkinson’s, Huntington’s, Multiple Sclerosis or Cerebral Palsy
•As a result of alcohol or drug abuse

Through the efforts of Synapse and their affiliates throughout Australia, they know that the current statistics don’t mirror the real stats within our community. They believe that the numbers of people with a brain disorder are grossly underestimated because many are either undiagnosed or misdiagnosed.

Unfortunately it is often the most vulnerable people in the community affected, but never diagnosed, including:

•    Indigenous Australians
•    Homeless people
•    Survivors of domestic violence
•    Soldiers who survive the ravages of war
•    People in the criminal justice system.

Around twice as many people are diagnosed each year with ABI compared to breast cancer and yet very few people know about ABI. Recognition of brain disorders, preventions strategies and long-term support for those affected is long overdue.

So this year think about how lucky you are to live such a great life and show thanks by backing BANGONABEANIE.