On the 11th September 2016 I'll be taking part in the Great North Run in tribute to BASIC (Brain And Spinal Injury Centre), a small local charity based in Salford who help and support people and their families following brain or spinal injury. They depend heavily on private-funding in order to provide the vital rehabilitation and support services survivors and their families rely upon following discharge from hospital after having suffered a brain injury. 

Charities are facing difficult times as following the economic recession, local authorities have decided to cut funding where it hurts! BASIC is no exception to this action and indeed as small charity is more vulnerable to the impact of local authority cuts. 

The term "Brain Injury" might not mean much to you. But it's actually a fairly common affliction that any one of us may suffer at some stage of our lives. Common types of brain Injury include stroke, traumatic brain injury, concussion, brain tumour, hypoxic brain injury, encephalitis, etc. 

The impact of suffering a brain injury can be equally devastating for both the person and their families. Your brain is the only world you've ever known and controls everything you do, see, feel, smell, taste, hear, etc. When it stops working properly following a brain injury, doing simple things can suddenly become very difficult. 

Fortunately, the brain has the capacity to relearn how to do things, how to be, to remember, etc. This is phenomena is termed 'neural-plasticity' and plays an instrumental part in the recovery and rehabilitation process in the days, weeks, months and years following brain injury. Recovery is a slow process and requires much effort and support from all parties involved. 

Unfortunately, rehabilitation and support services in the area of brain injury are severely lacking in the UK and sadly the majority of people can't expect much aftercare from the NHS. Hence, the reason why community support groups/charities such as BASIC can be a lifeline to people in need.           

Please support their cause by donating what you can. You can be rest assured that the people whose lives are being rebuilt by their work will greatly appreciate it.