It’s Brain Injury Awareness Week (BIAW) in Australia and, with 15 years’ experience, Gellibrand Support Services has learnt to partner effectively in support of people with brain injury, including long-term client Duy Nguyen.
Duy Nguyen became a Gellibrand client in 2013 after he had a stroke in his early 20s. This health event deeply impacted his physical and cognitive capacities, but as testament to the years of effort he has put into his rehabilitation, alongside Gellibrand’s committed support, Duy has now worked in IT with Gellibrand for more than a year.
“The most common questions I’m asked are do I like working at Gellibrand and how does it feel…I love it…and it feels like every time I go through Gellibrand’s office doors, it’s like someone fed my brain a Minty! It’s so refreshing!”
Brain injury can cause a range of symptoms, depending on which brain area is affected and the injury’s severity. It’s common for people to experience memory loss, difficulty concentrating, impaired mobility, speech and language challenges, and emotional instability.
Gellibrand understands that supporting someone with an acquired brain injury is a complex and ongoing process that calls for a multidisciplinary approach. It’s also about a committed, long-term partnership between people like Duy and Gellibrand.
Gellibrand sees its role in this partnership as being about offering holistic and individualised support. We work with teams of health professionals to support clients’ physical, cognitive, emotional, and social needs. We are highly aware of the importance of early intervention and rehabilitation for people with brain injury, along with psychological support and social reintegration, the latter of which Duy has experienced through his willingness to step into employment.
“Every morning I wake up I ask myself how long until Thursday?” Duy said, adding that when he started work at Gellibrand, he forgot about the fact he was in a wheelchair and felt he was just like everyone else working in the office. “It’s the longest job I’ve ever held by far. It says a lot about the company, doesn’t it?”
There’s no doubt that supporting people with brain injury requires long-term commitment to a coordinated and multi-faceted approach. However, through individualised and sustained support, Duy’s story is testament to what organisations and clients can achieve together.
“You have got to go through dark times before days get brighter – because you can’t see stars in the bright light, right?” Duy says, offering his “deepest sincere gratitude” to everyone at Gellibrand. “There’s no way I can pay you back, but my plan is to show you that I understand – you guys are appreciated!”
