Marilyn Erwin
If you’ve had a stroke or acquired a brain injury through surgery or an accident, Brain Injuries Services Northern Ontario (B.I.S.N.O.) could be just what you’re looking for.
Without fees or a complicated registration process, these monthly meetings are comfortably informal. The only thing on the agenda is to “make yourself at home.”
You get the impression that this is a group of friends, glad to be together catching up on each other’s news. There’s coffee, lots of chat, story-swapping, and often a good deal of laughter, too.
One thing that is rarely seen is discouragement.
Peer support groups are known to fill a role no other forms of medical treatment or therapy can.
The ages and abilities of the group members are as varied as the stories they have to share, yet many of their experiences and obstacles they’ve faced are very similar.
I’ve met some incredible people there—some of whom were not expected to recover from their injuries.
One thing they all have in common is a courage and determination to overcome the obstacles they face, and a desire to reach out to others in similar circumstances.
Family members also are welcome to participate.
We meet once a month at the Front Street Manor. There’s a good kitchen and living room, which is great for visiting.
It’s also all on one level so very accessible for those with mobility difficulties.
For more information, contact Marilyn Erwin at the Fort Frances stroke clinic (274-3266 ext. 4542) or Lisa Leblanc (B.I.S.N.O.) toll-free at 1-888-547-2501.
