Dr Caitlin McOmish (PhD)
Howard Florey Institute
Australia's Brain Research Institute
Victoria
"As a Doctor of Neuroscience I am pleased to be a part of a team of academic like minded professionals who all share a common goal in promoting through education attention prevention and early intervention in reducing the accidental incidence rate of brain injury in Australia which is at an epidemic level."
Associate Professor Mal Hopwood
Director
Royal Talbot Brain Injury Rehabilitation Unit
Austin Health
Victoria
Paul Barnard
Essendon Football Club
Victoria
"Having being on the receiving end of an unprovoked physical attack and after making a full recovery I became acutely aware of how many of these types of attacks happen around Australia. Many victims are left with lifetime brain injuries.
As a voluntary member of Think Ahead Brain Injury Prevention Foundation I fully support the educational philosophy of attention prevention and early intervention of this life changing human injury."
Jack Keenan QC
Victoria
"We need to prevent or at least reduce the rising phenomenon of this catastrophic injury in Australia. Think Ahead's aims and objectives in attention, prevention and early intervention should have a positive impact in assisting the reduction of brain injury trauma. "
Tom Goudkamp LL.B, OAM
NSW
"Every year thousands of Australian road accident victims suffer undetected, undiagnosed, and sadly, traumatic brain injury.
The effects of traumatic brain injury are often devastating and have severe adverse impacts on personal and family relationships as well as with employment prospects
As a personal injury lawyer acting exclusively for injured persons I am aware that many accident victims with Traumatic brain injury have to cope with a lifetime of suffering.
If we have national educational and prevention campaigns for all types of cancer, HIV/AIDS, family violence, drug and alcohol abuse, now is the time for an Australian national brain injury prevention foundation.
I have volunteered my expertise to the Advisory Committee of Think Ahead to raise awareness of the problem and to try and find solutions in prevention is better than cure."
Sukhwant Singh LL.B (Hons), LL.M (London)
Western Australia"Think Ahead’s dedication to preventing brain injuries has attracted my interest. It is not commonly recognised even moderate ‘whiplash’ type injuries can give rise to mental dysfunction.
There is clearly a specific niche for ‘Think Ahead’ in Australia and I am pleased to be able to support it and be part of it.”
Ian Brown LL.B
Queensland"Most people are unaware of the consequences of acquired brain injury. People with brain injuries are often inappropriately classified as having learning disabilities, emotional disturbance, or intellectual disabilities. As a result, the necessary rehabilitation, educational and related services are often not provided in a timely fashion, or worse still, at all.
The person with brain injury and his or her family are the most important members of the rehabilitation team. It is therefore essential that family members be included in the rehabilitation and treatment as much as possible..”
