Going back to work after a brain injury can be a difficult process.

To help people with brain injuries get the support they need for employment, the Ministry of Health is providing the Brain Injury Alliance $1 million to create an endowment fund in memory of Dr. Gur Singh, a neurosurgeon and long-time advocate for people with acquired brain injuries.

“Dr. Singh touched countless lives and his legacy lives on in Kamloops,” said Health Minister Terry Lake. “I know he would be incredibly pleased with this endowment fund to the Brain Injury Alliance, which will help people rebuild their lives and return to work.”

The Brain Injury Alliance is a registered B.C. non-profit society that supports brain-injury service organizations throughout the province. To access endowment funding, people with an acquired brain injury can work with a non-profit charitable organization, which will apply for a grant of up to $2,000 on the person’s behalf.

Non-profit charitable organizations can also apply to the Brain Injury Alliance for grants of up to $5,000 for programs that offer general education or job readiness services primarily to people with an acquired brain injury.

“This endowment fund will help a lot of people with acquired brain injuries on their path to recovery,” said Terry-Lynn Stone, a director of the Brain Injury Alliance. “We are so grateful to the Province of B.C. for their commitment to help people with injuries get access to the services they need.”

This follows a recent announcement that the Ministry of Health is providing $3 million in funding over three years to the Brain Injury Alliance to support those with brain injuries. The alliance will distribute the funding to B.C. non-profit charitable organizations that provide programs and services to help reduce the incidence of injury or directly help people living with a brain injury and their families.

Learn more:

To learn more about the Brain Injury Alliance and how to apply for education support, please visit: www.braininjuryalliance.ca

To learn more about the recent grant announcement to the Brain Injury Alliance: http://www.newsroom.gov.bc.ca/2015/05/province-provides-support-to-british-columbians-living-with-brain-injuries.html

Media Contacts:

Ministry of Health
250 952-1887 (media line)