New book shares brain injury survivors’ personal recovery journeys

A new brain injury book has been published by the South Eastern Trust to offer support, hope and understanding to survivors.

‘Head-to-Head – Our Stories’ brings together personal accounts from patients affected by brain injury.

It shares how they have used techniques with the help of the Trust’s community brain injury team’s occupational therapists to navigate life after rehabilitation.

Romayne Orr, occupational therapist in the community brain team, said the project had been planned for some time.

She said: “The book has been an idea that we have had in the Team for a long time. We have always seen the value of hearing from people’s lived experience.

“We often have people coming into the service who feel that they are not understood, that they are on their own.

“It was an idea that grew and thankfully we had the opportunity to publish it as we had someone in the service who had done some fundraising.

“Those that contributed to the book are all local people in the Trust area, they are all people who have been through our service and who have a story to tell and who wanted to give something back.”

Thomas Smyth, 57, shared how he suffered a brain injury following a motorcycle collision in 2024.

He said: “With the help of the Occupational Therapists, I have been able to use techniques they have taught me to manage and cope each day.

“I know that I must listen to my body, your body tells you when you are tired, take that break and rest, set your goals and work towards them.

“What I have been through might help someone else. That was the reason I took part in the book, there is a light at the end of the tunnel, you will have your dark days, but there are bright days ahead.

“It is marvellous that people can read, relate to the book and hopefully see that there is help there with people who have went through the process of a brain injury.”