A little boogie in support of the brain
Things can change in an instant. Without warning, a person’s life can be fundamentally altered. This is what happened to Bob Spuzak, 28, on a day that started like any other. He was driving his company van from the shop to a job site when he was t-boned in the intersection of 9th Avenue and the Trans Canada. He was rushed to Union Hospital, stabilized and
immediately transported to Regina. The Saskatchewan Brain Injury Association recently held their “2013 Brain Boogie...Positive Steps in Motion” at the amphitheatre in Crescent Park. Spuzak’s story was one among others recounted by brain injury survivors, family members and friends. Andy Dellabough, Spuzak’s mother, described the day the accident happened. “We were told at the hospital not to expect too much, that he might not make it through the night. They told us that if he survived, he might just be alive. He had a collapsed lung and ‘brain sheering’, which caused serious damage to the neurons. I guess the doctors had to be realistic, but it didn’t sound hopeful.” Spuzak’s aunt, Beth Bacon, remembers when he was upgraded to stable. “That just means that he wasn’t going to die,” said Bacon. “It didn’t say anything about what to expect.” As it happened, the situation improved. During the four months following the accident, Bob’s family and friends have seen significant progress. Dellabough said, “The accident happened on April 23, and now, in August, Bob is reading and writing his name, and he plays games on his iPad. He doesn’t talk yet, but we hope he will soon.” Chip Dellabough, Andy’s husband, described how SBIA helped. He said, “We knew nothing about this association before this happened to Bob. But at the hospital, a caregiver brought us the SBIA binder. We got a lot of information from their materials, and we keep reading it because it explains what Bob is going through. We learned about the Brain Boogie when we checked out their site.” The “Boogie” is an annual event held at various places throughout the province. Glenda James, Executive Director of SBIA said, “The purpose of the event is to raise funds and increase awareness. Brain injury is the number one killer and disabler of children, youth and adults under 44. In Saskatchewan alone, there are more than 2000 injuries a year. Our association provides information, advocacy, support and guidance for those involved, and education for the public. The annual Brain Boogie is an important aspect of this larger effort.” The morning included a welcome to participants, thank you to sponsors, yoga warm up, the walk/run, a barbecue, presentation of awards (for the top money raisers) and musical entertainment. Boogie participants could choose to walk or run a 1k, 2k or a 5k route. Mike Biette was there with his family, and he chose the 5k course. He said, “I have sponsors who are contributing as much as 25 to 50 dollars. I have a family member who is a brain injury survivor, so we are here to support the cause.” James had praise for staff members Erin Hidlebaugh and Ally Rudiuk. She said, “Rudiak is our summer student and she did a great job organizing the event. I also want to thank the volunteers who contributed so much to make the day a success.” With all the smiles, food, fellowship and conversation, it was clear that folks were having a good time. And with the toetapping music that followed the BBQ, a number of participants were seen doing the boogie. For more information, contact Glenda James by phone – 306-692-7242, or by email – info_sbia@sasktel.net. The web site is www.sbia.ca/events.aspx.