A ‘Second Chance’ for brain injury patients

Jason Cridge, CEO of Cridge Pharmacies in Victoria, BC, has long admired the continuum of care Geoff Sing and his team provide to help brain injury survivors move from acute care to independent living. So, when he was asked to help cover the operating costs at Second Chance Cafe—which is staffed by brain injury survivors—over the next four years, he donated $100,000 to make it happen. “We’ve worked with Brain Injury Services at the pharmacy for a really long time, initially through one of their supportive community homes and then in sponsoring their brain injury conference, Survive, Strive, Thrive,” says Cridge. “Over the last 10 years we’ve gotten closer to closer to this group…and [with this donation] they can focus on all the good things they do and not worry about the rest.”Read: Toronto hospital to open permanent supportive housing apartments for homeless peopleHe says what Sing, director of Brain Injury Services at the Cridge Centre for the Family, and his team are accomplishing in the community is so important, given that survivors of brain injury are more likely to experience homelessness, poverty and addiction. “Programs providing job training, employment, and fulfillment are crucial,” he says, noting that men are more likely to experience brain injury, and are three times more likely to die from a brain injury than women. Cridge hopes his story might inspire other pharmacists to donate to worthy initiatives in their communities. “Every pharmacy has a relationship with a group like this and are the perfect donors for continuing this kind of great work in their communities,” he says. “Some of these smaller causes don’t have the time or resources to chase government grants—or the business mindset—so it’s nice to build bridges and help each other out.”

A ‘Second Chance’ for brain injury patients

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