Toronto ABI Network Conference 2002:
"Travelling Together: Navigating the System to Achieve Success after Brain Injury"

November 21 & 22, 2002 / Hilton Toronto, Toronto


Summary of 2002 conference
Acknowledgements

The Toronto ABI Network held a very successful brain injury conference on November 21 and 22, 2002. The conference was held one floor of the recently renovated Toronto Hilton in downtown Toronto. There were over 300 registrants from across Canada as well as delegates from British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Rochester, New York.

The conference program was extensive:

• 4 keynote speakers (inclusing one brain injury survivor and one family member) 38 podium presentations, divided into four concurrent streams of interest 35 poster presentations
• 16 exhibitor displays

The first day's program began with Dr. Mark Ylvisaker who described how an integrated framework for cognitive communication and behavioural intervention is a positive support-oriented approach to serving children and adults with an acquired brain injury.

A full day of presentations followed with podium presentations divided into four concurrent streams of interest: Pediatrics; Partnerships; Crossing Barriers; and Special Considerations.

Scheduled to end the day was Mr. Ian Stewart, an award-winning journalist who sustained a brain injury after being shot in the head during an ambush in Sierra Leone. However, due to flight delays, Mr. Stewart was unable to make it to the conference to make his presentation.

With less than 18 hours to prepare, Toronto's Ms. Lainie Cohen, family member of a son who has survived a brain injury, volunteered to speak to the audience about her and her family's experience with brain injury. We are grateful to Ms. Cohen for not only filling this gap in the program on such short notice, but for providing such a compelling personal story to wrap up the first day's program.

Friday morning arrived and registrants and organizers were more relaxed. By now, everyone had figured out where to be and when. The day began with a keynote address from well-known pediatric neurologist Dr. Jane Gillett. Her presentation was entitled "Kids: Their Noodled Noggins & Needs".

The majority of the day's program was again divided into concurrent podium presentations. As they had the previous day, attendees took the opportunity to use the breaks and lunch to meet and talk with colleagues and visit the many poster displays.

The conference ended with keynote speaker Dr. Claudia Osborn. Fourteen years ago, Claudia Osborn was a doctor with an office and hospital practice in Detroit and a professor of internal medicine. That life ended abruptly one summer evening when she sustained a traumatic brain injury. Following extensive rehabilitation she began writing first as a form of therapy. It soon became a cause in itself borne of a need to "be understood by others." Her book, "Over My Head", was published in April 1998. We are happy to say that we were able to open up Dr. Osborn's presentation at no cost to survivors of brain injury and their family members. Over a dozen survivors and family members took advantage of this opportunity.

Keynote addresses by Dr. Ylvisaker, Ms. Cohen and Dr. Gillett were videotaped. A copy of the video is available from the Network office for educational purposes only.

This conference was originally conceived to bring a professional acquired brain injury conference to Toronto on a regular basis and to generate income for the operating budget of the Toronto ABI Network. We are pleased to announce that, while final numbers have yet to be calculated, we have succeded on both these accounts. As a result, the ABI Advisory Committee has recommended that the Network hold a conference in Toronto every two years (on alternate years from the Interurban conference).

Stay tuned for the Toronto ABI Network Conference coming to you in the Fall of 2004!

Acknowledgements:

Many individuals worked together to coordinate this event. The hard work and committment of the members of the Conference Plannng Committee ensured that this event was a success. We would also like to thank the organizations who permitted their staff to participate on this committee.

Conference Planning Committee: Lainie Cohen; Caron Gan, Bloorview MacMillan Children's Centre; Elizabeth Hanna, Bridgepoint Health; Patricia Howell, Neuro Rehab Services; Alison Jardine, Sunnybrook & Women's College Health Sciences Centre; Robert Jessop, Toronto ABI Network; Charissa Levy, Toronto ABI Network; Tracy Martin, Community Head Injury Resource Services; Dawn Norrey-Drouin, Toronto Rehab; and Dorothy McDowall, The Hospital for Sick Children. Special thanks to conference coordinator Shenade Walker who pulled all the loose ends together.

The Network would also like to thank the following sponsors whose contributions made this event possible:   Mastermind Educational; Thomson, Rogers Barristers and Solicitors; Howie, Sacks and Henry Personal Injury Lawyers; Bartimaeus, Inc.; Bridgepoint Health; Community Solutions Ltd.; Inter-Action Rehabilitation Inc.; Michelle Cohen & Associates; Multi-Languages Corporation; Neurologic Rehabilitation Institute of Ontario; and Oatley, Vigmond.


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