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Brain Injury Association of Waterloo-Wellington
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Survivors in our BIAWW area are very creative!!! Check out the masks and the stories behind the masks below. To increase the awareness of brain injuries, BIAWW ABI survivors have made masks that illustrate what it’s like to live with brain injury.

Thank you to Grand River Hospital - KW Campus, Freeport Hospital, Guelph General Hospital, Monigram Coffee Roasters, THEMUSEUM and Plumes Interiors who have allowed us to display our masks in their locations over the past few years. Thank you as well to Luisa D'Amato from The Record for her wonderful article on our project! 


The Unmasking Brain Injury Project began in the US and is becoming an international initiative. You can find out more about it at http://unmaskingbraininjury.org/.

Unmasking Brain Injury in Waterloo-Wellington

Masks being shown at the Guelph General Hospital
Guelph General Hospital
Masks on display at the opportunity centre
Opportunity Centre
Masks on display at Freeport Hospital
Freeport Hospital
Masks on display at Grand River Hospital- KW Campus
Grand River Hospital - KW Campus
Masks on display at Monogram Coffee Roasters
Monigram Coffee Roasters
Masks on display at THE MUSEUM
THEMUSEUM
Masks on display at THE MUSEUM
THEMUSEUM
Masks on display at THE MUSEUM
THEMUSEUM
Rachel - The colors green and purple are my favorite colors, and the purple is my birthstone color. The feathers represent freedom like a bird. I picked the word confused because I enjoy confusing people at times.
Stephanie - This mask represents the spectrum of emotion and ability following brain injury. It describes coming from the black, and moving more and more into the light.
Donna H. - One side is bright and full of hope and loving life, enjoying life, involved in everything I enjoy.
Michael A - I’ve cried so many tears, I can’t cry anymore.
Kimberly - Through the three years now of dealing with this life altering accident, I have learned with much practice, how to help myself to look differently at this incident.
Judy - The sun shines down on everyone and gives life.
Denise 2 - Most days as I struggle to put the pieces of my life back together. I feel overwhelmed. I feel lost in a world where no one understands my struggle.
Ashley - The top part of my mask is my world in pieces. The bottom part represents me recovering and putting my life back together.
Tracy - Before my accident I loved life, my job.
Jodi - Portrays 3 selves: Pre-accident, accident and coping, my new identity.
Cynthia - I was diagnosed having 1/3 of my brain above average for someone my age, 1/3 average, and 1/3 damaged or below normal.
Denise - I feel different. I used to be vibrant, confident, energetic, colorful.
Kim - I have endeavoured to develop each side differently to reflect the duality of my thoughts, feelings, and experiences in my changed and changing life.
Joan - “Happy to be Alive!”
I have come a long way since I had my brain injury 7 years ago. 

I accept who I am and what I have become. I cheerfully look forward to each day. I am open to new challenges. 

My ‘bucket list’ is prepared for much enjoyment in the future. I am helpful when needed by other clients. I always greet people with a smile as I love to see their eyes light up and smile back at me. I like being a humorous individual as “laughter is the best medicine”. 

It makes for a bright future knowing that I can make someone’s day just a little happier and be glad to be alive just like myself-THE END!
Stephanie 2 - The mask describes the many illusions of brain injury:
Ellen - Blue/Turquoise represents my “essence” even under the black “pie shape” which represents the accident and chronic head pain.
Jacqueline - Having two separate personalities.
Rebekah - There is a side to brain injury that is invisible and on the surface I appear fine to everyone. The right  side of my mask shows this. The tear is there to show the frustration and sadness that occurs when trying to explain difficulties to others or even in asking for help and it always coming across wrong BECAUSE of how I appear on the surface.
Heather - The colors on the mask are red for “love”, yellow for “happy” and “hope”, and orange is for “eager”.
Donna - It has now been 20 years since my car accident. There have been many ups and downs. Today after many years of doctors, therapists, counselling, MRI’s etc...
Karen - “Pre & Post Accident” Left side (colorful) Right (blue)
Heidi - It’s obvious

It shows my exact feelings (mirror)-

Purple-Jumbled up Mind

Straight Face-Revenge from the world- (Unknown Feelings)
Anonymous - There is always darkness before the light;
Anonymous - Frontal lobe-red represents injury. Stroke occurred during surgery. It was shocking to me as I was well, happy, successful and close to retirement. It shook my confidence and joy.
Erin - When I get sick, it causes my whole right side to go weak.
Robert - Blue is a relaxing color and makes a good background for other colors.
Julie - Purple and pink are my favourite.
Annette - If there is one word I would use to describe what it is like living with post-concussion syndrome on a day to day basis it is “frustration”. I look “fine”, “healthy”, “normal”. On the surface, I am no different than I was BC (before concussion). But sometimes life must go on, and what people can’t see is that behind my actions is a mild headache-I’ve learned to ignore. Mild headaches because they are pretty much a daily occurrence. People don’t notice me sitting in my car to let symptoms settle, instead of simply getting in and driving away.
Michael - Painting the mask, wearing the mask, living the mask. Head injury is so similar to choosing to hide; to shelter oneself from the chaos of comparison. To find security by being withdrawn from the society that at one time; was perhaps comfortable. In the present, a mask might show the assumed strength and security a survivor of brain injury looks to assimilate with.
Brian - The aqua color that I picked was to match the tattoo on my right forearm. I chose it because it matched with the other color.
Michael - “My Mind”

‘twas an early autumn morn
the mist arising from the harbour
sitting on the balcony, staring out 
there is a sailboat in the bay
bobbing listlessly, the wind a mere flutter
no motor, unable to move out to sea
without warning, I am that sailboat
Graham - A cheerful mask full of creativity showing rainbows and peace amongst the human race.
Jay - “Superman”
“Hit the Road Jack”
John-Paul - The tears would represent depression, and the colors and shapes scattered around would represent distractions for everyone looking at it.
Rita - A brain injury to me is temporary and though it takes a while to make steps towards who and what I once felt and looked like inside-It’s never too late to be brave and try.
Daena - Black half represents daily pain I go through as well as all the physical struggles that have come since the injury.
Sabrina - My mask shows the battle between being positive and hopeful, and loss and despair.
My mask is about looking inward to find peace and happiness as well as learning about myself, accepting and becoming aware of as many aspects about myself. The black is consciousness with beams of colour coming from within.
Feelings – Past to Present. Busy mind with no thoughts. Tear of Sadness – Who I was and who I am now.
The left side of the mask represents the time immediately after the injury, and the years of symptoms that have followed.  The world became overwhelming, dense, compressed, and difficult to navigate.  
Unmasking brain injury
OBIA Ontario Brain Injury Association
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Copyright 2024: Brain Injury Association of Waterloo-Wellington. All rights reserved.
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Our Team
    • Newsletters
    • Acquired Brain Injury
    • Survivor Stories
    • Survivor Profiles
    • Shop Online
    • Annual Reports
    • Sponsors and Supporters
    • Awards and Appreciation
  • Programs
    • Survivor Programs >
      • Art Programs >
        • Greeting Cards
        • Unmasking Brain Injury
        • Acrylic Paint Pouring
        • Fused Glass
        • Ceramics
        • Gupta Exhibition
        • Brain Art
      • Brain Connect >
        • Device Program
        • Tech Talks
        • Tech Guides
        • Tech Videos
        • Testimonials
        • Fraud Awareness and Financial Literacy
      • Brain Makers
      • Support Groups >
        • Drop-in Support Groups
        • Peer Support Program
      • Young Brain Circle >
        • Stress Management
        • Pain Management Strategies
        • Social Relationships and Communication
        • Apps and Technology
        • Mindfulness and Meditation
    • Caregiver Programs >
      • Caregivers
    • Community Programs >
      • Lidz on Kidz
      • Seniors-Brain Link
      • IPV Program
  • Events & News
    • News
    • Upcoming Events
    • Past Events >
      • 2024
      • 2022/2023
      • 2020/2021
      • 2018/2019
      • Pre-2019 Event Sponsors
  • Resources
    • Automotive Insurance
    • Brain Basics
    • Caregiver Program for Parents
    • Recovery
    • COVID-19 Update
    • Education Programs >
      • Grades 1-3
      • Grades 4-6
      • Grades 7-8
    • Family Caregivers: Introduction to Brain Injury
    • OBIA Helpline
    • Other Brain Injury Resources >
      • Coma Scales
  • Community
    • Associations in Ontario
    • Professional Directory >
      • Attendant Care Nursing Services
      • Case Management
      • Clinical Neuro-Psychologist
      • Occupational Therapist
      • Optometrist
      • Personal Injury Lawyers >
        • Choosing a Lawyer
      • Physiotherapist
      • ​Rehabilitation Therapist
      • Social Worker/Psychotherapist
      • Speech Language Pathologist
      • Vestibular Rehabilitation
    • Community Partners
  • Get Involved
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    • Send Greeting Cards
    • Legacy Giving
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