Limavady man discovers life after brain injury

THERE is life after brain injury, Limavady man Richard Rathfield has discovered after working with local charity ‘the Cedar Foundation’.
By The Newsroom
Published 29th May 2013, 09:03 BST
Brain Injury Survivors David Doherty, Richard Rathfield, Graham Wilders, Leanne Colhoun, Laura Curran and Louise McCourt at Cedars Training and Resource Centre in Springtown, DerryBrain Injury Survivors David Doherty, Richard Rathfield, Graham Wilders, Leanne Colhoun, Laura Curran and Louise McCourt at Cedars Training and Resource Centre in Springtown, Derry
Brain Injury Survivors David Doherty, Richard Rathfield, Graham Wilders, Leanne Colhoun, Laura Curran and Louise McCourt at Cedars Training and Resource Centre in Springtown, Derry

Mr Rathfield has spoken about how sustaining a brain injury changed his life, made “made group situations” difficult and left him feeling “isolated and alone.” All that has now changed, said Richard, following his work with the Cedar Foundation. He now believes “there is life after brain injury.”

Each year over 2,000 people in Northern Ireland sustain a brain injury. Many more are living with the long term effects. Brain Injuries occur due to a range of causes including falls, road traffic accidents and assault. This can have a life changing effect on the lives of individuals, their families and carers. Many people will have to deal with significant and on-going difficulties with their memory, concentration, emotions or behaviour as well as physical problems.

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Limavady man Richard Rathfield is one of those affected. He tells his story: “One of the greatest difficulties I had following my brain injury was group situations as I was not comfortable and find it difficult to follow conversation from several people. I also felt very isolated and alone in my quest to understand my brain injury and the changes it made to my life.

“I was referred to Cedar in 2012 and recall feeling much the same for the first couple of weeks. Then about the third or fourth week we as a small group were being shown a presentation on what is brain injury? We were shown many different facts about brain injury. I recall reading the presentation and the hair stood on the back of my neck as it seemed to have been written about me!

“We then had a break for a cup of tea. I took myself outside the building still feeling an awe of emotions and thought what a sad state I am in. I broke down and started to cry with sadness, so I thought at that time, but when I dried my eyes and returned to the group I felt a transformation! I was not sad I was happy. My emotions were not of despair but of hope, I was among friends! We had so much in common, our goals were the same, our difficulties were the same, they understood me and I now understood them! I had jumped a hurdle and moved on to a new stage of my recovery after brain injury.

“To all the Cedar staff, thank you! I look forward to our group meeting next week at Cedar.”

For more information about Cedar’s Brain Injury Services, please contact Breeda Doherty on 028 7136 0136 or email [email protected]

Related topics:LimavadyNorthern Ireland