Cowichan Brain Injury Society
The Cowichan Valley’s dedicated brain injury organization that provides support, advocacy, education, and community connection for adults living with acquired brain injury and their families throughout the Cowichan Valley.
This Month at CBIS
CBIS Zoom link can be found on our Calendar page.
Check our our calendar to stay up to date on the services and programs we have each month.
Acquired brain injuries can be the result of events such as strokes, concussions, accidents, falls, intimate partner violence, and toxic substance exposure. They can be difficult to diagnose and are sometimes left unacknowledged. You don’t have to have a diagnosis to access our services.
Thank You to Our Supporters!
We would like to thank our funders and sponsors whose support allows us to continue the work we do.
Check our our ‘Partners’ page to see more about who supports us!
Special thank you to Kroffat Break & Wheel for choosing CBIS to be a part of the Kroffat Break & Wheel Charity Partner Program!
Support Local Brain Injury Services
CBIS provides education, advocacy, rehabilitation support, and community services for adults living with acquired brain injury and their families throughout the Cowichan Valley.
Your donation helps ensure these vital programs remain accessible at no cost to participants.
About ABI
An acquired brain injury (ABI) is any brain injury that has occurred after birth.
It breaks down into two types:
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
Non-Traumatic Brain Injury (nTBI)
Happens when a sudden blow, jolt, or bump to the head cause damage to the brain.
- Falls
- Assaults
- Motor vehicle accidents
- Sports injuries
Causes damage to the brain through internal factors; typically from oxygen deprivation, infections, tumours, or exposure to toxic substances
- Substances
- Strokes
- Near-drowning
- Aneurysm
- Tumor
- Infectious diseases that affect the brain (I.E. meningitis)
- Lack of oxygen supply to the brain (I.E. heart attack)
Prevalence of ABI
Nearly 4% of the Canadian population live with an acquired brain injury – that’s over 1.5 million people.
The annual incidence of ABI in Canada is:
- 44x more common than spinal cord injuries
- 30x more common than breast cancer
- 400x more common than HIV/AIDS
ABI affects more Canadians annually than multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury, HIV/AIDS, and breast cancer combined.
Our mission is to promote understanding and rehabilitation to adults with acquired brain injury through education, support, and accessible services.
