Charity golf day swinging into action for brain injury survivors

Headway, the brain injury association, has announced the return of its charity golf day after a decade-long hiatus, and this time, it’s being held at The Mere Golf Resort and Spa making it bigger and better than ever!

The charity is inviting businesses and individuals alike to join them for a day of golfing excitement at the renowned venue in Knutsford on September 14, 2023.

This exceptional event is not just about golf; it’s about coming together and creating a positive impact on the lives of those affected by brain injury.

“We believe in the power of sports to bring communities together and create positive change,” said Holly Howey, Event Organiser.

“The Headway Golf Day presents a wonderful opportunity for golfers of all levels to come together, enjoy a fantastic day on the impeccable fairways and greens of The Mere, and make a difference to the lives of brain injury survivors.”

Every year around 350,000 people are admitted to hospital with an acquired brain injury. That’s one every 90 seconds.

This could be due to a fall, stroke, road traffic collision, an assault, tumour, or brain haemorrhage. However, even seemingly mild knocks to the head, such as when playing sport, can result in concussion and cause long-term problems.

It can happen to anyone, at any time, and the effects can be devastating and permanent.

Iain Millar knows this all too well; it was during a rugby match in 2013 when he sustained a Diffuse Axonal Brain Injury. As he tackled an opponent, his head hit the ground with force, leaving him with devastating consequences.

Iain found himself battling a deep and dark depression, feeling like a burden to his family. The injury had changed him, and he struggled to make sense of the new reality he faced.

But amidst the darkness, Iain’s life took a glimmer of hope. With therapy and support, he started to gain a better understanding of his disability and learned to cope with the challenges it presented. It was during this journey of recovery that golf emerged as a beacon of light and now Iain plays on the European Disabled Golf Association (EDGA) tour, he has found a sense of belonging and camaraderie that he thought he had lost forever.

In 2022, Iain achieved a remarkable feat, winning the Golf Carts Europe Order of Merit. This triumph was a testament to his unwavering perseverance and determination.

Overall, Iain counts himself lucky “I’m walking and talking and can play golf. People don’t realise how life-changing brain injury can be. It doesn’t just change the way you live; it changes the person you are.”

Now, Iain happily shares his story and love for golf, and together with team members from the EDGA tour, Iain is participating at the Headway golf day. If you fancy taking on Iain and his teammates whilst raising money for Headway, you can register an individual or a team place.

About Headway

Headway – the UK’s leading brain injury charity – provides support, services and information to brain injury survivors, their families, and carers, as well as to professionals in the health and legal fields. It has more than 100 groups and branches throughout the UK.

Key facts

· Acquired brain injury (ABI) is an umbrella term for any injury to the brain sustained since birth, excluding neurodegenerative conditions.

· The most common forms of ABI are traumatic brain injury (TBI) and stroke. Other causes include brain tumours, meningitis, aneurysm, haemorrhage, encephalitis, anoxia, and other conditions.

· The brain controls everything we do, and brain injury can affect every aspect of who we are. The physical, cognitive, emotional, and behavioural effects of ABI can have devastating consequences for individuals and their families.

· There were 356,699 UK admissions to hospital with acquired brain injury in 2019-20. This is a 12% increase since 2005-6. ABI admissions in the UK increased by 12% between 2005-6 and 2019-20.

· There were approximately 977 ABI admissions per day to UK hospitals in 2019-20 – or one every 90 seconds.

· Men are 1.5 times more likely than women to be admitted for a head injury. However, female head injury admissions have risen 28% between 2005-6 and 2019-20.

· In 2019-20, there were 137,403 UK admissions for stroke. That is an increase of 14% between 2005-6 and 2019-20. It equates to one every four minutes.