Living with my Brain Injury

Aphasia Choir

I visited the Norwich Aphasia Choir in July 2024, which is held at The Forum, every other Friday afternoon. Here is a little video of my experience.  I’m not much of a singer, but it was fun!

Watch Video

It is run by Elissa Manzi, a speech and language therapist from the team at the UEA.  We had met when I interviewed her as part of my expert Headpod Series 3 for Headway. Here is the link to the series: Headpods | Headway Norfolk and Waveney

Elissa suggested I come along and experience singing some well-known songs, with others that have experienced a stroke or an acquired brain injury.  The large screen with the lyrics helps those of us with reading difficulties to follow along. Half-way through was a chance to mingle, chat and have some tea and cake! For more information please visit the website: Norwich Aphasia Choir - Groups and Centres (uea.ac.uk)

We really enjoyed our time at The Aphasia Choir and I would totally recommend it to others to give them confidence, no matter their ability.

Headway Together Norwich- Cafe Marzano (The Forum), Every Tuesday 10:30-12 midday

I have been co-hosting the Café Marzano Peer Support Group for the last 3.5 years. We were originally awarded funding from The Lottery, for the first three years.  Since November 2024, we are relying on ad hoc investors to keep it running. You may have seen on social media or elsewhere that Headway Norfolk & Waveney have been facing significant financial challenges. Luckily, we have received further funding and these donations enable us to keep the coffee morning at The Forum running for the foreseeable future. In January 2025 we were awarded some funding from the lovely group at the East of England Co-op for client activities. They visited our coffee morning and took a photo with us which went out on their website. They could see how beneficial this event has been to the ABI community.

When I first started hosting, there were just a handful of attendees. Now we are averaging at 15 clients each week, sometimes including their friends and family.  It’s a great place for people to look forward to being able to socialise and talking to others who may have just survived a brain injury. These particular clients really appreciate this as a first port of call, on the initial steps of their recovery.  I know when I first attended, I found the background noise quite overwhelming and remembering names was always a challenge. I definitely feel that this group has built my confidence over the years, improved my memory and just keeps getting better each time. However I still can’t remember all 15 clients’ names, but that’s just par for the course when you have survived a brain injury. Everyone is always very understanding and many people have told me that this is their favourite part of the week. I feel very proud of that.    

I am looking forward to seeing new clients who have survived a brain injury. Anyone interested in attending, please get in touch with Headway on our website here:

Peer Support Groups | Headway Norfolk and Waveney

Talks

I sometimes go to speak to the students at the UEA about my brain injury journey and enjoy taking their questions at the end. I started doing these talks years ago when I was working for Sweet Tree in London. This was with clients who had suffered an acquired brain injury.  At first, I couldn’t remember anything I had said in the previous sentence, due to anxiety. But with practice and nice bosses who assured me I’ve done a good job, this has improved greatly over the years and I don’t worry so much about it.

I use prompt cards with large type bullet points to remind me where I am, during my talk. At the close we have a Q&A when students can ask me anything they like about brain injury and my role as a Lived Experience Communicator for Headway.

When I first joined Headway, I was speaking to their new clients around Norfolk in my new role as a Lived Experience Communicator.  The largest presentation I did was organised by Amanda Cousins who works for the Norfolk & Waveney ABI Network. It was at The Rugby Club in Wymondham and was attended by mostly specialists and some clients. That was quite a scary one, but it went well.  I will still be visiting the UEA as and when I am invited to do any talks for them.

Watch Emma's Speech Here

My Support Worker

Denise Wise and I have worked together over the last three years on the Headway projects. She is my Support Worker and employed by me through my benefits and paid for by ATW (Access To Work).  This is Government funded, due to my own disabilities. She has been my eyes and memory and handles all the admin on the laptop. Also bookings and calendar events as well as logistics for the podcasts.  We have had a lot of fun with the role and she has also been able to support me in the studio ensuring the client is aware of the how, what, where to meet and provided with a list of interview questions. 

I hope you have found the series helpful and interesting, listening to people dealing with similar injuries to myself. Please take a listen and share with anyone who might be interested. Here is the link to the Headpods on the Headway website: Headpods | Headway Norfolk and Waveney

Thank you for reading my 11th year anniversary blog series, I hope it has inspired you to try new fun things and to keep moving forward.  Please feel free to share the blogs and podcasts to help promote Headway and the amazing survivors that I have met along the way.

The content on this platform is produced by Emma Martins, Lived Experience Communicator, in collaboration with her support worker. All views expressed herein are solely those of Emma Martins and her support worker, and they do not necessarily reflect the opinions or positions of Headway Norfolk and Waveney.

It is essential to note that the content shared represents personal experiences and is not intended as professional advice. For medical guidance and assistance, especially if you require specific healthcare recommendations, it is strongly advised to consult with qualified medical professionals, including your general practitioner (GP). The information provided on this platform should not be considered a substitute for personalised medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Headway Norfolk and Waveney disclaims any liability arising from reliance on the information presented here for medical decision-making. Always consult with healthcare professionals for accurate and personalised guidance based on your individual circumstances.