(ABI) Action for Brain Injury Awareness Week – Max Bongard shares his journey

This week is Action for Brain Injury (ABI) Week. The campaign by Headway aims to give a voice to survivors and carers to help them better explain to their friends and families the challenges they face as a result of brain injury. As well as raising awareness, it also provides positive messages and practical tools to help people make a difference, including guides and top tips for friends of brain injury survivors and carers.

Chris James, Associate in our Medical Negligence and Personal Injury team at Kingsley Napley, sat down with a cup of tea and had an open and honest chat with his good childhood friend Max Bongard to raise awareness during Action for Brain Injury Week.

Max suffered a hypoxic brain injury at the age of 26 after collapsing due to cardiac arrest. He recovered from his injury in a rehabilitation unit and is now sharing the story of his journey to raise awareness of brain injury.

During this podcast, Max shares with Chris his personal experience as a brain injury survivor:

• His personal story.
• What it means to live with a brain injury.
• His journey recovering from a brain injury in rehabilitation.
• How brain injury has impacted his day-to-day life, including work, travel, mental health, family and friends, as well as common effects such as fatigue.
• Life in lockdown – how life has been for Max living with a brain injury during the pandemic.
• The “new Max” – living life for himself, his newfound confidence and doing things that make him happy.
• His advice to other brain injury survivors in recovery and rehabilitation.

Further Information

If you or a family member have been affected by the issues raised in this podcast, please contact one of our Medical Negligence & Personal Injury lawyers on 020 7814 1200, or email us at claims@kingsleynapley.co.uk.

About the author

Christopher James is an Associate and specialises in working with clients who have sustained a range of injuries through medical negligence and personal injury, including brain injuries, injuries arising from birth, cases of incorrect and delayed diagnoses, and psychiatric injuries.