The origin of this website

The initiator of our Dutch site hersenletsel-uitleg.nl came in touch with brain injury as a young person in the role of care giver for a parent with brain injury. Later on she got to know another side of brain injury in professional life as a nurse by doing the nursing specialization of neurology. Even later she got to know brain injury as a brain injury victim.

Knowledge of and experience with brain injury from these three viewpoints (caregiver, professional, brain injury victim) has an overlap, but also has substantial differences.

Despite the practical experience as a caregiver and professional in neuroscience nursing, neurocognitive rehabilitation and (neuro)psychiatry, she discovered that at the other viewpoint of brain injury, the viewpoint of the brain injured, there was a very different need for information.

Even though she had knowledge of brain injury, she noticed only then that it was so totally different than she had ever imagined. There is a proverb that applies to this situation: ‘Don't judge a man until you have walked a mile in his shoes’.

She sought contact with a previous colleague who had ended up in a more or less similar situation. The doctor who had a son with severe brain injury and being a mother, did not know how to deal with this 'inside'- experience. In order to understand her son, she first studied psychology and later on she studied neuropsychology.

These two women, Atie and Annette, who had worked together abroad years before, started to work on a website about brain injury. Each of them did this in her own language and in her own country, with her own history, experience, knowledge and background. Later on, they started working together again.

Regrettably, the doctor has now deceased. With gratitude we think of her work and her contribution.

The knowledge about the brains and brain injury has increased significantly over the years in the Netherlands. Where previously the training of workers in this sector were focused on mentally disabled, we now know multiple educational institutions on ABI with a wide range of training. Also, people with brain-injury are increasingly used as experts to tell the other side of the story.

The role played by Jenny Palm should not be neglected. Her leading role in the world of neuropsychology, the accessible knowledge she spread through her books and her passion for brain injury has brought large rocks rolling, causing a landslide in the course of time.

Both Jenny Palm and the doctor encouraged the initiator of this site, Atie, to start this website.
At the same time, she worked on a translation of the Dutch website into English. The result of that is this English website.

She felt the need for wider knowledge. She sought help from people who had expertise in their field. New team members came, each with their own expertise and experience. We hope we can bring in motion lots of stones with this site, with our knowledge of all three viewpoints of brain injury.

The arrival of new colleagues has ensured that a team has emerged that carries both the Dutch website and the English website. It has become a good team.

The names of the team members are not important. The experiences are important. This site only has the aim to build a bridge to all sides of the knowledge. We have no commercial interest, no need to get high visitor numbers or make profit. We do not need to make any money.
Our interest lies in the three target groups, to help them with knowledge, tools and tips. The three groups:

• People with brain Injury;
• Brain injury professionals;
• Care givers (sometimes very young).

If you have any comments on the content of the website or on incorrect English, please let us know.