Member of Kanata 5 tragedy launching BrainSTRONG charity to raise awareness of brain injuries
A local man is on a mission to raise awareness about the challenges faced by those who suffer from Acquired Brain Injury (ABI).
Robert Wein was one of the "Kanata Five", a group of five cyclists who were struck by a driver on March Road in 2009. The crash left him with a severe brain injury and changed his life forever.
Despite his challenges, Wein has not let his injury define him. He has launched a new charity, BrainSTRONG, to help others who are struggling with the effects of ABI. The charity aims to bring awareness to the invisible nature of brain injuries and the need for support from the community and the health-care system.
"BrainSTRONG is a way to tell the world that if you happen to have a brain injury, they may not be aware of it. It's invisible, so no one can see it," says Wein.
Pathways to Independence, a local organization that provides support to those with ABI, agrees with Wein's message. Christie Swann, the COO of Pathways to Independence, says that people often don't understand the impact of brain injury on a person's life.
"Often, for most people, you're living a quote-unquote 'normal life', and then something happens tragically, and your life is never the same. People around you often don't understand the impact that it has. By increasing our funding and awareness, we're just getting the word out there and that can help in every way," says Swann.
In June, Wein hopes to hold another Brain Injury Awareness Walk, which he has organized since his recovery. He wants to spread the message of understanding and support for those who suffer from brain injuries.
"I'm hoping to tell the world that if someone makes a mistake, don't get mad. Just say why. Ask why," says Wein.
BrainSTRONG will be officially launched this Friday with a trivia night event in Richmond. The launch is expected to bring together members of the community to support Wein's mission and raise awareness about brain injury.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING | Federal budget to include grocery rebate for lower income Canadians: sources
The 2023 federal budget includes a 'grocery rebate' that will be offered to Canadians with lower incomes who may be struggling with the rising cost of food, CTV News has confirmed.

Advocate questions whether Air Canada has 'cultural problem' after issue with teen's wheelchair
Flying over the Grand Canyon was a highlight for the Gellisen family during their trip to Phoenix, but their flight home to Toronto was a much different experience, with several family members forced off of the flight over tensions related to a teen's wheelchair.
Military under fire as thousands of troops face lost cost-of-living allowance
The Canadian Armed Forces is under fire for its plan to cut thousands of troops off a cost-of-living allowance without much notice.
Essential oils and a secret code name: Things you didn't know about the coronation
King Charles III's coronation will be held on May 6 at London's Westminster Abbey. Here are some little-known facts about the ceremony:
Why lettuce prices are likely to rise again in Canada next month
Lettuce prices are likely to rise next month and could stay high into the summer, agriculture experts say, as flooding in a key California farming area becomes the latest example of extreme weather's effect on the food chain.
Police identify 16-year-old killed in 'unprovoked' stabbing at Toronto subway station
Police have identified a teenager who died after being stabbed in an ‘unprovoked’ attack at a Toronto subway station Saturday night, and have charged an adult male suspect with his murder.
'Reconciliation through art': Campaign aims to get an Indigenous woman on Canada's $20 bill
A new campaign is aiming to get an Indigenous woman honoured on the next $20 bill in Canada for the first time.
Don't punish int'l students over fake admission letters: advocate
An organizer with a group advocating for the rights of migrants in Canada is urging the federal government not to penalize potentially hundreds of international students facing possible deportation over fake school admission letters.
In Macron's France, streets and fields seethe with protest
In France, a country that taught the world about people power with its revolution of 1789 -- and a country again seething with anger against its leaders -- graduating from bystander to demonstrator is a generations-old rite of passage.