Queensland brain injury survivors connect through rhythm and music program

The NeuroRhythm program, run over the past five weeks, was designed to help provide mental and physical therapy to people with brain injuries.

Transcript

00:00At 11 years old, Jordan Carroll suffered a spontaneous stroke.

00:07He was diagnosed with a brain tumour a year later and spent years in and out of hospitals.

00:14For the past five weeks, he's been participating in NeuroRhythm,

00:18a group therapy program for traumatic brain injury survivors.

00:22Honestly, this is the best thing that's ever happened for me in terms of my social.

00:27The group warms up with movement and dance, then practices the djembe drums.

00:32I'm surrounded by people with brain injuries themselves.

00:35You know, it's not like when I was at school where I was forced into a group

00:39with other people who didn't actually really understand me that well.

00:44The program provides a mental workout as well as social connection.

00:48So you've got to kind of combine the auditory, the visual, the movement patterns,

00:53so all of that coming together as well as also having to think through,

00:58give attention, like you hold attention to what you're doing.

01:01The five-week course ends with a final performance for friends and family.

01:05It's actually indescribable.

01:07I think not just seeing the progression of all the participants,

01:11but hearing their personal feedback.

01:13The sense of belonging, the sense of unity and joy, absolute joy.

01:21The program hopes to bring more awareness to brain injuries,

01:24which affect one in 45 Australians.

01:27Be mindful of people because you never know what injury they have.

01:33Don't judge a book by its cover.

01:35I think the biggest take home is do not underestimate what people can achieve.

01:41It's now hoped the success of the pilot program could prompt long-term funding.