Welcome Janeanne

Headstart’s Board of Management recently welcomed Janeanne Hardie to their team of Directors. Janeanne has been part of the Headstart community since 2005 and she welcomes the opportunity to “give back” to the organisation that has been so valuable in helping her husband live his best life since sustaining an ABI in 2004.

Janeanne’s education and career background includes a degree in Special Education and many years of teaching and supporting students with disabilities and their families.

Janeanne was able to draw on this knowledge and her skills to face the challenges of her husband’s brain injury journey.

“Gary’s brain injury happened in 2004 when he got out of the ocean and was walking up the sand when he collapsed. He had what is called a post exercise arrhythmia and suffered a heart attack. Gary did actually drop dead and it took about six or seven minutes for the surf club to get the oxygen and a defibrillator down. After being without oxygen for a period of time Gary was diagnosed with a hypoxic brain injury.”

“We started with Headstart in 2005 and today Gary is doing fine and he still participates really well in life. His recent hip fracture and hip replacement mean that his limitations are probably more impacted by age than anything else. I don’t believe that Gary’s brain injury has deteriorated though he still has a lot of therapy and we do quite a bit to keep him moving and enjoying life.”

By joining the Board, Janeanne is gaining an insight into Headstart’s operations through the wealth of information that is presented in meetings. Janeanne feels privileged to be able to contribute to Headstart’s ongoing growth in her new Director role.

“I am pleased to be on the Board. It’s a bit of a learning curve because the organisation has grown significantly since the early days and is now a company limited by guarantee. I still want get my mind around the range of consumers and diversity of needs and the level of support that consumers have. Headstart’s current marketing in the media is successfully increasing community awareness of brain injury. It conveys such a positive message about supporting loved ones who have acquired a brain injury through Headstart’s services. Being an ambassador for this positive message is a priority for me both as a carer and now as a member of the Headstart Board.”

“I want to promote the Headstart organisation especially to families who have loved ones affected by stroke.”

“The brain injury journey is a challenging one and families need a huge amount of support to navigate their changed lives. Fortunately Headstart services were introduced to us through the brain injury outpatient service and our family was able to plan for Gary’s future and resuming life as we knew it. I am aware that many other families, especially those impacted by stroke, sometimes don’t have the range of services introduced to them during their recovery and rehabilitation journey.”

“My desire to give back to Headstart is because it’s been so good to us and using my knowledge and interest to help expand the access available in availability of this organisation to other people.”

Family is a huge part of Janeanne’s life, with a new grandson arriving last week. Gary and Janeanne feel truly blessed to now have 7 grandchildren aged under 6 years of age. The strength and love of family underpins their daily life.

“Life can be busy, sometimes chaotic, but still joyous,” says Janeanne who still finds time for physical exercise and enjoys going to the gym and water sports. Volunteering is also a priority for Janeanne and this year she is passionate about helping out at the Newcastle Dog Rescue shelter each week.

It’s wonderful to have Janeanne ‘on Board’! - Ed