Charity Overview
The Fresh Tracks Foundation works to help ensure young people with an Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) receive the support they need to continue their rehabilitation. The Fresh Tracks' Foundation vision is to improve the quality of life of young people suffering from an Acquired Brain Injury and to raise awareness of the condition.
Project Summary
As a small charity, the support from ICAP has made a significant difference to the services that Fresh Tracks can provide. A donation from ICAP Charity Day 2013 in Sydney funded a 12 week Body Brain Fitness programme for five people living with an ABI, run by Rehab on the Move. None of the participants are able to engage in physical exercise independently and have communication difficulties, which restricts their ability to participate in social groups.
At Fresh Tracks we are so appreciative of ICAP in selecting us to be part of their Charity Day. It was a great day and it was exciting to see the enthusiasm and passion shown by ICAP for the various charities that were being supported. We want to thank ICAP again for selecting to support Fresh Tracks. It has only been through this money provided that the Body Brain Fitness and a number of other programmes have been possible.Alan Lawrance, Fresh Tracks Foundation.
ABI is a complex and individual condition. People with ABI may have difficulty controlling, co-ordinating and communicating their thoughts and actions, however, generally retain their intellectual abilities. The programme has been designed to individually challenge participants cognitively with the aim of improving memory, visual spatial skills, fine hand movement and social skills.
The programme has been a wonderful success. All the participants enjoyed being involved in a range of activities including artwork, gross motor skill exercises and social interaction. The specialist equipment Fresh Tracks provides is vital for recovery. Equally important for the best possible recovery is spending time amongst people the same age. The vast majority of young people with a brain injury end up in aged care facilities, which emphasises how invaluable the opportunities and support the Body Brain Fitness programme has become.
The establishment of the Fresh Tracks Foundation is attributed to a young man by the name of Sam Carson, who suffered a brain injury in a balcony fall. Sam came to the ICAP Sydney Charity Cheque Presentation and as he cannot speak properly, he used the aid of an iPad to write down what he was thinking. Sam said: ‘Being here is fantastic and all the people here are fantastic’.
As part of their on-going support for the foundation ICAP Sydney also took part in a wheel-a-thon in May 2014.
See more of Our Impact
Around the world every four seconds someone is diagnosed with a cognitive disorder.
