UKABIF Film Award Winner Announced

Sacha Paynter from Bristol has won the United Kingdom Acquired Brain Injury Forum (UKABIF) Film Award for her film ‘Talking Benefits’, sponsored by Cygnet Health Care. 

Sacha’s short film looks at the importance of neurorehabilitation for individuals who have had an Acquired Brain Injury (ABI).  The film is based on Sacha’s personal family experiences of ABI, and being a carer for both parents who had a brain injury at different times in her life.  Sacha’s father had a brain aneurysm when she was a teenager, which sadly resulted in his death, and her mother had a stroke a few years ago. 

Commenting on film Sacha, pictured above with her mother, said: “My mum received neurorehabilitation in hospital and it was really successful.  It’s essential that people have early access to neurorehabilitation following a brain injury like a stroke or an aneurysm, and I’ve seen the wonders that neurorehabilitation can do for an ABI patient in hospital.  Neurorehabilitation can result in a speedy, efficient recovery with long-term benefits and a better quality of life”.  

The judges said of Sacha’s film, ‘We really liked the creative way Sacha made her points. She used her experiences to explain really simply how neurorehabilitation works and what the benefits are to the patient and family,”

Chris Bryant, MP, Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Acquired Brain Injury announced Sacha as the winner of the award on Monday 13th July. He said, “We are really struck by the fact that nearly every department of government is affected by brain injury. We need people, like Sacha, to share their stories to get our message across.”

Rachael Chamberlain, Business Development Director at Cygnet Health Care said: “Cygnet is delighted to be sponsoring this Film Award.  Neurorehabilitation has a key role in the patient care pathway following an ABI. We are hoping to use the film as part of our induction training programme for new staff as it explains the importance of neurorehabilitation so clearly and simply.”

Sacha’s film can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/9oUXPj49SWo

You can also see UKABIF’s Chair, Dr Andrew Bateman, Cygnet’s Rachael Chamberlain and Chris Bryant presenting Sacha with her award here: https://youtu.be/WTTTAkIZS58