ABI Week: Caz Finds Joy at Headway Sussex – Even on the Tough Days

Acquired Brain Injury Week: Good and Bad Days

This Acquired Brain Injury Week, we’re joining organisations across the UK in highlighting the realities of life after brain injury.

The theme this year – Good and Bad Days – encourages honest conversations about the ups and downs that come with recovery, adjustment, and everyday living.

At Headway Sussex, we wanted to hear first-hand what this really means.

So, we spoke to one of our long-standing clients, Caz, who lives with an acquired brain injury, to learn more about what makes a good day – and what makes a bad one.

Her reflections are powerful, personal, and a reminder of why continued support and understanding are so vital.

Caz sustained her brain injury as a result of alcohol misuse. She has been in recovery and living sober for many years.

Caz describes her good days simply: “Coming to Headway Sussex twice a week is the best bit.” She mentions it’s the sense of company, the back-chat and banter with other clients and staff that lifts her. “It’s good to have a laugh and not feel at all self-conscious,” she says.

But bad days can be isolating. When health challenges limit her mobility, or when she’s confined upstairs at home for long stretches, she says it feels like she’s lost a piece of her independence. “A bad day is one where I’m a captive,” she tells us.

Over time, Caz has found confidence using her electric wheelchair – something she was once nervous about. Regaining that independence has helped bring back many more good days than bad.

Her reflections remind us that progress after brain injury doesn’t always come in a straight line. It’s shaped by the people around us, the tools we’re given, and the places we feel we belong.

Thank you for supporting Headway Sussex – your generosity makes spaces like ours possible for people like Caz.

Heartfelt Thanks

The Headway Sussex Team