Brains trust merge in new hub

ANDY Rodman reckons people need to know more about brain health.

Mr Rodman suffered an acquired brain injury when he was hit by a cement truck in Melbourne in 1998.

“I don’t remember it but I actually nearly died,” he tells the Mercury. “I woke up in a hospital with my mum there.”

Moving back to Tasmania a decade ago to be near family and friends, the 54-year-old’s been in the same hospitality industry job for five years.

But running into old friends, he is constantly struck by their lack of knowledge of his condition.

“People see me or remember me from years ago playing football or soccer,” he said.

“They’ll say ‘Andy Rodman, haven’t seen you in a while’.

“They don’t understand it. Not many people know I’ve had an acquired brain injury.”

Mr Rodman occasionally taps into the Brain Injury Association of Tasmania for support and information, and they will be one of four members of a Neuro Hub opened by Premier Will Hodgman yesterday in the ABC Centre.

The BIAT joins Epilepsy Tasmania, Multiple Sclerosis Ltd and the Stroke Foundation in pooling their expertise to help Tasmanians affected by progressive neuromuscular or neurological conditions.

The organisations will share office space, knowledge and resources in the new hub.

Epilepsy Tasmania chief executive Wendy Groot said the collaborative potential would improve health outcomes.

BIAT executive officer and Neurological Alliance of Tasmania chair Deborah Byrne said complex community challenges and issues could often be better resolved with shared resolutions.