Main image: (From left) Ava-Ann Allman, Calla Temple, Kristine Green, Arden McGregor, and Johnny Temple are excited with their nomination for 2020 Rehabilitation Company of the Year (Sydney Allan)
A local company is one of six Ontario-wide nominees for an award of excellence in its field and needs Huntsville’s help to get to the top spot.
Brainworks Rehab has been nominated for 2020 Rehabilitation Company of the Year, an award presented by the Ontario Brain Injury Association (OBIA) in collaboration with the Personal Injury Alliance (PIA Law).
Brainworks is a private clinic with two locations in Huntsville and one in North Bay. Its team of about 40 people includes psychologists, social workers, psychotherapists, rehab therapists, and administrative staff who work together to aid individuals of all ages in treatment of brain injury, including those with workplace and motor vehicle injuries.
Arden McGregor, a psychologist and the executive director of Brainworks, started the company in southwestern Ontario in 2003 and it quickly grew.
“Having cottaged here, it was a dream of mine to make the move up here permanently and run a client-centred rehab clinic right here in Muskoka,” says McGregor. By 2017, that dream was a reality.
McGregor says that when she moved to Huntsville, the general belief was that to receive brain injury care you had to move to a city. One of her biggest passions is making people aware that they can receive care in their own community.
“Our goal from day one was to support clients in reaching their goals,” she adds.
The company is also passionate about sharing its knowledge. The Ontario Neurotrauma Foundation has awarded the company a grant to share their work and resources regarding brain injury and fatigue with clinicians across Ontario.
As for the OBIA award nomination, McGregor says it’s “a real honour and I’m happy to get the chance to give thanks to the amazing team that we have working with us. I’m really proud of them.”
Public votes are a key part of the nomination panel’s decision-making process. They also consider the nominee’s advocacy and positive outcomes for its clients, its years of service and credentials, and supporting testimonials. Voting takes place until August 31. You can add your vote for Brainworks here.
An awards ceremony would typically be held at the end of September; it will instead be held online due to COVID-19.
Brainworks has been the recipient of many other awards in the past including recognition from Brain Injury Canada, multiple Canadian Business Excellence Awards, two Healthcare Provider of the Year awards, and other awards at a national level.
“These awards have been really important because the province and the country has given us recognition,” she says. “This gives our clients confidence to feel safe with our team because whether you’re in the big city or small town you can receive top-quality care.”
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Sonia Sluman says
How very fortunate we are to have a rehab clinic in our own community. Providing brain injury support to both the survivors and their family members is paramount in their healing journey.