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EnglishWhat Brain Injury Prevention and Education Programs Does SBIA Run?
Updated
The Saskatchewan Brain Injury Association (SBIA) runs three main education and prevention efforts: Protect Your Melon / Save Your Melon (helmet and protection awareness), Take Brain Injury Out Of Play (sport-related brain injury education, including a brochure and a charter and pledge), and a free concussion webinar series running Tuesdays at 6pm EST. These programs are aimed at athletes, parents, coaches, and community members who want to reduce the risk of brain injury. The webinar series is also open to people with persisting concussion symptoms, their families, friends, caregivers, and health care professionals.
SBIA was founded in 1985 by families whose loved ones had sustained brain injuries, and its stated mission is to prevent brain injuries and improve the lives of survivors and their families. Prevention and education sit alongside advocacy and support as core parts of that work.
Protect Your Melon / Save Your Melon
This is SBIA's helmet and protection awareness campaign. The page lists it under Education with the paired tagline "Protect Your Melon, Save Your Melon," and it also appears as a fundraiser: "Protect Your Melon Hard Hats raising funds for Saskatchewan Brain Injury Association."
What the materials cover, based on the site's own labels:
- Protect Your Melon — the main campaign page, focused on protecting the head (the "melon") through helmet use and safer behaviour.
- Flyer — a short printable handout for sharing the message.
- Activity Manual — a longer resource designed for hands-on use, typically with groups such as classrooms, clubs, or community events.
The intended audience is anyone at risk of a head injury, with the campaign's framing (hard hats, helmets) pointing toward cycling, sports, worksites, and other activities where head protection matters.
Take Brain Injury Out Of Play
This is SBIA's sport-focused education program. The page lists it with three components:
| Component | What it is |
|---|---|
| Sport Brochure | A printed or digital handout on brain injury in sport |
| TIOP Charter & Pledge | A charter and pledge associated with the "Take Injury Out Of Play" effort |
| Concussion Webinar Series | The recurring online education series (see below) |
The charter and pledge format is a commitment device: teams, schools, or individuals can adopt the pledge as a public statement that they will follow safer play practices. The brochure supports that by explaining the risks and what to do about them.
Free Concussion Webinar Series
SBIA runs a webinar series on concussion, held Tuesdays at 6pm EST, supported by LiUNA. The page states the webinars are free to attend and feature experts on concussion and its treatment. Registration is required — the page directs readers to a registration link.
The series is explicitly for "people with persisting concussion symptoms, their families, friends, caregivers and health care professionals."
The listed sessions and speakers:
| Date | Topic | Speaker |
|---|---|---|
| September 10 | Concussion in Older Adults (marked NEW) | Dr. Carmela Tartaglia, Neurologist |
| September 24 | Treatment of Post-Concussion Symptoms Related to Screens at Work, School or Play | Dr. Charles Tator, Neurosurgeon |
| October 8 | Exercise Therapy for Concussion | Dr. Mark Bayley, Physiatrist |
| October 22 | Strategies for Mental Health | Dr. Lesley Ruttan, Neuropsychologist |
| November 5 | Anxiety, Depression & PTSD: Before and After Concussion | Dr. Abe Snaiderman, Neuropsychiatrist |
| November 19 | Drugs for Neuropsychiatric Symptoms of Concussion | Dr. Abe Snaiderman, Neuropsychiatrist |
| December 3 | When and Why to Consult a Social Worker | Eden Dales, Social Worker |
| December 17 | Return to Work, Vocational Rehabilitation and Occupational Therapy | Leslie Birkett, Occupational Therapist |
The speaker mix — neurology, neurosurgery, physiatry, neuropsychology, neuropsychiatry, social work, occupational therapy — shows the series is built around the full arc of concussion care, from acute symptoms through mental health, medication, and return to work.
Who These Programs Are For and How to Take Part
- Athletes, parents, and coaches — Take Brain Injury Out Of Play, the sport brochure, and the TIOP Charter & Pledge are the most directly relevant.
- Cyclists, workers, and community groups — Protect Your Melon, its flyer, and the activity manual.
- People with persisting concussion symptoms, families, caregivers, and health professionals — the webinar series, which is free but requires registration.
- Anyone wanting to support the work — the page also lists Brain Boogie and BrainLove as fundraising routes, and a Donate option.
To act on any of these, start from the relevant section on sbia.ca: the Education section links to the Protect Your Melon materials, the Take Brain Injury Out Of Play brochure and charter, and the webinar registration. The site also points to a national advocacy effort — SBIA is working with Brain Injury Associations across the country toward a National Brain Injury Strategy, described in a book linked from the Advocacy section.