A Creative Initiative for Brain Injury Awareness

Our Maine Center for Integrated Rehab team developed a creative and impactful initiative to raise awareness for Brain Injury Awareness Month. The initiative was led by Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist Alysha Squires, along with several patients. With approximately 10,000 brain injuries occurring annually in the state of Maine, they chose the butterfly — paired with green and blue — as a symbolic representation of this cause.

Their goal was to create 1,000 butterflies, each representing 10 individuals affected by brain injury. These butterflies are being displayed on a large blue wall within the clinic for staff, patients, and visitors to see. Patients have been actively involved in every step of the process — coloring, folding origami, and placing the butterflies on the wall! Currently, the team has completed over 1,000 butterflies and surpassed their goal.

Alysha states this about the project, “Watching a variety of people learn how to fold the origami, with cognitive difficulties, or one-handed adaptations was great to see. Everyone was willing to try at least once! Some loved the idea and dove into creating as many as they could. Having coloring pages available as well with a variety of butterflies made this accessible to everyone. We even had someone take the origami pattern home and do it with their parents!

It is difficult to put into words just how much hope we want the patients to take away from this initiative. So many skills were covered in such a little time. Making these butterflies uses a variety of skills; sequencing, abstract thinking, fine motor control, visual scanning, task initiation, group cooperation, numbers/counting, memory, and organization. Placing them on the wall included peer cooperation, balance, fine motor control, organizing, friendly competition, and balance. Overall, there is a sense of pride in the tasks being completed and discussion within the group about how big an impact it’s made!”