Wagga assault victim transforms life and raises awareness of hidden disabilities internationally

Hidden disabilities are on the rise in Australia.

In fact, 90 per cent of the 4.4 million people living with a disability in Australia have conditions that can be classified as hidden disabilities.

Autism, mental illness, acquired/traumatic brain injury, sensory processing, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, partial sight and hearing loss are just some of the many different conditions that fall under this classification.

Despite how common hidden disabilities are, many people still have a certain concept of what living with a disability looks like, and this is something Wagga man Garry Whittaker is trying to change.

After suffering a traumatic brain injury following an assault after a night out, Mr Whittaker was diagnosed with aphasia, a condition that makes it difficult to recall words and communicate.

Nearly five years and a countless amount of research later, Mr Whittaker is taking his experience internationally to better inform the world about the importance of the brain and the impact brain injuries can have.

Speaking at the inaugural Traumatic Brain Injury Conference in Christchurch, New Zealand, on 12 March, Mr Whittaker will be sharing his experiences in rehab following the injury as well as some of the exercises and research he has conducted to continue his development post-injury.

“You don’t get often to go international and talk about something that’s close to your heart,” Mr Whittaker said.

“I found out that there was this opportunity over there because of the conference I actually went to and delivered out in Adelaide with the National Brain Injury Conference.

“I think what I have to say is important. One of the great challenges for me was to work out a way to get back to work as the Regional Manager Training Services at the NSW Department of Education.

“I’ll be talking about pre-vocational and vocational rehabilitation pathways and integrating cognitive neuroscience.

“I’m talking about a language deficit primarily, and what I did to support my recovery, which was probably different to what a lot of people would have accessed under traditional clinical practice, for instance, through a speech pathologist.”

During his time at the conference, Mr Whittaker hopes to bring attention to Brain Injury Awareness Week which runs from 10 to 16 March.

“I have learned so much following my injury, including things I never thought I would but I have only touched the tip of the iceberg when it comes to understanding the brain and how it works,” he said.

“Since mid 2020, I’ve done 870 days of brain training, and approaching now 17,000 exercises to help my brain, over that period of time. So for Brain Injury Awareness Week, it’s about really uplifting the public around awareness and what support might be available out there.

“Two out of five Aussies experience some type of brain disorder throughout their life. It could be permanent or may not be as well. Eight per cent of Australians actually have a neurological disorder and what’s incredible about that is, since 2002 it’s increased by 91 per cent.”

Outside of Mr Whittaker’s work in spreading brain injury awareness, he is also an advocate for Hidden Disabilities Sunflower, an organisation that raises awareness of the fact that just because you can’t see someone’s disability, doesn’t mean it isn’t there.

“I think it’s important that people understand the whole notion of hidden disability,” Mr Whittaker said.

“The sunflower is such an important symbol to lifting people’s broader perspective of what a hidden disability is.

“I’m always wearing a green wristband or a lanyard with a sunflower on it, doing my little bit to spread this message. Even if I’m in a black suit speaking somewhere, I always have it with me. It’s such an important part of my life now.”

Mr Whittaker will be speaking at the Traumatic Brain Injury Conference in Christchurch, New Zealand on 12 March.