I’m no expert standing at a podium giving speeches. I share heartbeats. Compassion.
Elizabeth Berkley

Sometimes you witness those rare moments when the wind blows from the right direction, the stars align, and you’re just in luck. Last week, Irish soccer fans, whether they were in the stadium, in a pub, or on their sofa at home, lived through one of those rare moments when their team won against Finland.

Pádraig had another one of them this weekend.

And he went to see The Script. The man who can’t be moved. I’m not moving.

I’m not moving. Or am I?

Wilhelm Zinn, Jürg Kesselring, Berta and Karel Bobath, Pat Davies, Kay Coombes and Margaret Walker are probably some of the most important pioneers in neurological rehabilitation, if not in the world than at least in Europe. At some point of their careers they all worked in Valens and other Swiss centres, as well as in Burgau, founded by Max Schuster almost 40 years ago, when his daughter Evi suffered a devastating brain injury.

Some of these wonderful people have sadly passed away, some are retired, a few are still active.

Kay Coombes and Margaret Walker are here this weekend to work with Pádraig and teach us as much as they can in the short time we have together about positioning, breathing, and communication.

Their visit to and their work with Pádraig would not have been possible without the ongoing, incredible generosity of family and friends who have been supporting Pádraig’s rehab efforts.

On Monday, they will spend some time in the An Saol Foundation to see clients and share their ideas on how best to support them.

The weekend with them reminded me, if that was necessary, how much we need to learn about some of the most fundamental aspects of a severe brain injury. Although it was not for the first time that we heard about the importance of positioning, be it in the bed, in the chair, or when standing – but it is only now beginning to sink in. If you are sitting doubled over or holding your head in the wrong position, you don’t breathe properly, and your voice production suffers.

On the positive side: Our two friends did not give lectures. They shared heartbeats and showed compassion while so generously teaching us and explaining to us some of the fundamentals of brain injury care and (re-)habilitation.

To succeed you need experience, guidance, an openness for new approaches, and – like the Irish soccer team this last week – a good bit of luck. That is when the wind blows from the right direction, the stars align, and the universe is on your side.

Whichever way you do it. A win is a win. In the end, that is all that counts.