Synapse and Jo Lake - The Road to Recovery  

Friday, 19th of November, 2010

Synapse. It's short, concise and means the connection between neurons. For Jo Lake, an Indigenous Artist and client of Synapse’s Lifestyle Services, our new name is better and breaks the stigma surrounding “brain injury”.

“Synapse is a much better name then Brain Injury because when  people hear the words ‘brain injury’ people automatically think that you cannot comprehend things, there’s a stigma attached to it,” says Jo Lake.

Jo Lake enjoys painting and values her positive connections with friends and family. She uses Synapse for her community access and care services.

To help launch Synapse to all staff and clients, Jo Lake kindly produced a painting that was unveiled at a special launch held at Synapse’s central office in Brisbane. Called “The Road to Recovery” it symbolizes the journey that she has taken and the people who have supported her in her rehabilitation and the value of will power.

A physical assault by her stepfather when she was just two years old left Jo a quadriplegic. She has been living with an ABI for the past 28 years.

Synapse Marketing and Communications Manager, Glen Farlow, believes that many people still make the mistake of thinking that people with an Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) are intellectually disabled.

“It is wrong to think that people with an ABI are intellectually disabled or have a mental illness, each case is different but often the challenges for people living with ABI are a combination of physical disabilities in association with delayed processing so communication can be a challenge, the ability to organize oneself may be impaired, as well as memory and the ability to concentrate,” said Farlow.

Any child that lives after Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) through assault seriously battles the odds. Current statistics say that as many as 1 in every 3 children who are the subject of TBI will die as a result of their injuries. For those who recover, as many as 2 in every 3 will live with complex, profound and permanent disability. Children with an Indigenous background have an even higher risk of injury and death compared with other Australian children.*

Despite this beginning Jo Lake’s spirits were not dampened. She went on to become the foster child of devoted parents, Wendy and Peter Lake, and for the next five years Jo battled against the odds to learn to walk again. Her parents’ support says Jo, “has been a big part of my recovery…they are very encouraging in everything I do”.

At age seven Jo reached her goal to walk again and then this goal was replaced with one that would see her swimming the entire length of the 25 metre Dayboro Swimming Pool.

Years later Jo set her sights on completing her teacher’s aide Certificate (which she has done) and she now volunteers at a local school 2 days a week. Next on her list is to complete a Certificate 3 in disability work.

“I think I can do more for people with a disability than able bodied people.”

What are Jo’s plans for the future, apart from continuing her painting?

“To have a loving family, a nice house and to help people with a disability,” said Jo.

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Media inquries: Anna Petrou on +61 7 3137 7400 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

*Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, Key national indicators of children’s health, development and wellbeing: indicator framework for a picture of Australia’s children 2009, Canberra.