After suffering a traumatic brain injury in 2005, Laura Brydges (B.A.Sc., M.A.)

• is petitioning the Government of Canada to “adopt and promote a national Hidden Disability Symbol, and lead or participate in actions toward its international adoption”, and is the driving force behind this webpage

• designed and shares a free digital hidden disability symbol on her Hidden Disability Facebook Page with 7300+ followers.

• conducted two hidden disability surveys that demonstrate the value of a hidden disability symbol to members of the hidden disability community (put weblink)

• has created various works of artexpressing her experiences as a member of the hidden disability community

• Laura’s advocacy work on Hidden Disability has been featured in the Toronto Star, CBC Radio, iHeartRadioand more.

BIST is proud to be working with Laura to campaign for a nationally recognized Hidden Disability Symbol. Find out more, HERE.

Watch Laura’s video where she explains the need for a Hidden Disability Symbol in Canada, below. Scroll down to see her artwork and poetry.

Laura Brydges Art

Artwork by Laura Brydges

Title: 10 000 Broken Feathers

Image Description: An icon image of a person. The right half, the icon is blue and the background is white. The left half, the icon is white and the background is blue. On the left side, there are white feathers and pieces of gold coloured necklaces attached.

Art by Laura Brydges

Title: Destruction of Memory

Image Description: This digital art piece is in portrait format, with a light blue background. In the centre of the piece, a distorted and stylized figure is squeezed into an egg-shaped oval, with its feet and one hand pressing forward. The oval is outlined in a fine blue jagged line, inside which a wider red line outlines the oval, enters the face at the forehead, and fills the nose and mouth. The figure is dressed in bright blue. The feet, hands and face are a light chartreuse.

Artwork by Laura Brydges

Title: Embryo

Accompanying Poem:

trapped
alive and whole
complete
fully developed
living like an embryo
able yet not capable
contained
isolated and cramped

my thoughts collect and jumble
and I tumble
in the darkness
where nothing hatches
nothing sees light
trapped by crack
inside myself
inside my brain

Image Description:This digital art piece is in portrait format, with a light blue background. In the centre of the piece, a distorted and stylized figure is squeezed into an egg-shaped oval, with its feet and one hand pressing forward. The oval is outlined in a fine blue jagged line, inside which a wider red line outlines the oval, enters the face at the forehead, and fills the nose and mouth. The figure is dressed in bright blue. The feet, hands and face are a light chartreuse