Headway's escape room shows limitations of living with brain injury
A new initiative by the brain injury charity Headway Suffolk may help raise awareness of what it is like living with acquired brain injury through an innovative escape room experience designed to simulate the everyday challenges faced by people living with the condition.
Launched at Headway’s Ipswich headquarters, the escape room features six interactive stations that replicate the sensory and motor difficulties commonly experienced after brain trauma. Participants are asked to complete simple tasks - drawing, sorting cards, or navigating visual puzzles - while wearing equipment that mimics impaired vision or reduced hand function.
The result is a powerful, immersive experience that offers a glimpse into the frustration and disconnection many of our clients feel daily.
This initiative also helps bridge the gap between clinical understanding and lived experience. For clinicians, carers and family members, the escape room offers a rare opportunity to 'feel' the cognitive and physical barriers that brain injury survivors navigate. For clients, it can explain to people the challenges of their daily lives and open the door to more empathetic, personalised care.
Steve Foley, who co-developed the experience, said in the NR Times:
"Participants only felt that frustration for 10 minutes. Our clients live with it every day. That realisation was powerful."
For many clients, their brain injury is not immediately visible, or understandable, to people they meet, including clinicians. Tools like the escape room help build understanding which fosters better communication and more effective support systems. When carers and clinicians truly understand the invisible barriers, they can tailor interventions that are clinically sound but emotionally resonant.
This kind of experiential learning also empowers families. It helps them shift from sympathy to empathy—from “I feel sorry for you” to “I understand you.” That shift can be transformative, creating environments where clients feel seen, heard, and supported.
The escape room is open to the public for £25 per person, with proceeds supporting Headway Suffolk’s vital work.
The medical negligence and personal injury team is proud to support the work of Headway.
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For further information about brain injury claims and brain injury following medical negligence claims, please call Arti Shah on 03304606739 or email arti.shah@fieldfisher.com.
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