I have signed up to donate my brain for research for two reasons. First: every day is a bonus day and I feel there is a reason I am still here. I have not figured out the plan yet, but perhaps my brain can help to find a cure or provide a better understanding of CTE.

After having spoken with the team at Project Enlist, it has become clear that my brain is just as invaluable as those who have suffered from major concussions.

After the age of 16, all I ever wanted was to be an infantry soldier. As a very high functioning person, wanted to be the best infantry soldier. That's all I wanted. So after this string of head injuries, I was at the point where I was too scared to seek medical care. I refused to reach out for help.

At the end of the day, yeah, it's awesome that I have my medals but now as a 30 year old woman, it scares me regarding my head. The things that I can't remember sometimes, the way I talk or I articulate things or I don't articulate things. I know that sometimes my motor skills and my thinking capacity aren't lined up and I know that's not me. I truly believe it's attributed to the incidents that I acquired during my service. So many of the seemingly small head knocks happen, that you don't think about it. And here I am at 30 years old, regretting not taking my injuries seriously.

I hope my brain donation is valuable - even in the most minuscule way - to bring some help somewhere. I figure it’s a way for me to give back to society, in return for what society has given to me.

Bruno Guévremont spent 15 years with the Canadian Armed Forces, serving two tours in Afghanistan before he realized that his mental health was deteriorating. He was medically released in 2014 and began searching for a path to recovery. That path ultimately included an expedition to the North Pole, and captaining Team Canada at the 2016 Invictus Games, serving as a Bell Let’s Talk Ambassador, and opening a fitness facility where Bruno trained clients to achieve the best versions of themselves – physically, mentally and emotionally. Today Bruno helps high-profile CEOs, executives, managers and organizations navigate a clear path to their next level of greatness. He continues to inspire and coach individuals and organizations in areas that matter most: business, relationships, careers and well-being. Bruno is a Project Enlist Ambassador.

It’s important to understand the impacts military life has on the brain, and that is why I have pledged my brain to Project Enlist. As the link between concussion, Traumatic Brain Injury, Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is explored, the next generation of soldiers will have a better understanding of what the military brain is subjected to. With that understanding, soldiers, leaders and clinicians will be better equipped to properly manage or mitigate the potential exposure to brain injury faced by those who serve.