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Derick Poremba-Brumer, well known Television and Radio personality is a sought after local and international motivational speaker. Despite suffering serious crippling brain injury, and despite being given only a 5% chance of survival, despite lying in a coma for seven months before regaining consciousness, he completed not only his high school education, but also his tertiary education, going on to live a full life and earning his keep! If Derick could do it, so can you; no more excuses! Book Derick now to motivate your staff or your organization. Read on to hear what others have to say about Derick's value for money motivational speeches. 5% is also the title of his motivational CD. On the CD he explains how a person who has sufferred a serious brain injury finds himself in a body he does not know, as well as many other aspects.

Derick Poremba Brumer at the 5th National Conference of Services SETA held at the Sandton Convention Centre from 27 -28 October 2005 where he was a speaker.

Our deepest fear

as quoted by Nelson Mandela

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.

Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.

It is our light, not our darkness, that most frighten us.

We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?

Actually, who are you not to be?

You are a child of God.

You playing small doesn't serve the world.

There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people

will not feel insecure around you.

We were born to manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us;

it is in everyone. And as we let our own light shine,

we unconsciously give others permission to do the same.

As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."

(This piece was also quoted by Steven Covey in his book "The 8^th Habit", 2006)

Derick Poremba-Brumer has been through the grinder, and the way he relates to his experiences can help you cope with your challenges in life. This is a brief history:

He was involved in a severe motorbike accident in his matric year that left him in a coma for 7 months.
He has since completed tertiary qualifications. How did he do this? He can inspire you and lift you to greater heights. Listen to his true story.

A Hatfield youth, Derick Brummer (17) of Church street, was seriously injured when his motorcycle collided with a taxi at the corner of Church and Thompson streets at about 3.40 PM. He was admitted to the H.F. Verwoerd Hospital and his condition is said to be critical. (Pretoria News, 6 February 1986)

A passing doctor (specializing in Neurosurgery!) stopped and did first-aid on him.

Derick Poremba Brumer's motivational CD. A must have for any organization.

Emendy Records release CD of Derick Poremba. Article published in:

Emendy Records have released an audio compact disc intended to help motivate people recovering from head injuries. The disc will be valuable inspiration for patients and families dealing with the recovery process. Derick Brumer who sustained a severe head injury in 1986 when he was 17 years of age narrates the 35-minute sound track. Brumer's story is indeed inspiring and he certainly seems to have made a remarkable recovery. He makes a number of valuable observations on the disc, such as:

He ( Derick) promotes a message of not giving up, repeatedly pushing the idea that "people can do anything if they put their minds to it."

Please support Derick by ordering the audio compact disk: It is excellent value for money and a must have for any person recovering from a Traumatic Brain Injury, as well as for people caring for these individuals. It is also recommended for colleagues, employers and other persons who want to deepen their understanding of people with TBI. Also, if you have a child who is considering using a motorcycle on public roads, they should listen to the CD and consider the risks. The CD is entertaining, humorous and is ideal for listening in the car or as a conversation piece. It is also the ideal gift. If you cannot afford R100 but still want a CD, call Derick and negotiate a personal discount.

Listen to this disc and how/why he:

Pricing

Description	SKU #	Price
Single CD	sku-1	R100
10 Pack CD	sku-2	R800
25 Pack CD	sku-3	R1875

The bat symbolizes what I experienced. As the motorcycle accident affected my eyesight and other motor functions, I had to start relying on other senses and methods to both sense my environment and affect it. Bats are almost blind, can't walk very well and would in human terms be considered crippled. Nevertheless they (BATS) are quite successful.

"Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a non-generative, non-congenital insult to the brain from an external mechanical force, possibly leading to permanent or temporary impairments of cognitive, physical and psycho-social functions and / or is associated with a diminished or altered state of consciousness. "

ASSESSING MOTOR IMPAIRMENT OF THE TRUNK IN PATIENTS WITH TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY: RELIABILITY AND VALIDITY OF THE TRUNK IMPAIRMENT SCALE

Verheyden G, MSc Physiotherapy; Hughes J, BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy; Jelsma, J PhD; Nieuwboer A, PhD; De Weerdt W, PhD

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is a significant cause of morbidity in the South African context (Reed and Welsh, 2002). Although statistics regarding TBI in South Africa are limited, a study in Johannesburg in 1991 recorded an incidence of 316 TBI patients per 100,000 inhabitants annually (Nell and Brown, 1991).

Following TBI, there is often an associated loss of trunk control and balance (Davies, 1994) which are considered as some of the most disabling aspects following TBI (Black et al, 1999). Selective trunk control isrequired ffor balance, limb function, gait, respiration and speech (Davies, 1990). Furthermore, sitting balance has been cited as an important predictor of functional outcome following TBI (Black et al, 1991).

The condition of TBI patients is often characterized by poor concentration, attention and memory. These patients are also frequently confused, disoriented and agitated (Sohlberg and Mateer, 1989, Quinn and Sullivan, 2000). It is therefore important that evaluation instrumentw should be brief and not complex. Although an accurate and reliable instrument of trunk function is required to define appropriate aims of rehabilitation (Mazaux, M.L. et al, 2001) there are few instruments that have been developed for measuring this in the TBI population. The Clinical Outcome Scale is a scale which consists of 13 items, one of which assesses sitting balance using a 7-point ordinal scale. In a study of 16 TBI patients, the sitting-balance item was found to be reliable (Low-Choy et al, 2002). The results should be interpreted with caution however, due to the small sample size and the use of intraclass correlation coefficients which may not be the appropriate statistical analysis to evaluate rater-agreement for an ordinal item. The validity of the instrument was not examined.The Trunk Impairment Scale (TIS) was developed by Verheyden et al (2004) as a comprehensive tool to assess impairments in trunk control after a stroke. The TIS contains 3 subsections, which assess static, sitting balance, dynamic sitting balance and trunk co-ordination.

Extract taken from: THE SA JOURNAL OF PHYSIOTHERAPY (June 2006, volume 62, number 2)

In Rehab:

Derick Poremba-Brumer's Story as told by lngrid Marren - Physiotherapist
"Derick became a patient after he was discharged from hospital, in fact, that was where I first visited him. As with all patients at the lime, a very dark picture was sketched for his prospects of recovery. Nevertheless his mother decided to work along wth me and to do everything I advised her to. He was treated by physiotherapists four days of the week with instructions to the nursing staff to do stimulating movement with him during the course of every day. These nurses must have wished that they did not know me, as my instructions for them to stimulate Derick as much as possible during each day gave them very litte time to relax. The day nurse, Maria, committed herself to this daily task, with Ubuntu, complementing the team work of all the other therapists." "I have never had such a spastic patient, in fact I described him as being as inflexible as an ironing board. Gradually things changed with consistent stimulatory physiotherapy, It was very hard physical work, and it took planning, constant effort and a daily challenging adaptation to get results. We never gave up and fought relentlessly for every bit of improvement with every single voluntary movement. Initially he resisted treatment and fought off all efforts to get him mobile. He stopped kicking me when I threatened to clout him if he ever tried to kick me or my staff again. Once he started responding on a more voluntary level treatment was carried our at my practice."
"Never ever did we stop pushing and pulling. shoving and edging, until he could do more and more for himself. Commitment to his therapy gradually became his own responsibility and all treatment here was adjusted with every improvement, always pushing for the edge. In all of this, his mother Margaret, played a crucial role, She never failed to challenge him and always listened to the advice that was given but most importantly, she implemented it! "
"Derick trusted my guidance completely and meticulously did his exercises, which I hope he still does to keep mobile. I went with him to the gymnasium to offer him advice, taught him to swim again, went on outings to work on his balance, we even played putt-putt and did street walking to boost his confidence. Whenever he needed advice he phoned and asked. He ventured into a new life, honed his skills and adapted to his abilities, always reaching for the sky."
"The result is that Derick can today lead a productive life, which considering his extensive includes, could be regarded as a miracle. Truly showing that where there's a will, there's a way."
"I applaud Derick, all his therapists, nursing assistants, educationalist and family on a job well done!"

lngrid Marren - Physiotherapist
National Diploma Physiotherapy (Pretoria)
Educational Diploma Physiotherapy (University Of Pretoria)
BA (UNISA)
Special interest in Neurodevelopment Therapy

4. Recent Speeches by Derick Poremba Brumer

Invited to speak at the 2nd annual symposium EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT OF DISABILITY IN THE WORKPLACE. It was hosted by the Renaissance Network. It was held in the Johannesburg Civic Theatre on the 9^th November 2006. He partook in the original one.

"When I introduced myself I said that the reason why people don't see any problem with people who have survived TBI or Strokes is because they can't see the problem i.e. with most physical disabilities a viewer can see it with a naked eye e.g. a broken limb. Due to their lack of awareness, they put the survivor's slowness down to stupidity."

I then answered some questions.

Q YOU GIVE MOTIVATIONAL TALKS TO A VARIETY OF PEOPLE: WHAT HAVE YOU FOUND TO BE THE BIGGEST MISCONCEPTION REGARDING STROKES AND TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY AMONGST THE PEOPLE YOU HAVE SPOKEN TO?

A "Unaffected people see all people with disabilities in the same (usually negative) way."

Q HOW DO YOU THINK THIS MISCONCEPTION CAN BE RECTIFIED?

A "There must be exposure between the unaffected-population and people with disabilities. After all: what the eye doesn't see "the heart doesn't feel."

Q HOW RECEPTIVE DO YOU FIND THE PUBLIC WHEN YOU APPROACH THEM TO OFFER OR GIVE THEM SOME INFORMATION ABOUT TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY?

A " I don't find them very receptive. This is understandable, in a sense, because they don't understand the situation. It's a form of self-protection."

Marleen, who is a Medical Doctor who survived a motor-vehicle accident 3 years ago and who is on the road to recovery, then spoke.. She is also part of the conversational group. When she was asked whether she understood the Acquired Brain Injury situation thanks to her studies? She replied that: "It is like pregnancy; you only understand it after you've been through it!"

On 12 December 2005 I appeared on 3-Talk on SABC 3 - that is hosted by Noleen Mahulwa-Sanquo. The discussion was about motor-vehicle and -bike accidents.

I've only delivered 2 speeches, despite the fact that I've sent out 700 e-mails! Here's feedback I received from the first one (1) and a report (2) I've compiled about the second one.

I have been asked to jot down a few lines encompassing my vote of thanks to you on behalf of the Rotary Club of Rosebank, on Friday, 8 June 2007, which will be pleasure.

When I read that the subject of your talk was entitled Perseverance I thought we were going to hear a talk on how to persist in trying to sell ice to Eskimos in winter. But you were an inspiration to all of us, having been to places I have never been to nor wish to go, eg taxi accident and ICU. You showed tremendous tenacity in your trauma recovery and that you were certainly no "Andy Cap". Your brain is certainly not dead and that we must all agree your were now 400% more intelligent.

We wish you well and may your perseverance lead you to a complete recovery. You deserve it.

2) I delivered a speech for the Disabled People of SA (DPSA) at Gallagher Estate on Sunday 2^nd December 2007. It was arranged to take place the day before the INTERNATIONAL DAY OF DISABLED PERSONS (3^rd December). The premiere of Gauteng Mr Sam Shilowa and Ms Doreen Senokoanyane: Gauteng legislature Chairperson on Gender, Youth and People With Disabilities were the main speakers before lunch.

One of the speakers that day mentioned that just 0.26% of the workforce is made up of PWD (ref: Development Bank SA). According to the BBBEE-act, these employees must fall into all the categories of the employment hierarchy. I don't know where they're hidden because I have yet to see a PWD employed in the Open Labour Market, in the shops or on TV. (I'm not trying to suggest anything but I had my accident when I was going to a Grade VIII drama-lesson, that was to be followed by me attending a SACEE drama rehearsal al school (CBC) for which I had the leading role).

I delivered my speech after lunch and according to an observer who was seated in the audience, my speech interested most adults who were present, who didn't have children present! I was personally also congratulated by people seated at my table as well as by passers-by.

I'm sure that if more people were to actually meet a Person With a Disability, and see for themselves that the PWD doesn't bite, it can only benefit them in the long-term! The only requirements for any person to acquire a disability, is for them to be in the wrong place, at the wrong time!

On 6/3/10, I went out with the Phyllis Robertson Home for People With Disabilities to a Voortrekker development camp. The audience were of Grade 7 level (from both genders and all races) and the laughter I heard from them (in appropriate places!) told me that they enjoyed and benefited from me speaking, after all, it is not every day that you come into contact with a person with an overt disability.

On 8/5/10 I counseled a man, Shanil Singh, in Randpark Ridge who had suffered a cardiac arrest in 2009 (while jogging!) in London; he is 39 years old. He had just achieved a distinction for a Masters degree in media management. This cardiac arrest had caused him to have a hypoxic brain injury (i.e. a lack of oxygen to the brain). His wife, Shamheeta, asked me to motivate Shanil as I had been through a similar experience.

One thing I have learned since Ive been delivering speeches is that folk wisdom about anything is very difficult to change, especially if you attempt to change peoples ingrained ideas about something that they have just accepted all their lives e.g. the fact that once a person has suffered brain damage, they are destined to nothingness all their life. In a sense I understand this because this was what I thought as well … before I suffered a brain injury! That is what I am trying to change by showing people that People with Brain Damage and/or any disability do not bite!

On the 14^th September, I - and about 250 other people - were at the University of Pretorias Conference Centre for the annual Open Evening for people who have had acquired brain injuries. We had a SKYPE Video Call with universities in California and Michigan. I spoke about What is a Cognitive Communication Disorder.

Have you ever given a thought to what would happen to any person if they were to acquire a disability? Despite the widespread incidence of disabilities, it is a topic that does not get talked about very often, perhaps out of fear that it might happen to themselves?

The person who contacted me to speak on the 3^rd December for the Land Bank (Mapulen Lesoro (Senior Manager, Talent Management) had heard me before, when I delivered a speech at the Rand Water Board

On the 9^th December 2010, I went to the commemoration of World Aids Day, International Day For People With Disabilities and 16 Days of Activism Of No Violence Against Women and Children-day at K9 (the police dog-school in Pretoria) along with the Head Nurse from the Phyliss Robertson Home, who spoke a bit about disabilities in general. I also said a few words about my story and Traumatic Brain Injuries. I am sure that you have come across some data about the American casualties in Iraq and the number of them that are sent home with Head Injuries.

Recent Media Coverage of speeches by Derick Poremba Brumer:

5. Speeches feedback

''Briefly for me Derick's presentation was very inspirational, What he went through in life has not defeated him but he managed to use it as an opportunity to motivate others." If you can dream something you can do it" nothing can stop a person who has passion and is motivated from within to achieve the best goals in life that a person has set for her/himself and also that "disability is not inability"

" I found the speech very inspiring. It also shed a lot of light on the whole subject of TBI and what people with this kind of disability are capable of. I think there is really a need for us "normal " people to be exposed to others with disabilities, in order for us to understand and assist them in making the workplace more accessible to them."

"Thank you Derick for taking the time and making the effort to share your experiences with us."

" My experience was that with still full " brain capacity " I don' t use my potential as I should. With his perseverance he really came through - what's holding me back ? Quite a bit of introspection for myself "

"I started the day not being on top of the world at all. But after listening to Derick, I felt very motivated, and I found his willpower to exceed all expectations inspiring."

"It is not often that you find someone so inspirational. It just shows that you should have a purpose in life and through dedication and perseverance you can achieve it. Derick definitely changed my perception about disabled people."

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Derick's Mission

To help motivate people recovering from head injuries, as well as motivate people living with perceived disabilities. Also to motivate "normal" people who take all their abilities for granted and to inspire them.

Derick attended the 2^nd National Speakers Association of SA convention in Sandton (20-22 April 2007). One of the guest speakers there was David Lim from Singapore who climbed Mount Everest. But that's not his full story.

A few days after his ascent, he was hospitalized (not with a broken leg!) for 6 months on account of the fact that he was suffering from Guillian Barre Syndrome.

I communicated with him at the conference and via e-mail a few days later. This is what I asked him:

Q What caused you to recover from the Gillian Barres syndrome as you have? The reason I ask this is because there must have been some indications of the syndrome during your climb. What caused you to continue climbing? Or was it the same thing that caused you to continue climbing the Hillary-steps when most of your companions did not?

A No indications during the climb at all. I recovered largely because I had goals - like making a comeback to climbing
Climbing's a lifestyle - so that's why I continue!

Best,
David

Therefore, he was able to apply meaning to his ascent and recovery

His web-address is as follows:

David Lim http://www.everestmotivation.com

Disability management is key in embracing diversity in the workplace, and in promoting the frameworks of employment equity imperatives, and best business practices.

Yet the mistake that most people in management make is to view disability as a stumbling block within the work environment.

The attitudes of able people create difficulties in integrating and managing diversity in the workplace, and challenges to managing diversity are developed through these attitudes, says Mapuleng Lesoro, an employment equity specialist.

Lesoro says the Employment Equity Act has played a vital role in providing the foundation for addressing issues on disabilities and in providing protection and opportunities for people with disabilities.

It goes beyond all that, she says, in order to promote the constitutional right of equality, people ought to change their attitudes to put into practice the requirements of the constitution, she says.

She says that the mistake that people in management often make is that they take decisions for people with disabilities, and fail to consult with them and involve them in discussions that will in turn affect them.

Exclusion of people with disabilities in decision making creates borders and marginalises people, creating unnecessary tension and division in the workplace.

Management should involve people with disabilities to establishing possible solutions in making the work environment accessible, this in turn may cut down on cost, because most of the time, the things viewed as problems could actually be turned into cost effective solutions, she says.

Most companies are hesitant to employ people with disabilities because they think it could be an expense for the company, not taking into account the skills and value that person could add to the organisation.

Lesoro says that to promote an enhanced understanding of disability management, employers need to research well about the kind of disabilities they have within their workforce, they have to understand the disability in great detail.

There are a lot of people with disabilities, and different skills, and qualifications, who are not being given opportunities, she says.

There is a need for companies to look into the database that provides a list of people with disabilities, and when opportunities are available, approach those people, and give them an opportunity to prove their potential.

When people with disabilities, the right skills and/or qualifications apply for a post, organisations need to establish if they are ready to take on a disabled person in the organisation. If not, they need to strategically come up with solutions on accommodating that person if they are the right candidate for the post.

Employers need to get the right kind of training on how to accommodate people with disabilities, without imposing their perceptions on the way they judge, concludes Lesoro.

The focus on achieving race and gender employment-equity targets in the workplace has seen scant attention paid to an equally important previously disadvantaged group: people with disabilities. The most recent SA Census conducted in 2001 found that 5.9% of the SA population, what was then 2.3 million people, had disabilities.

However, the 2002-03 annual report of the Commission for Employment Equity, released earlier this year, found that just 1% of the workforce had some sort of disability, but that these individuals account for 1% of the recruits, 0.5% of all promotions and 2.2% of all terminations.

The report defines people with disabilities as have[ing] long-term physical or mental impairments which substantially limits their prospects of entry into, or advancement in, employment.

Ladragh Cozens, executive chairman of Cozens Recruitment Services, says employers are a lot more open to candidates with disabilities.

Ten years ago, if I had tried to put forward a candidate with a disability I would get a flat no.

Shakila Maharaj, a blind industrial organizational psychologist and CEO of Durban-based Disability Management Services says most companies focus primarily on race and secondly on gender.

She says that companies are ignorant about the competence of people with disabilities. Being uninformed leads to fear.

But, she says, part of the problem is that the government puts pressure on employers through the EEA and now the employers do not know where to start i.t.o. recruiting and using employees with disabilities.

Dorothy-Anne Howitson chairman of the SA Federal Council Disability (polio sufferer) says although there are many unskilled people with disabilities, there are also highly skilled people who would benefit any company there is a narrow perception that the only work People With Disabilities (PWD's) can manage in the workplace is operating a switchboard. We've got auditors who are deaf and doctors who are in wheelchairs, she says.

Howitson says PWD's battle to find work because when employers see them they think the individual will cost money [because lots of workplace facilities will have to be adapted], be off sick a lot and not be productive because they are slower:. All three beliefs are incorrect, she says

Adapting facilities sometimes simply requires a higher desk or files placed at a lower level.

There must be a bathroom that is accessible but, she points out, such a facility may also be used by a current employee who, for example has had a back operation.

As for the perception that pwd's are more sickly, research by the Employers' Forum on Disability in the UK shows that overall PWD's have less sick leave than non-disabled people.

She says that PWD's tend to remain employed with the same company for longer and show a strong commitment to the job, good punctuality records and a low absenteeism rate.

Furthermore, many PWD's have had to be innovative in how they do things. They can bring that innovative thinking to the workplace.

In 1986, Derick Poremba-Brumer was in a motorcycle accident that left him in a coma for seven months. He went on to complete an Arts degree and a diploma in education, specializing in severe disabilities. His only remaining physical disability from the accident is double vision, which means he cannot drive and he can't run. He can do everything else.

However, when I went for a job interview, I had to write down information and that showed the slowness of my writing and reading.

Today, Poremba-Brumer gives motivational speeches to enlighten people about the possibilities for people with acquired disabilities, particularly for parents who's child becomes disabled.

Maharaj says people who acquire disabilities later in life (and a major contributor is occupational injuries) are often the least equipped to deal with their new state.

This makes them vulnerable to internalizing society's perceptions that they are now worthless.

Marginalizing people with disabilities means that a huge percentage of our community is forced into a parasitic dependence on the taxpayer, she says.

Nothing much seems to have changed insofar as the employment of People With Disabilities (PWD) is concerned. As noted above: One of the speakers that day mentioned that just 0.26% of the workforce is made up of PWD (ref: Development Bank SA). I do not know where these employees are hidden, but I have yet to see any PWD employed in any stores I have been in. As the BBBEE-act says that 4% of a companys workforce should be PWD, who are employed at all the different levels of the company hierarchy, perhaps they started at management-level?

Contact Information

You can contact Derick by e-mail or phone. For international bookings, remember the +27 international prefix before the local number.