A Cape Breton businesswoman who has found success in making preserves for Maritimers and Hollywood stars, has been facing a very personal battle since a serious car accident 11 years ago.
Joanne Schmidt runs Galloping Cows Fine Foods and has won some big awards over the years, with her preserves being gifted to the stars at the Oscars. But she says none of the awards are as special as winning Entrepreneur of the Year from the Entrepreneurs with Disabilities Network.
"We were told a person with a brain injury, their businesses don't survive,” said Schmidt. “We were told flat out, 'Just close your doors.'"
Due to her brain injury, Schmidt is very meticulous that everything in her shop is done a certain way. She experiences memory loss and has trouble with crowds and noise.
Worried about stigma, she kept her condition mostly private.
"For me, it's been 11 years of recovery," said Schmidt. “The head injury was not something i wanted to talk about, in a business aspect, for many years because I felt it was something that could kind have hindered our business."
Schmidt did tell a few people over the years out of necessity, but she says this is her first time speaking publicly about her brain injury.
"I really want to make sure people know that there is hope and to go ahead and try," said Schmidt.
She hopes going public with her story will change the way others look at people who are living with brain injuries.
“They don't necessarily have crutches or big apparatuses on them. They're people, and they look like us. They look normal."
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Ryan MacDonald.
