Friday, 09.18.2009 / 5:03 PM / News
NHL.com
DALLAS, DENVER — Concussions are by far the most common, and one of the most difficult to manage injuries seen in sports today. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are between 1.6 million and 3.8 million brain injuries that occur in sports each year — and 63,000 occur in high school athletes alone. The National Academy of Neuropsychology (NAN) and National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) have joined forces on a national and local grassroots campaign to educate the public, athletes, health professionals, coaches, parents, administrators and others about concussion in sports. The overarching objective of the campaign is to raise awareness of the importance of identifying concussions and implementing appropriate management when they do occur.
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Aloha!

On Tuesday, January 26, 2010, we invite you to hula on over to the wildly popular Hawaiian Oyster Odyssey here in Toronto!

Slip into your best rendition of tropical Hawaiian chic and get ready to limbo on down the red carpet. Hosted at Hogg’s Hollow’s famous Miller Tavern (3885 Yonge Street), join us at Toronto’s 6th Annual Hawaiian Oyster Odyssey, a fun philanthropic soiree in support of the Brain Injury Association of Canada and the Brain Injury Society of Toronto.

Toronto HOO Invitation and Ticket Information.

BONUS: Order your tickets by January 20th and save $50 per ticket!

Special guests this year include Beverly Thomson, Co-Host of CTV’s Canada AM, Ontario’s Health and Long-Term Care, Deb Matthews MPP, Ontario’s Minister of Education, Kathleen Wynne, MPP, Dr. Charles Tator, Founder of Think First, as well as Shirley Johnson, President of the Brain Injury Association of Canada.

If you aren’t able to join the party this year (or even if you can) perhaps you are able to support this great cause by donating an item to our silent auction.

The silent auction is an important element in the fund raising goal of our event. We will offer a variety of quality items that would appeal to the expected audience including; event tickets, jewelery, spa or salon packages, restaurant or retail gift cards, as well as any other appropriate items (preferably $50 value and up).

We appreciate your consideration and support, if you are interested in donating an item to the silent auction please contact Cristina Onose at cristina.o@live.com.

Look forward to seeing you January 26th.

In the meantime, have a happy holiday and great New Years.

Warmest regards,
Howard

Howard Brown,
Chair, Toronto’s 6th Annual Hawaiian Oyster Odyssey and
Fundraising Chair, Brain Injury Association of Canada

Hawaiian Oyster Odyssesy
http://hawaiianoysterodysseys.ca

The Brain Injury Association of Canada wishes all Canadians a Safe and Happy Holiday Season

By Amanda Lindsay
Dalhousie University News
You might notice something a bit different when you attend the upcoming New Year’s Day skate at Dalhousie’s Memorial Arena.

That’s because, as of January 1, 2010, it will be mandatory for all participants, regardless of age, to wear CSA-approved hockey helmets during all skating sessions held at Dalhousie. Memorial Arena is the first facility of its kind in Nova Scotia to make helmets mandatory for all age groups at public skates and for ice rentals, a decision intended to assist in the prevention and reduction of head and brain injuries.

The change was prompted by observations from Dr. David B. Clarke, a Dalhousie professor and one of the leading neurosurgeons in the province. “He was appalled that even our staff didn’t have helmets on,” says Kathie Wheadon-Hore, Senior Manager, Facility Operations for Dalhousie’s Department of Athletics and Recreational Services.
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IBIA brings together the largest group of international professionals working in the field of brain injury to learn, share experiences and socialize, as well as recognize outstanding contributions to the field of brain injury care. Delegates are comprised of physicians, psychologists and neuropsychologists, therapists, social workers, nurses, case managers, legal professionals, advocates and all others working in the field of brain injury. The Eighth World Congress program features internationally recognized invited speakers, platform lectures, workshops, short oral presentations and poster sessions. The 2010 meeting set a new IBIA record with over 650 abstracts submitted from around the world. State of the art research will be presented dealing with information spanning from basic science to clinical (coma to community) aspects of brain injury. International priorities in the field of brain injury research will be discussed. IBIA will also have a number of exciting, state of the art, pre-Congress symposia, as well as post-Congress workshop sessions to further enhance the attendee didactic experience. The official language of the Congress is English and sessions are open to all delegates registering to attend the event.
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Boy’s Mom wants Helmet Laws for Skiers, Snowboarders

Jordan Finds himself in New Surroundings
(story about the young lad who is in a coma due to a brain injury from a bike fall)

On December 2nd, 2009 the Honourable Olive Crane seconded by Jim Bagnell tabled the following motion:
Be it resolved that the Members of the Legislative Assembly (PEI) encourage Government to demonstrate strong public leadership and support the recommendation of the Brain Injury Coalition of Prince Edward Island through implementing a mandatory helmet policy at the Brookvale Provincial Park.

Time: 2:00 pm
Date: Sunday January 17, 2010
Place: Room 1613 – Veterans Memorial Building
Brain Injury Association of Nova Scotia
Room 13-009/010
13th Floor, Victoria Building, VG Site, QEII
Phone: (902) 473-7301
Fax: (902) 473-7302
Mail: PO Box 8804, Halifax, NS B3K 5M4
Website: www3.ns.sympatico.ca/bians1

A Helping Hand to a New Beginning

Acquired brain injury (ABI) is defined as damage to the brain, which occurs at least seven days after birth and is not related to congenital disorder. The damage may be caused by traumatic injury to the brain or a non-traumatic cause, such as stroke, tumour, aneurysm, anoxia or an infection.

Childhood ABI is one of the leading causes of death and long-term disability. After an ABI, children and youth and their families may experience changes in many areas of their lives. These may include physical and mental health, ways of thinking, behaviour, social and family life, self-concept, and economic circumstances. Recovery from ABI varies a great deal among children and youth. Our understanding of the recovery process among young people suggests that it is complicated because this recovery is happening at the same time as changes that occur naturally as part of typical development. Even for those with mild ABI, in spite of apparently complete recovery in the weeks immediately following ABI, it is possible that some of these children and their families will have difficulties in the future.

Investigators at CanChild have studied transitions to home, school and community, and the trajectories and consequences of childhood ABI.

Please visit: http://canchild.icreate3.esolutionsgroup.ca/en/childrenfamilies/braininjury.asp

Anne McIlroy
From Friday’s Globe and Mail Published on Thursday, Dec. 10, 2009 8:25PM EST Last updated on Saturday, Dec. 12, 2009 2:25AM EST

After she arrived in Canada from Jamaica, 18-year-old Patrice Smith repeated her final year of high school in hopes of winning a university scholarship.

It was a humble beginning to a career in neuroscience that led to the University of Ottawa and Harvard University, and the discovery, announced Thursday, of a new way to coax damaged nerves to repair themselves.

Her experiments, which build on the growing understanding of how a baby’s brain is different from that of an adult, could lead to novel therapies for brain or spinal cord injuries.
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To: Sun Media and Toronto Sun

Dear Marilyn Linton,

We were very pleased to read your article on December 6, 2009 promoting the use of alpine ski and snowboard helmets.

The article will certainly help raise awareness of this important issue. We would however like to bring to your attention one inaccuracy within the article related to helmets. While there is a CSA standard for alpine ski and snowboard helmets, and there is a testing and certification program available, CSA International has not yet certified any helmets to the new standard.

CSA International has received numerous inquiries into the testing and certification program from manufacturers but to date it has not received any product submissions. CSA has received a tremendous amount of inquiries from municipalities, ski organizations, operators, the media and the public as to when these helmets may be available but the decision rests entirely with the manufactures themselves. CSA believes its alpine ski and snowboard helmet standard is one of the most rigorous in the world and based on public feedback, we believe that there is a strong demand and a need for these certified products in the marketplace. The first manufacturers to deliver certified helmets will undoubtedly be uniquely positioned because the feedback we have had from the public and the media is that Canadians are asking in stores for these products. There are helmets currently on the market certified to other standards from the U.S. and Europe and Canadian consumers should look for these products until such time as manufacturers introduce CSA International certified helmets to the Canadian marketplace.

It is important to remember that a helmet cannot prevent all head injuries. To help prevent accidents on the slopes, alpine skiers and snowboarders should be aware of their surroundings at all time, ski within their abilities, stick to marked areas and they should educate themselves about the potential risks associated with their favourite sports.

We hope you and all of your readers have a safe and happy season on the hills and mountains this winter.

Regards,
Anthony Toderian
Manager, Media Relations
CSA Group
416-747-2620