Ninth World Congress Updates:
Dates for Ninth World Congress Announced: March 21-25, 2012
Scientific Planning Committee
Local Planning Committee
In This Issue:
Articles of Note
New
Basic and Applied Research in Rehabilitation: Introduction to the Neurotrauma Letter’s Basic/Applied Research Column
Meetings of Note:
The Brain Injury Association of Canada is holding its annual national conference September 30, October 1, 2, 2010. This year’s conference has been developed in partnership by the Acquired Brain Injury Partnership Project, the leadership of the Brain Injury Association of Canada and with the active support of the Saskatchewan Brain Injury Association. The twenty plus speakers feature well known researchers,military personnel, doctors and safety experts from across Canada and the United States.
The National Association of State Head Injury Administrators (NASHIA) and the North American Brain Injury Society (NABIS) have come together to hold a Joint Meeting on October 5-8, 2010, entitled Brain Injury Partnerships: NASHIA & NABIS in the Twin Cities. An educational planning committee comprised of nationally recognized multidisciplinary leaders from the brain injury field has developed an integrated educational program that promises to be of interest to researchers, clinicians, administrators and advocates for persons with brain injury and their families. For more information, click here.
Interested in outcome measurement? Plan to attend an essential symposium, prior to the ACRM-ASNR Joint Educational Conference in Montreal entitled Enhancing Outcome Measurement in Rehabilitation Settings on October 20, 2010. Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Upcoming meetings
IBIA’s International NeuroTrauma Letter
Sleep/Wake Disturbance Following Traumatic Brain Injury; Impact on Recovery of Cognitive-Communication Performance
Did you have a traumatic brain injury (TBI) 1 or more years ago? Since your injury do you have difficulty sleeping at night, or staying awake during the day?
Do you also have trouble concentrating or staying focused for periods of time, following conversations or remembering things you have done, heard or read? If so, you may be eligible for a research study.
A group of researchers from the University of Toronto are studying the impact of sleep problems on recovery from TBI, specifically in the areas of paying attention and concentrating, language processing (being able to listen to and follow conversation) and verbal memory (remembering information that you have heard, talked about or read).
Read the rest of this entry »
Submitted on September 8, 2010 – 5:13pm
The effect that football has on players’ bodies has long been debated and studied, and with new research the findings continue to get dramatically worse for the health of retired players and likewise, increasingly scary for current players.
Scientists, partly funded by the NFL, have found new evidence that now links head injuries in athletes to a condition that closely resembles ALS, more commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. Dr. Ann McKee said she found toxic proteins in the spinal cords of three athletes who had suffered head injuries and were later diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s disease, or ALS. Those same proteins have been found in the brains of athletes with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a disease linked to head injuries that causes cognitive decline, abnormal behavior and dementia.
Read the rest of this entry »
As my shift work ended at midnight, I was aware of inebriated drivers taking advantage of the percieved window of opportunity created by the change in shift of Police road surveillance to scoot home without incurring a D.U.I. consequence. I thought by being very vigillant, keeping to the same route, wearing a cycling helmet and safety vest with retroreflective stripes and having lights front and back, I had stacked the odds in my favour. The driver who hit me was a student of different statistics.She had divided attention, driving with friends. She ran a red light hitting me broadside. I was a hit and run victim.
A witness called 911. An Ambulance and first response team had been strategically stationed close by. It was instantly decided to initiate Scoop and Go Procedure. I had no blood pressure pulse or breathing. To break the femur, the strongest bone in the body requires 2,500 LBS. of force. My right femur was in several pieces.
Read the rest of this entry »
Another way to create awareness about acquired brain injury and the people who volunteer with groups.
Who are Canada’s top volunteers— you decide! Tell us about volunteers from your community and how they are making a difference.
More than $100,000 in donations will go to the winners’ charities from Manulife Financial.
CBC Canada’s Champions of Change
Evidence resources for brain injury One Stop Evidence Guide for Brain Injury: Where to Search for Evidence Reviews
The Global Evidence Mapping (GEM) project has mapped the available research in traumatic brain injury and spinal cord injury.
Co-authored and initiated by:
Dr Tari Turner
Senior Research Fellow | Global Evidence Mapping Initiative
Knowledge Translation & Quality Improvement Group
National Trauma Research Institute & Monash University
Level 6, The Alfred Centre, Commercial Road, Melbourne 3004
Ph: +61 3 9903 0382
Fax: +61 3 9903 0018
Westmount Golf and Country Club, 50 Inverness Drive, Kitchener, Ontario
Thursday September 30, 2010, 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Special guests include former Ontario Health and Education Minister, Elizabeth Witmer MPP (Kitchener-Waterloo) and Waterloo Mayor Brenda Halloran.
Please RSVP by September 24th.
Oyster Poster 2010 (pdf)
Register and Purchase Tickets
Terrace RCMP
The Terrace RCMP will soon be providing the community with an education and enforcement program regarding the proper use of bicycle helmets.
The campaign spearheaded by Terrace RCMP’s Cst Ryan Proulx and Cst Doug Rentz will be focusing on reducing the number of cyclists riding without helmets as well as attending local schools to educate youths on the importance of helmets when cycling.
Bicycle helmets are mandatory in the province of British Columbia. Every person who rides a bike is by law required to wear an approved helmet. The law was not enacted by the government to generate funds, but to save injuries or lives of persons involved in incidents while riding a bike. Under the Motor Vehicle Act, a parent or guardian of a person under the age of 16 is responsible and chargeable to ensure their child wears an approved helmet. But laws alone are not enough. Parents play a key role in helping keep their kids safe while on the road.
Tips for Parents to Help Keep Kids Safe:
● Monitor your children’s riding regularly to ensure they always wear helmets.
● Get the right kind of helmet and ensure it fits your child. The helmet should rest two finger widths above the eyebrow and the side and chin straps should be snug.
● People of all ages should wear a helmet when they ride. Remember–you are your child’s best role model.
● Children under 10 should not ride on the road. They do not have the physical and thinking skills to handle themselves in traffic. Children over 10 need to practice before they can ride on the road.
● Be sure your child is “traffic-wise.” Cycling deaths nearly always involve collisions with a motor vehicle. The child’s riding and road safety skills seem to be a factor in more than half of deaths.
The Terrace RCMP want to make the community aware that in an effort to have them wear helmets fines will be issued to those failing to comply with the rules.
Remember, a head injury can last a lifetime, a fatal head injury is the end of a lifetime.
Saturday, September 18 is Sports Day in Canada. Host your own Sports Day event with your team, club or sports-delivery organization in celebration of sport. When you participate, The Brain Injury Association of Canada reminds you to play safe and wear your protective gear and helmet, for sports and recreational activities that require a helmet PROPERLY. Find out more and register your event at http://www.cbc.ca/sports/sportsday/.
Over the last year, I have been impressed and pleased to see some of our survivors and caregivers participate in sport as part of their daily life and as a way to create awareness on BRAIN INJURIES and the variety of disabilities associated with brain injuries and how they deal with these challenges. From walking, to running to swimming to cycling to skiing to arm wrestling and so on. I would also at this time salute Brad Cownden on his accomplishment of cycling across CANADA SOLO from Victoria, BC, June 1st to St. John’s, NL, August 12, 2010 to raise awareness on acquired brain injuries and to raise funds. Visit http://www.brainstormride.org/ Donations are still being accepted.
Sign up and let Canada know what you, your colleagues or team are doing on Sports Day in Canada AND create an opportunity to inform Canada about traumatic / acquired brain injuries.
Good Luck!
Harry
