Local ABC Affiliate Features NeuroRestorative Carbondale Urging Students to ThinkFirst

An estimated 3.8 million sports- and recreation-related concussions occur in the United States each year according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).  Of that number, U.S. emergency departments treat approximately 135,000 sports- and recreation-related traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), including concussions, among children ages 5 to 18.

NeuroRestorative Carbondale in Illinois is striving to lower these staggering statistics through its ThinkFirst program.  The mission of the program is to promote prevention of brain and spinal cord injury through public education, research and policy.  In recognition of Brain Injury Awareness Month this March and the Brain Injury Association of America’s (BIAA) continued campaign to emphasize the importance of prevention and diagnosis of sports-related concussions, ABC Southern Illinois Affiliate WSIL-TV cameras followed Cori Maynor, Occupational Therapy Supervisor for NeuroRestorative Carbondale, as she visited Du Quoin High School to educate students about the issue.

“The most important message I try to convey to the students,” said Maynor, “is that concussions are very serious and that if they notice signs or symptoms they need to report it.”

 “As a provider of comprehensive post-acute services for individuals with brain injury and other neurological challenges, NeuroRestorative Carbondale is proud be to doing our part in educating young people about sports-related concussion,” said Robin Ray, Vice President of Operations for NeuroRestorative’s Central Region.

“Because there is no cure for brain injury,” Maynor continued. “The key is prevention and early treatment.”

To learn more about ThinkFirst and its initiatives, visit their website at www.thinkfirst.org.

To learn more about traumatic brain injury and the BIAA or how you can help spread awareness of brain injury, visit the BIAA website at www.biaa.org.