When Sarah Jane Donohue was five days old, she was shaken violently by her baby nurse. The result was four broken ribs, 2 broken collarbones, and severe, permanent brain injury. As a response to this devastation, her father, Patrick Donohue, Esq., founded The Sarah Jane Brain Project. Its mission is to create a model system of care for children and young adults suffering from Pediatric Acquired Brain Injuries (PABI).
Patrick Donohue and a team of brain injury experts, advocates, and victims are taking their message of prevention and treatment across the country in a series of events called the 2011 National Pediatric Acquired Brain Injury Tour. The tour arrives in North Carolina today, Friday, January 28.
Sponsors of the North Carolina events are The Sarah Jane Brain Foundation, the Brain Injury Association of North Carolina (BIANC), and a North Carolina Host Committee, including HensonFuerst Attorneys partner Thomas Henson, Jr.
There are four events planned (three are free of charge):
- Friday, January 28, 2011 (2:00-3:30 p.m.) Town Hall Meeting: “How Do We Reintegrate The Family After A Brain Injury In Youth?” Room 1503 Carol Belk Building, East Carolina University, Curry Ct. & S. Charles Blvd, Greenville, NC. RSVP: Ted Molloy (212) 576-1180, or ted@thebrainproject.org. Details: this event is free and open to the public including media.
- Saturday, January 29, 2011 (10:00-12:00 p.m.) Town Hall Meeting: “How Do We Prevent, Identify and Treat Concussions In Youth?” Matthew Gfeller Sport-Related TBI Research Center, UNC at Chapel Hill. 2207 Stallings-Evans Sports Medicine Center, Chapel Hill, NC. RSVP: Dr. Johna Register-Mihalik (919) 962-2702 or johnakay@email.unc.edu. Details: this event is free and open to the public including media.
- Sunday, January 30, 2011 (1:00-3:00 p.m.) Pre-game NHL All-Star Game Reception, with a special presentation of the 2010 SJBF Cynthia Gibbs Angel Award to Lisa and Robert Gfeller, Founders, The Matthew Gfeller Foundation and The Matthew Gfeller Sport-Related TBI Research Center at UNC-Chapel Hill. At The Backyard Bistro Sports Bar & Grill (across the street from the RBC Center), 1235 Hurricane Alley Way, Raleigh, North Carolina. RSVP: Sandra Farmer (919) 833-9634 or sandra.farmer@bianc.net. Details: Individual Tickets are $50 per person (families: $75 per family). Sponsorship levels also available: Platinum Level $10,000, Gold Level $5,000 or Silver Level $1,000.
- Monday, January 31, 2011 (1:00-3:00 p.m.) Town Hall Meeting: “How Do We Improve Identification and Treatment Of A Brain Injury In Youth?” Levine Children’s Hospital, 1000 Blythe Boulevard, Charlotte, NC. RSVP: Ted Molloy (212) 576-1180 or ted@thebrainproject.org. Details: this event is free and open to the public including media
The proceeds from the fundraiser will equally benefit The Brain Injury Association of North Carolina and The Sarah Jane Brain Foundation (both 501c3 organizations; please make checks payable to “The Sarah Jane Brain Foundation” or go online at www.TheBrainProject.org and 100% is tax-deductible since the event has been generously underwritten).
Lisa and Robert Gfeller founded the Matthew Alan Gfeller Foundation after their son, Matthew, suffered a severe helmet to helmet collision during his first varsity football game causing a fatal traumatic brain injury. They helped found the Matthew Gfeller Sport-Related TBI Research Center at UNC-Chapel Hill, with the mission of providing the highest level of care for athletes of all ages suffering from sport-related brain injuries, and to assist parents, coaches and medical professionals in managing these student athletes. For more information please visit http://TBIcenter.unc.edu/.
HensonFuerst is a North Carolina law firm committed to representing people with traumatic brain injuries. The firm is a strong advocate for brain injury education and research, participates in several annual fundraising events, and maintains its own brain injury information webpage. For more information, or to query about the services of HensonFuerst, call direct at 1-800-4LAW-MED, or visit https://www.hensonfuerst.com/.
