POPULARITY
This week, we're replaying a classic episode where Steve and Yvonne interview William Ricigliano of Ricigliano and Filopei, P.C. (www.rfinjurylaw.com). Remember to rate and review GTP in iTunes: Click Here to Rate and Review View/Download Trial Documents Case Details: One of America's Top 100 Attorneys, William Ricigliano shares how he secured justice for Jason Kowalsky, a Verizon technician in New York who was hit by a negligent driver in a Suffolk County Parks, Recreation & Conservation pickup truck. Jason was collecting safety cones and putting away his equipment when the driver struck him from behind with enough force to thrust him into the roadway and push his parked vehicle forward. Jason sustained damage to his knee and back, requiring surgery and a costly chronic pain management regimen. Despite the defense's attempts to pin Jason's back injury on pre-existing conditions, a Suffolk County, New York jury returned a $5,088,000 verdict. Guest Bio: William Ricigliano William Ricigliano is the founding partner of Ricigliano & Filopei, P.C. with offices in Manhattan, the Bronx, and soon, West New York, New Jersey. Mr. Ricigliano founded the firm with the single goal of helping victims of catastrophic personal injury on both sides of the Hudson River. He has obtained significant verdicts in every borough of New York City, Westchester, Nassau, Suffolk counties, and various counties in New Jersey. He has been named a Metro Area Super Lawyer every year since 2013 and has been named as one of America's Top 100 Attorneys. Mr. Ricigliano's victories in the courtroom have provided the opportunity to focus his attention on various areas of specialty. A $3.775 million verdict in Suffolk County for an 8-year-old boy who suffered a traumatic brain injury and required a lifetime of medical care sparked Mr. Ricigliano's devotion to victims of traumatic brain injury. Similarly, a $2.6 million settlement after three weeks of trial in Brooklyn influenced his work with clients suffering from complex regional pain disorder, a chronic pain condition caused by trauma. Mr. Ricigliano has also dedicated his practice to representing construction workers who sustain life-altering injuries on the job. These hard-working men and women include carpenters, ironworkers, roofers, and industrial bridge painters, who typically cannot return to their former occupations. A significant portion of his practice is also related to handling spinal injuries, including a 5 million verdict in Suffolk County in 2015 for a Verizon Technician who was struck by a Suffolk County Parks vehicle, was forced to undergo spinal surgery, and never returned to work. Mr. Ricigliano's trial results have been included as the verdict of the year on multiple occasions. Mr. Ricigliano graduated from Touro Law School in Huntington, New York, in 1994 in the top 20% of his class and received a Bachelor of Arts Degree, Cum Laude, in Political Science from the University of Massachusetts in 1989. He is a proud member of the North American Brain Injury Society, the American Association for Justice and is on the Board of Directors for Pink Concussions. Mr. Ricigliano has authored more than thirty legal articles and a legal book, Premises Liability Claims: A Guide to Defending Owners. Facebook: facebook.com/rfinjurylaw Instagram: @rfinjurylaw Read Full Bio Show Sponsors: Legal Technology Services - LegalTechService.com Digital Law Marketing - DigitalLawMarketing.com Harris Lowry Manton LLP - hlmlawfirm.com Free Resources: Stages Of A Jury Trial - Part 1 Stages Of A Jury Trial - Part 2
Georgie Holland is a 28-year-old food critic based in London. With a deep fascination for different cultures and their cuisines, Georgie began her journey in the food industry by reviewing and blogging about various eateries. She now travels across Great Britain to review restaurants, sharing her culinary experiences with her audience. In addition to her food critic endeavors, Georgie is dedicated to giving back to her community. She actively supports soup kitchens in South East London, helping those who are less fortunate and don't have the same opportunities as others to enjoy diverse culinary experiences. As a loving stepmother to a 5-year-old who enjoys her cooking, Georgie has faced her own share of challenges. At 17, she experienced a stroke that left her half blind. Since then, she has been an advocate for women's health, working alongside Hertility and raising funds for stroke-related causes, including Pink Concussions. In addition to her passion for food, Georgie holds a college degree in Law, Business, and Finance. Currently, she is pursuing a Diploma in Social Media and Marketing to complement her career in the food writing industry. Before entering the culinary world, Georgie was an accomplished professional dancer, touring with the X Factor for four years. Follow Georgie: ⬇️⬇️⬇️ https://www.instagram.com/georgiehollanddd/ ---⠀ ⠀ Be more than just a queen. Make an IMPACT. Join our sorority:⠀ ⬇️⬇️⬇️ http://thepageantsorority.com/
Dr. Valera is an Associate Professor in Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, Director of Valera Lab, Psychiatric Neuroscience Division, and Research Scientist, Massachusetts General Hospital. We discuss her focus on Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs) resulting from Intimate Partner Violence (IPV). This is an area of TBI that has been under-studied, especially given the unfortunately high prevalence.Dr. Valera mentions several excellent sources of information for TBI and IPV researchers, and for support for victims. I also recommend listening to Episode 78 - Intimate Partner Violence and Traumatic Brain Injury where you'll hear several of these sources discussing this important issue; Lin Haag, ABI Research Lab & ABI Toolkit and SOAR Project.Dr. Valera is on the Partner-Inflicted Brain Injury Task Force and encourages others to join. She also suggests the looking at the Ohio Domestic Violence Network (ODVN) and the ENIGMA-IPV Working Group for valuable information and potential opportunities to collaborate.Dr. Valera is on the Advisory Board of Pink Concussions who hold many Online Support Groups - "All groups are free and moderated by volunteers with oversight by founder and Licensed Clinical Social Worker LCSW, Katherine Snedaker."Katherine Snedaker was an early guest, on Episode 19 of Concussion Talk Podcast.Please subscribe, rate, and review!Please help support this podcast by checking out the advertisers at www.concussiontalk.comThank you! Get bonus content on PatreonSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/concussion-talk-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In recent years, there's been a lot of media coverage surrounding head trauma among football players, but there's been little attention paid to another group that also experiences serious head trauma at an alarming rate: domestic violence survivors. In fact, research shows that they may experience head trauma even more than football players but are unfortunately often undiagnosed. According to some estimates, 1.6 million survivors of domestic abuse will experience brain injuries annually. For more on this, The Takeaway spoke with Rachel Ramirez, the Founder and Director of The Center on Partner-Inflicted Brain Injury, a project of the Ohio Domestic Violence Network, and Eve Valera, associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and a leading researcher on traumatic brain injuries among survivors of domestic violence. Plus, The Takeaway hears from Davine Manson, a volunteer with the nonprofit PINK Concussions. She's also starting her own organization to help women who've experienced domestic violence.
In recent years, there's been a lot of media coverage surrounding head trauma among football players, but there's been little attention paid to another group that also experiences serious head trauma at an alarming rate: domestic violence survivors. In fact, research shows that they may experience head trauma even more than football players but are unfortunately often undiagnosed. According to some estimates, 1.6 million survivors of domestic abuse will experience brain injuries annually. For more on this, The Takeaway spoke with Rachel Ramirez, the Founder and Director of The Center on Partner-Inflicted Brain Injury, a project of the Ohio Domestic Violence Network, and Eve Valera, associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and a leading researcher on traumatic brain injuries among survivors of domestic violence. Plus, The Takeaway hears from Davine Manson, a volunteer with the nonprofit PINK Concussions. She's also starting her own organization to help women who've experienced domestic violence.
How do you define yourself when everything about your life has changed? Cali Lonardelli is a survivor of multiple brain injuries, and this week she shares her story of perseverance and hope. As a teenager, she went from an accomplished athlete in gymnastics and pole vaulting to struggling to be able to walk. Her journey has taken her through many years of symptoms and learning to live with a new reality, as well as Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S) eating disorder. Cali is a true overcomer and is now a Physical Therapy student and an intern for the non-profit Pink Concussions. Take a listen as she joins Cristabelle for an inspiring conversation shining a light on what it is like to live with brain injury. NOTES 0:00 Intro 6:15 Introducing Cali 9:18 Concussions + Symptoms 13:15 School Adjustments 17:41 Life Change 20:40 Loss of Identity 23:00 RED-S Eating Disorder 27:50 Therapy & Support 39:45 Coping Strategies 46:05 Words of Hope Connect with Cali: @cali.lonardelli and @pinkconcussions CONNECT Hope After Head Injury: @hopeafterheadinjury | facebook.com/hopeafterheadinjury Join the online community & monthly zoom support group: hopeafterheadinjury.com/community Hosted by Cristabelle Braden: @cristabellebraden | facebook.com/cristabellebraden | cristabellebraden.com Brain Injury Bible Study: @braininjurybiblestudy | braininjurybiblestudy.com Thank you to Council on Brain Injury for supporting this podcast by providing a microphone as part of their grant program to the brain injury community. Check out the amazing work done by CoBI at: councilonbraininjury.com This podcast is for education and informational purposes only, and not intended for medical advice. If you need specific medical advice, please consult your physician. More: hopesurvivespodcast.com
Katherine Snedaker has a fascinating story. She is the CEO and Founder of PINK Concussions. Katherine talks about her and her son's ADHD journey and the decisions that she made to get her and her son tested. It was expensive at that time. She also talks about dyslexia, sobriety, cancer, and brain injuries. At one time, Katherine was a social worker and worked with trauma, PTSD, adoption, adoption triad and at the same time was caring for her mother. She decided to stop being a social worker and focus on her three children. She digs into Pink Concussions and why she started the non-profit organization. Her primary focus with this organization is to provide information for parents of girls are getting concussions but are not getting the same type of attention as boys. Her Resources:■ IG: Katherine Snedaker - IG ■ YouTube: Pink Concussions - YouTube ■ Website: Pink Concusions ■ FB: Pink Concussions - FB ■ Twitter: Pink Concussions - Twitter
How is female brain injury different? Today we are talking about awareness centered on female brain injury and concussions. Cristabelle is joined by Katherine Snedaker, founder of PINK Concussions. She offers some insight into the gaps in research when it comes to brain injury in women for this episode for Brain Injury Awareness Month. Season 1 - Episode 18 MEET OUR GUEST: Katherine Snedaker is the Executive Director and Founder of PINK Concussions, a non-profit focused on female brain injury including concussion from sports, violence, accidents, and military service. She earned her Masters in Social Work from Fordham University. IG: @katherine_snedaker | @pinkconcussions PINK Concussions is the first ever non-profit organization to focus on pre-injury education and post-injury medical care for women and girls with brain injury including concussion incurred from sport, violence, accidents or military service. Website: pinkconcussions.com CONNECT: Hosted by Cristabelle Braden | @cristabellebraden Email: cristabelle@hopeafterheadinjury.com HOPE AFTER HEAD INJURY: hopeafterheadinjury.com Tuesdays @ 7pm EST - Live Chat on FB: Facebook.com/hopeafterheadinjury Support Group: facebook.com/groups/hopeafterheadinjury Zoom Support Group - 4th Thursday of Every Month IG: @hopeafterheadinjury *NEW: BRAIN INJURY BIBLE STUDY Zoom meetings on Saturdays led by Cristabelle Sign Up: braininjurybiblestudy.com ABOUT CRISTABELLE: Cristabelle Braden is an award winning singer/songwriter, keynote speaker, writer, podcast host, brain injury survivor & advocate. www.cristabellebraden.com
This week, your hosts Steve Lowry and Yvonne Godfrey interview William Ricigliano of Ricigliano and Filopei, P.C. (www.hlmlawfirm.com). Remember to rate and review GTP in iTunes: Click Here To Rate and Review Case Details: One of America's Top 100 Attorneys, William Ricigliano shares how he secured justice for Jason Kowalsky, a Verizon technician in New York who was hit by a negligent driver in a Suffolk County Parks, Recreation & Conservation pickup truck. Jason was collecting safety cones and putting away his equipment when the driver struck him from behind with enough force to thrust him into the roadway and to push his parked vehicle forward. Jason sustained damage to his knee and back, requiring surgery and a costly chronic pain management regimen. Despite the defense's attempts to pin Jason's back injury on pre-existing conditions, a Suffolk County, New York jury returned a $5,088,000 verdict. Click Here to Read/Download the Complete Trial Documents Guest Bio: William Ricigliano William Ricigliano, is the founding partner of Ricigliano & Filopei, P.C. with offices in Manhattan, the Bronx, and soon, West New York, New Jersey. Mr. Ricigliano founded the firm with the single goal of helping victims of catastrophic personal injury on both sides of the Hudson River. He has obtained significant verdicts in every borough of New York City as well as Westchester, Nassau, and Suffolk counties and various counties in New Jersey. He has been named a Metro Area Super Lawyer every year since 2013 and has been named as one of America's Top 100 Attorneys. Mr. Ricigliano's victories in the courtroom have provided the opportunity to focus his attention in various areas of specialty. A $3.775 million verdict in Suffolk County for an 8-year-old boy who suffered a traumatic brain injury and required a lifetime of medical care sparked Mr. Ricigliano's devotion to victims of traumatic brain injury. Similarly, a $2.6 million settlement after three weeks of trial in Brooklyn influenced his work with clients suffering from complex regional pain disorder, a chronic pain condition caused by trauma. Mr. Ricigliano has also dedicated his practice to the representation of construction workers who sustain life-altering injuries on the job. These hard-working men and women include carpenters, ironworkers, roofers, and industrial bridge painters, who typically are unable to return to their former occupations. A significant portion of his practice is also related to handling spinal injuries, including a 5 million verdict in Suffolk County in 2015 for a Verizon Technician who was struck by a Suffolk County Parks vehicle, was forced to undergo spinal surgery and never returned to work. Mr. Ricigliano's trial results have been included as verdict of the year on multiple occasions. Mr. Ricigliano graduated from Touro Law School in Huntington, New York in 1994 in the top 20% of his class and received a Bachelor of Arts Degree, Cum Laude, in Political Science from the University of Massachusetts in 1989. He is a proud member of the North American Brain Injury Society, American Association for Justice, and is on the Board of Directors for Pink Concussions. Mr. Ricigliano has authored more than thirty legal articles and a legal book, Premises Liability Claims: A Guide to Defending Owners. Read Full Bio Show Sponsors: Legal Technology Services - LTSatlanta.com Digital Law Marketing - DigitalLawMarketing.com Case Pacer - CasePacer.com Harris, Lowry, and Manton - hlmlawfirm.com Free Resources: Stages Of A Jury Trial - Part 1 Stages Of A Jury Trial - Part 2
Dr. Donna Duffy dives into the impact of concussions on females, how women and girls present and recover differently, and how much we still don’t know about this injury in sport. * You get a concussion when you have a blow to the head and body that causes your brain to move back and forth in your skull. Your brain can have different reactions when this happens, there is disruption there and this can be a concussive experience. Body blows can also cause a concussion. * The HPA axis is something that can make a concussive experience different for women and girls. Progesterone and estrogen are released when from the HPA axis when the brain sustains trauma, and this is a hugely under-researched topic. * The disruption from the concussion can cause these hormones not to produce and secrete like they are supposed to. * Dr. Duffy is interested in sub-concussive trauma; trauma to the brain that does not result in immediate symptoms such as dizziness, confusion, nausea, loss of consciousness. Sub concussive trauma is not something that disrupts play or your regular activities. * Most athletes know how to work around the assessment of a concussion to go out and return to play. *Some researchers believe that women present stronger or more exaggerated symptoms, and they take longer to recover. Dr. Duffy argues that there is some bias in some of the research and literature and how it has been written in terms of female concussions. You Know She is Legit: Dr. Donna Duffy has a joint appointment at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG)-Donna is an Associate Professor in the Department of Kinesiology (KIN) and a Director in the Center for Women’s Health and Wellness (CWHW) in the School of Health and Human Sciences. Donna completed her Ph.D. in the Department of Kinesiology at UNCG in 2007. Prior to coming to UNCG, Donna completed her B.S. and her M.Ed. at Boston University in Boston, MA. Donna has graduate faculty status at UNCG where she teaches in the Athletic Training Program and the Ed.D program. Donna also coordinates the undergraduate Sport Coaching Minor in KIN. Donna has an active research agenda called the Female Behavior and Recovery after Injury and Neurotrauma (BRAIN) Project, focused on neuroendocrine function and dysfunction in female athletes after a concussion, as well as the cognitive and neuromotor consequences of a concussion. Donna is also involved with research projects in the Virtual Environment for Assessment and Rehabilitation Laboratory (VEAR) under the direction of Dr. Chris Rhea at UNCG, where she is focused on neuromotor function and changes of female athletes before and after a concussion. In addition, Donna collaborates closely with Dr. Jenny Etiner, Dr. Laurie Wideman, Dr. Scott Ross and Dr. Will Adams at UNCG. Donna also has research collaborations with many faculty and clinicians outside of UNCG including the Female Athlete Program at Boston Children’s Hospital, the CTE Center in the School of Medicine at Boston University, Gaelic Games for Girls at University College Cork, in Cork Ireland and with various community organizations including, Greensboro Roller Derby, PINK Concussions, the Girls Athletic Leadership Schools in Denver and Girl Fit in Newton, MA. Donna is the Research Consultant for PINK Concussions and serves on their Board of Advisors. Donna also holds a Research Scientist position under Dr. Kate Ackerman at Boston Children’s Hospital and Donna was a Visiting Research Scientist in the Department of Neurology and the CTE Center in the School of Medicine at Boston University. Donna is on the Board of Directors at the Women’s Resource Center in Greensboro, NC and serves as the Managing Editor of the Women in Sport and Physical Activity Journal. Donna's research on female athletes and head injuries has been published in several peer-reviewed journals and Donna was recently quoted in the NY Times on her work related to female athletes and concussions and has been a guest on several podcasts. How to Connect and work with Dr. Donna Duffy: UNC Greensboro Center of Women’s Health and Wellness https://hhs.uncg.edu/cwhw/faculty-staff/ https://www.pinkconcussions.com/
In this podcast, I talk with Dr Donna Duffy about the issue of head injuries being unreported in women’s sport, her work as part of the Female BRAIN Project, and future research needs in the area of concussion among female athletes. Dr Donna Duffy is an Associate Professor in the Department of Kinesiology and the Director of the Program for the Advancement of Girls and Women in Sport and Physical Activity at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG). Dr Duffy completed her PhD at UNCG in 2007 and completed her MEd (1999) and her BSc (1996) at Boston University in Boston, MA. Dr Duffy’s lifelong, personal and professional commitment to advancing women’s health helped her define her current research agenda, focused on girls’ and women’s experiences with sport related head injuries (e.g., concussions). Dr Duffy is the Co-Director of the Female BRAIN Project at UNCG, where she leads an active research team of research collaborators from Boston University’s School of Medicine and the Female Athlete Clinic at Boston Children’s Hospital, all focused on the neurological and physiological implications of head injuries in different types of high contact and collision-based sports, including women’s tackle football, roller derby and rugby. Dr Duffy and her research team are focused on better understanding the role of sex hormones in moderating and mediating head injuries among female athletes in paediatric and post-collegiate female athlete populations. In addition to her position at UNCG, Dr Duffy served as a Visiting Research Scientist in the Department of Neurology at Boston University’s school of Medicine and as a Visiting Research Scientist in the Female Athlete Clinic at Boston Children’s Hospital. Dr Duffy serves on the board of advisors for PINK Concussions and the Board of Directors at the Women's Resource Center in Greensboro NC.
Concussion Corner is your trusted resource for interdisciplinary conversations related to all things concussion-related in healthcare, advocacy, and sport. *This podcast is for entertainment purposes only and should not be confused for medical advice. Please reach out to your medical team or call 911 if this is an emergency*Katherine Price Snedaker, LCSW, is the Executive Director and Founder of PINK Concussions, a non-profit brain injury organization based in Norwalk, CT, focused on female brain injury from sport, domestic violence/assault, accidents and military service.[Donate to Pink Concussions 501c3 non-profit through Network For Good https://pinkconcussions.networkforgood.com/projects/37998-pink-concussions-general-fund] PINK Concussions’ mission is to educate the medical community and patients on sex differences in brain injury to improve rehabilitation and aid recovery. Katherine has presented on sex differences in brain injury for organizations such as VA's 2017 Brain Trust, the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center (DVBIC), the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury, the American Academy of Neurology Sports Concussion Conference, and the International Brain Injury Association's World Brain Injury Congress.Katherine has produced four international medical summits on female brain injury hosted by Palo Alto VA Healthcare System, Georgetown University Medical Center, International Brain Injury Association, and the International Conference on Paediatric Acquired Brain Injury. Katherine earned a BS at the University of Kansas, and a Masters in Social Work from Fordham University’s Graduate School of Social Service.Take the #PINKBrainPledge www.pinkconcussions.com/take-the-pledge #FOAMed Links for Podcast:1. PINK Women’s Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/PINKconcussionsWomen/ 2. PINK Young Women’s Group (for women under age 25) https://www.facebook.com/groups/PINKunder25/3. PINK Caregivers/Parents https://www.facebook.com/groups/PINKconcussionsParents/4. PINK Medical and Research Professionals/First Responders https://www.facebook.com/groups/pinkTBIpros/5. PINK Veterans https://www.facebook.com/groups/PINKveterans/
Concussion Corner is your trusted resource for interdisciplinary conversations related to all things concussion-related in healthcare, advocacy, and sport. *This podcast is for entertainment purposes only and should not be confused for medical advice. Please reach out to your medical team or call 911 if this is an emergency*Katherine Price Snedaker, LCSW, is the Executive Director and Founder of PINK Concussions, a non-profit brain injury organization based in Norwalk, CT, focused on female brain injury from sport, domestic violence/assault, accidents and military service.[Donate to Pink Concussions 501c3 non-profit through Network For Good https://pinkconcussions.networkforgood.com/projects/37998-pink-concussions-general-fund] PINK Concussions’ mission is to educate the medical community and patients on sex differences in brain injury to improve rehabilitation and aid recovery. Katherine has presented on sex differences in brain injury for organizations such as VA's 2017 Brain Trust, the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center (DVBIC), the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury, the American Academy of Neurology Sports Concussion Conference, and the International Brain Injury Association's World Brain Injury Congress.Katherine has produced four international medical summits on female brain injury hosted by Palo Alto VA Healthcare System, Georgetown University Medical Center, International Brain Injury Association, and the International Conference on Paediatric Acquired Brain Injury. Katherine earned a BS at the University of Kansas, and a Masters in Social Work from Fordham University’s Graduate School of Social Service.Take the #PINKBrainPledge www.pinkconcussions.com/take-the-pledge #FOAMed Links for Podcast:1. PINK Women’s Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/PINKconcussionsWomen/ 2. PINK Young Women’s Group (for women under age 25) https://www.facebook.com/groups/PINKunder25/3. PINK Caregivers/Parents https://www.facebook.com/groups/PINKconcussionsParents/4. PINK Medical and Research Professionals/First Responders https://www.facebook.com/groups/pinkTBIpros/5. PINK Veterans https://www.facebook.com/groups/PINKveterans/
A native of Frederick, Maryland and a former collegiate soccer player at Hood College, Brittni was forced to finally retire from her playing days in 2014 after what she estimates now to have been her 9th concussion. After spending the majority of her college career battling injuries, doctors, and her family to get back onto the field she now fights to raise awareness among “invincible” athletes and uneducated family members: two things she herself has been in the past. Brittni and her family now realize she likely suffered three concussions before even reaching college when her struggles with them really began. After suffering from nagging ankle injuries her freshman and sophomore years she sustained 3 concussions during her junior season: approximately a two-month span. Although she continued to fight to play for the next two seasons she would never really be the same after that fall of 2012. After two surgeries on her head and taking a semester off, she returned to school for her final semester and season in the fall of 2014. She suffered two minor hits that she played through, determined to finish out her final season. On October 25th, 2014 in the final seconds of a game her hopes came to a grinding halt. The buzzer sounded and her teammates surrounded her, lifting her off turf and then held her up as they celebrated their big win. She was helped off the field for the last time. She managed to finish college from home with the help of her professors and officially graduated in May of 2015. Since then she has fought to manage her Post-concussion symptoms and live as normal of a life as possible. She coaches college soccer and hopes her story will serve as an example of what can happen. Brittni and her family now realize she likely suffered three concussions before even reaching college when her struggles with them really began. After suffering from nagging ankle injuries her freshman and sophomore years she sustained 3 concussions during her junior season: approximately a two-month span. Although she continued to fight to play for the next two seasons she would never really be the same after that fall of 2012. After two surgeries on her head and taking a semester off, she returned to school for her final semester and season in the fall of 2014. She suffered two minor hits that she played through, determined to finish out her final season. On October 25th, 2014 in the final seconds of a game her hopes came to a grinding halt. The buzzer sounded and her teammates surrounded her, lifting her off turf and then held her up as they celebrated their big win. She was helped off the field for the last time. She managed to finish college from home with the help of her professors and officially graduated in May of 2015. Since then she has fought to manage her Post-concussion symptoms and live as normal of a life as possible. She coaches college soccer and hopes her story will serve as an example of what can happen. The bio presented above was taken from our episode 18 guest, Jay Fraga's blog called the Knockout Project. For anyone reading this or listening to this episode, I encourage you to check out Jay's website where Brittni's story is showcased along with the stories of many other athletes who have dealt with and are dealing with post concussion syndrome (PCS). During my interview with Brittni, she talked about the importance of finding the PCS community during her recovery. I will save you the time searching because the community is right here ( the Knockout Project ). Jay has done as tremendous job creating this safe-place and resource for those suffering with PCS. "Suffering with PCS makes you feel like you are the weakest person in the world." Below are other topics of discussion from our interview: The influence that growing up as a "farm kid" had on her views of sucking it up and powering through injuries. How Brittni managed to stay concussion free for her first couple seasons of college soccer. The sequence of events and subsequent recoveries from all debilitating concussions suffered throughout her career. Internal dialog and the imagined perception of others in not wanting to be known as the "weak girl." The various treatments Brittni tried to alleviate her symptoms, which included: Steroid injections. Surgery to remove scar tissue around occipital nerves. The importance of getting a second opinion. Developing hobbies outside of your sport. Dealing with the isolation throughout recovery. Trigeminal neuralgia, "The suicide disease." How Brittni now approaches her coaching style to prevent athletes from playing through injuries like she did. The importance of staying physically active during your recovery from PCS. "I’ve really had to Commit to not committing to things." The power of saying No in managing your PCS symptoms. Navigating relationships while suffering from PCS. Another PCS community specifically for female athletes call Pink Concussions. The inspiration Brittni has gained from the work of Brené Brown, particularly her book called Rising Strong. WHERE CAN YOU LEARN MORE ABOUT PINK CONCUSSIONS? WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | YOUTUBE WHERE CAN YOU FOLLOW BRITTNI? INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | LINKEDIN Download Episode 97 : iTunes | Stitcher | SoundCloud Permalink
In episode 19 of Concussion Talk Podcast I talk to Katherine Snedaker. Katherine is the founder of Pink Concussions www.pinkconcussions.com which is dedicated to the improvement of the research, medical care and community support for females with brain Injury including concussion. Please check out her Pink Concussions for more info on female concussions, research, and events/conferences.