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Hidden members of an invisible population
March is Brain Injury Awareness Month
JoAnne Silver Jones
In the United States, 1.5 million people sustain a traumatic brain injury each year.
That’s a lot of people to be hidden in plain sight. (1) Maybe that person is a member of your family or work group or social group. Most likely, you don’t see this person, or if it is someone you know, the changes brought on by the injury, over time, become normal and familiar, therefore not as bothersome.
Oh, that’s Joe. He’s always tired.
Sally hates sounds. She’s not much fun at a party.
You may not pay much attention to Sally or Joe, but their lives are shaped each day by what, to you, might be invisible.
In the United States, the estimate is that there are 1.8–3.5 million sports- related brain injuries each year. (2) You are likely aware of the dangers athletes face in many sports, including football, soccer, basketball, hockey, baseball, boxing, wrestling, and skiing. Many sports have redesigned headgear and other equipment to increase safety and reduce the possibility of a serious head injury. Rules have been tightened and penalties stiffened for rough, improper play. We are much more knowledgeable now than we were even five years ago. We worry about…
