Advocates For Injured Athletes

Study measures impact of hits to head in youth football

2012-02-22T10:56:00.000-08:00

A recent study by Virginia Tec and Wake Forest revealed that youth league football players experience hits to the head as violent as athletes in college, however, they experience the majority of these hits during practice drills.

Article is linked here:
http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/7601017/study-impact-kids-football-head-hits-severe-college-games

Former NFL player weighs in on ESPN article

2012-02-12T20:11:00.000-08:00

This was posted on an ESPN message board from a person claiming to be George Visger, a former member of the San Francisco 49ers in 1980 and 1981. The link to the ESPN article is listed here: http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/7548177/is-roger-goodell-doing-enough-concussions-nfl-espn-magazine
His post was in response to the article and many other posts by individiuals in response to the article about pending lawsuits against the NFL, and Commissioner Roger Goodell's handling of the issue in recent years. His entire post is listed below.

George Visger:
I was a member of the 1981 SF 49ers Super Bowl team when I developed hydrocephalus (water on the brain), and underwent emergency VP Shunt brain surgery during my second season in the NFL. I remember turning 23 while lying in intensive care at Stanford hospital, this just a few weeks after a knee surgery.

My football "career" began at age 11 playing for the West Stockton Bear Cubs Pee Wee Pop Warner team in Stockton, CA. My first "diagnosed" concussion occurred during my 3rd year of Pop Warner, when I knocked myself unconscious in a Bull-In-The-Ring drill and was hospitalized. No telling how many concussions I had through high school at Stagg High where our only loss was a bowl game my Jr season in 1974, to an Orange Bowl appearance with Colorado my freshman year in 1976. I had two "diagnosed" concussion at Colorado, but only because I could not remember the game the next day while watching films. My final "diagnosed" concussion occurred my first play with the 49ers in 1980. (I was a 6th round pick of the NY Jets in 80 and the 49ers picked me up just prior to the first Dallas game). I hustle in early in the first quarter and subsequently get ear-holed by Jay Saldi on a Dallas TE Trap. The trainings laughingly told me the next day I went through 20-25 smelling salts during the game. They would hand me a handful, clear my head and send me back in. I never missed a play or a practice.

Two months after we won Super Bowl XVI my shunt failed and I went into a coma, had two more brain surgeries 10 hrs apart and was given last rites. I was also given the hospital bills. All at the ripe age of 23. I was forced to sue the 49ers for Workers Comp just to get my bills paid for, a battle which took me nearly 5 years with creditors hounding me. At the time I was swinging a hammer for my older brother and bouncing in bars at night, as I had not completed my Biology degree before I was drafted.

Fast forward to today, at age 53, I have survived 9 emergency VP Shunt brain surgeries, multiple gran mal seizures, battle constantly with Work Comp to get my bills paid for, and I still don't qualify for any NFL benefits because I had not played the 4 yr minimum to be vested. Now I ask you all, how many of you work in an industry which is based on employee violence, and would need 4 years service under your belt in order to have your injuries covered? I will answer that, NO ONE.

The NFL is a $9.5 BILLION industry with less than 1,800 employees who actually generate those funds. You mean to tell me they can't take 1/2 of 1% of gross annually ($47.5 million unless my damaged brain is not functioning properly), and put it in a non-wasting endowment account for retirement funds to help the families of their injured employees?

By the way Manley 66. I agree with you totally. If you want to protect heads, get rid of helmets. I coordinate with Dr Rich Ellenbogen, the NFLs head of Head, Neck and Spine Injury Group, and one of the first things I told Rich was to get rid of helmets. From the first day you suit up as a kid, they teach you to stick your face in the numbers and explode through the opponent. The brain was never meant to be used as a weapon. I'm brain damaged, and even I figured that one out.

NFL players speak up against brain trauma 8/19/11
http://www.mercurynews.com/
By Mark Emmons memmons@mercurynews.com

Visger Rules – Recommended Changes to NFL Rules
The Sport Digest
Dec 16, 2010 ... George Visger, who played defensive tackle for the University of Colorado in the 1977 Orange Bowl, and won a Super Bowl championship in 1981 ...
thesportdigest.com/.../visger-rules-recommended-changes-to-nfl-rules/ - Cached

George Visger

SF 49ers 80 & 81
Survivor of 9 NFL Caused Emergency VP Shunt Brain Surgeries

Benefactor of ZERO NFL Benefits

Dr. James Andrews makes recommendations for young pitchers

2012-02-08T11:19:00.000-08:00

Dr. James Andrews is famous for performing the Tommy John Surgery, makes recommendations on what he believes could benefit young pitchers, who he is starting to see many more on his operating table

http://espn.go.com/blog/high-school/baseball/post/_/id/1091/dr-james-andrews-talks-tommy-john

12 yr. old Lacrosse player dies after ball strikes him in the chest

2012-02-08T11:08:00.000-08:00

Click here for link to the story with viedo or read below
http://www.13wham.com/news/local/story/12-Year-Old-Lacrosse-Player-Dies/IBO7F9yagE-wX-rOWcOaTg.cspx

Gates, N.Y. – Tyler Kopp, the 12-year-old boy who was injured when a lacrosse ball hit him in the chest last week, has died, Strong Hospital confirmed Tuesday morning.

Tyler was in intensive care at Strong, after being hit by a ball while playing a game at Total Sports Experience in Gates, around 6 p.m. Thursday, February 2.

Tyler's father, Brian Kopp, issued this statement through the Brighton School District:
"On February 7, 2012, Tyler Kopp's body died but his spirit lives on with his family, friends and the many communities who were touched by his wonderful life. Tyler had great sensitivity toward others, a fierce determination and a strong competitive fire. He was the iconic boy - loving sports, the outdoors, and playing with his friends. The Kopp family extends its deepest gratitude to those who kept Tyler in their thoughts and prayers and supported us during the past few days. We have been overwhelmed by your kindness."

Friends and family have asked the media to respect the family’s privacy during this time.

The Brighton School District is making counselors available to meet with students and staff throughout the district.

Questions Surround Tyler Kopp's Death
Following the loss of such a young life, quite understandably, some will ask questions about what happened and what if anything could've been done differently. On Tuesday those questions come from a Long Island mother who has experienced the same pain the Kopp family is currently dealing with.

On March 25, 2000 Louis Acompora, 14, took the field in his first varsity lacrosse game. While playing goalie he blocked a shot with his chest, scooped up the ball, stumbled forward and collapsed. Acompora died from a condition known as commotio cordi which is best described as an abnormal heart rhythm brought on in his case by a ball striking him at precisely the wrong moment, directly over his heart.

Since her son's death Karen Acompora has advocated for increased safety in the sport of lacrosse and throughout scholastic competitions. In May 2002 "Louis' Law" was passed in New York State requiring all public schools to have AED (Automated External Defibrillation) and Emergency Action Plans in place. Since then Acompora, working through the Louis J. Acompora Memorial Foundation, has continued to lobby for increased safety measures and procedures.

"It's heartbreaking, it's a sad horrible day because it shouldn't have happened," Karen Acompora told 13WHAM News by phone Tuesday afternoon. "An AED has to be available immediately, within two minutes, that facility should've had one...when did EMS arrive? With every minute that passes the chances of survival drops by 10 percent."

The owner of Unity Health System Total Sports Experience would not discuss specifics out of respect for the Kopp family. Andrew Galina did say however that Total Sports Experience does, and always has, had an AED on site. Galina added that protocol was followed.

Gates Volunteer Ambulance personnel were the first to utilize a defibrillator on Kopp.

"There are organizations out there that don't take it seriously," Karen Acompora said of AED and an Emergency Action Plan while not specifically referencing Total Sports Experience. "They just don't take it seriously because it won't happen to me, it won't happen to my kid, it won't happen to my team. And you know what? If it can happen to my boy it can happen to anybody."

You can learn more about the Louis J. Acompora Memorial Foundation here: www.la12.org.

Big hits, Broken dreams

2012-01-30T22:18:00.000-08:00

Part of a CNN documentary looking at the damage caused by repeated blows to young athletes brains

http://ac360.blogs.cnn.com/2012/01/27/video-dangerous-football-related-concussions/

X-games star Sarah Burke dies at age 29

2012-01-19T15:11:00.000-08:00

Sarah Burke suffered injuries when she crashed during a practice run on Jan. 10. She severed a vertebral artery leading to bleeding in her brain and subsequent cardiac arrest.
Here is the full story:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/19/sarah-burke-died-skier-canada-freestyle-park-city_n_1217001.html?1327009331&icid=maing-grid7%7Cmaing6%7Cdl1%7Csec1_lnk2%26pLid%3D128836

High School seniors teach CPR to younger students

2012-01-12T11:09:00.000-08:00

High school seniors teach fellow students in CPR and AED training ensuring virtually every student in the class of 2012 will have learned CPR. Students can take an elective class to become CPR instructors while also gaining college credit. More information in the article below.

http://www.27east.com/news/article.cfm/Springs/410623/In-Springs-Graduating-Class-Learns-How-To-Save-Lives

Freak accident leaves high school hockey player paralyzed

2012-01-03T21:36:00.000-08:00

JV hockey player was injured when checked from behind in the Minnesota State High School League

http://aol.sportingnews.com/sport/story/2012-01-03/minn-prep-hockey-player-paralyzed-after-check?ncid=webmail3

ESPN features article on Athletes Saving Athletes

2012-01-02T11:22:00.000-08:00

ESPN High School featured an article just before Christmas about ASA. The article features A4IA's video, which itself is rare, as ESPN does not usually run videos on their sight that they themselves did not produce.

http://espn.go.com/high-school/lacrosse/story/_/id/7344390/athlete-advocates-safety-field

Florida High School Lacrosse player dies during conditioning due to rare heart condition

2011-12-15T10:51:00.000-08:00

The Orange County medical examiner said a University High School lacrosse player who died earlier this week had a heart condition.
Daniel Valenson collapsed during lacrosse conditioning on Monday.
According to the Orange County Sheriff's Office, the boy's coaches called 911 after he collapsed during Monday's conditioning. He died nearly 24 hours later.
The medical examiner said Valenson's death was natural. In a statement, it was determined Valenson had an undetected heart condition:
This is a congenital heart abnormality in which one of his coronary arteries originates from the pulmonary artery instead of the aorta. This type of congenital anomaly of the coronary arteries occurs in 1/50,000 to 1/300,000 live births.
If not surgically corrected, a majority of children with this condition will die within the first year of life although some children, as in this case, are known to live into the second decade of life.

Dr. Randy Shuck, host of our Priority Health segment said this is not the sort of condition that would be detected in most physicals. It is very important for the family to know their own medical history -- if a family member had heart disease before they were 50, it's important to get the child checked out.
Shuck says an echocardiogram may be helpful. The cardiac ECHO is essentially a sonogram of the heart, which can give doctors a good assessment of the valve areas and heart function, and pick up any problems. Parents can request their child get this kind of physical.
Valenson had just moved to Orlando from New York to live with his father. Starting at a new high school, he joined the lacrosse team.
"Based on my history and experiences, the team will rise up from this, and I believe that they will play this season in memory, and try to honor Dan the very best they can," Armbruster said.

Neighbors said he was good kid -- always upbeat and friendly -- and was often seen outside practicing.

"Just the day before yesterday, he was practicing while I was putting up the Christmas lights," neighbor Steve Baker said Tuesday. "It's just real strange for something like that to happen."
Principal Mike Armbruster sent a voicemail message to all University High School families Tuesday, saying Orange County Public Schools is working with investigators looking into the teen's death.
In a news conference Wednesday morning, University High School Principal Mike Armbruster said the coach would be out of school for the remainder of the week.
"The coach was trained and ready, and did a phenomenal job," Armbruster said. "He did a Herculean task. He faced the greatest nightmare that any coach can face, which is a player going down on the field. He responded quickly, responded with 911, followed their directions explicitly and did a tremendous job trying to keep Dan with us."

Grief counselors are on campus Wednesday to help students deal with the death of their classmate.

"Return to Class" Protocol for youth athletes with concussions

2011-12-13T13:37:00.000-08:00

In Massachusettes, a new concussion protocol is being introduced for adolescent athletes returning to class. Depending on the severity, communication between medical staff and teachers would take place as as to what the students should be allowed to do in the classroom, if anything, as the brain recovers from concussion. It is unclear how the communication would actually take place with their color coded system, but the main point is that even things such as homework, video games and text messaging could be detrimental in the brain's recovery. Allowing the brain time to rest and recover is the most important thing.

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/751948?sssdmh=dm1.727796

Sidney Crosby out again with concussion symtpoms

2011-12-12T11:38:00.000-08:00

Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby is out indefinitely with concussion-like symptoms.
Crosby said Monday he noticed a recurrence of the problems that sidelined him for more than 10 months earlier this year following a 3-1 loss to Boston last week.

"Not (feeling) bad. I'm not happy about watching," Crosby said Monday after missing practice. "But I have to make sure with these sort of things that I'm careful and making sure I'm 100 percent before coming back. No timetable."

Crosby sat out Pittsburgh's two-game road trip to Philadelphia and New York as a precaution but said he's noticed familiar symptoms during light workouts over the weekend.

"I've been doing light exertion stuff and seeing how that goes," Crosby said. "It's that whole (recovery) routine again, but hopefully not as long. When I wasn't doing something for 6, 7 months that process was a little longer. Hopefully, that's not the case here."

The 24-year-old former MVP said there is no timetable for his return but he will definitely not play on Tuesday against Detroit. Crosby has 12 points in eight games this season, but hasn't scored a goal since netting two in his season debut on Nov. 23 against the Islanders.

Young Football Players At Greater Risk Than Pros

2011-12-09T09:58:00.000-08:00

From what he remembers, and it isn't much, Cameron Williams was cold.
On a steaming autumn day last year in Burtonsville, the 13-year-old shivered as he walked back to his Unity Thunder football team's huddle, barely able to keep his eyes open. Dizzy, he'd been hit hard —really hard —twice that game.

His head ached for relief, but he knew how football players were supposed to act. How pain was a part of the game. Then he took two more vicious hits at practice the next day, and Cameron realized it was time to tell someone how much he was hurting.

His mother whisked him away to the family doctor, who told Cameron he'd been concussed twice in the past week. Because of the undeveloped nature of their bodies, youth like Cameron could be at a higher risk for concussions than their professional counterparts, according to medical experts.

But of the estimated 4.5 million children who play organized youth football in the United States, his experiences aren't altogether uncommon. A 2006 study by the National Center for Injury Prevention found that 47 percent of high school football players sustain a concussion each season, and 35 percent of players said they had more than one in the same season.

As concerns regarding head safety in professional football continue to mount, a sea change at the sport's most formative level has taken hold. Thirty-five states, including Maryland and Washington, D.C., have enacted laws that formally strengthen the treatment and prevention of concussions in youth sports.

Cases such as Williams' have opened the eyes of administrators of the game. His league has adopted changes to make sure coaches are trained in first aid, including concussions.Walter Moyer, Cameron's coach, said the league now screens parents before selecting teams to identify nurses and doctors. Those parents are spread across different teams to ensure medical help is available at every game.

"We only know so much as a coaching staff on what to do with treatment and such, so we need (that) extra help on hand," Moyer said. "The problem comes when the kid is a star kid and he has that desire to get back out there and a coach who may not be as well versed in the injury, and the coach tries to look out for the best interests of the team and the game instead of the kid."

Those worries have spread to parents as well."My feeling is that I'm entrusting my child into your care," said Clennie Murphy, a parent of two youth football players in Silver Spring. "You want to have somebody to have the best interests of your child."

While concussions in college football and the NFL have garnered more of the spotlight, medical experts said more focus is needed on injuries at lower levels."We know that our youth are at a greater risk for head injuries," said Dr. Robert Cantu, a co-director of the Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy at Boston University and one of the field's foremost critics of collision sports in youth. "I think the risk-reward is just not there."

In February, the NFL announced it was urging all 50 states and the district to pass legislation that could help limit concussions among young football players.The timing of the league's message was not random. The week before, former Chicago Bears defensive back Dave Duerson fatally shot himself in the heart at age 50 after a prolonged battle with depression stemming from a case of chronic traumatic encephalopathy.

CTE, a progressive degenerative brain disease normally associated with repeated blows to the head, had long been linked to boxers. It has now been connected to more than two dozen deceased former professional football players. Last year, an autopsy showed the disease was present in the brain of a 21-year-old University of Pennsylvania football player who hanged himself after having never been diagnosed with a concussion.

"Now that the public is more aware, we have a lot less problems on an individual basis within our own system," said Jon Almquist, the athletic training program administrator for Fairfax County Public Schools. "We used to have to fight tooth and nail and argue with the parents."

The more parents and coaches know, the better, Cantu said. His research at Boston University has shown that despite their small size and low speeds, youth are more at risk for head injuries than their professional idols.

Their vulnerabilities, Cantu explained, stem from their still-growing bodies and brains. With disproportionately large heads and relatively weaker necks, young players offer an easier target than a filled-out adult. The neurons in their growing brains have not been fully protected with myelin, a fatty substance that insulates nerve cells.

The medical ramifications are staggering. Earlier this month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a report noting that the number of emergency room visits for people under 19 with traumatic brain injuries increased from 153,375 to 248,418, or more than 60 percent, between 2001 and 2009. Experts said that the rise doesn't necessarily correlate to a rise in actual concussions, but rather a rise in awareness of the dangers of head injuries.

The true number of concussions among all sports, experts said, is likely much higher. Trained medical personnel are seldom on-site for youth games, and the recording of injuries is virtually nonexistent.
"What's happening with the school that reports eight (concussions)," Almquist said of high schools, "is that they're probably missing about 20."Concussions might not even be the real worry, Cantu said. Rather, doctors are concerned about repeated "sub-concussive" blows youth experience from constant hitting in collision sports."That's what we're trying to eliminate with these youngsters," said Cantu, who has proposed a ban of all collision sports, including football, for youth under 14. "Not necessarily the concussions, but the thousands upon thousands of sub-concussive blows that they may take before they even get to the age of 14."

Youth sports leagues have been reluctant to do away with football for players under 14. Instead, local sporting bodies such as the Greater Metropolitan Youth Football League have taken more steps to prevent injuries, replacing old helmets with better-fitting, newer ones, and inviting volunteer coaches to receive instruction from doctors.

Progress has also been made in the political arena. Gov. Martin O'Malley signed legislation in May that provides protection for student-athletes suspected of suffering concussions from sports. It stipulates that a licensed health-care professional must clear them before they can return to practice or games.Other states lag behind. Football-crazed Georgia, for instance, has not passed concussion-related legislation, nor is it currently considering any. In Idaho, the law mandates only that the state board of education develop guidelines and information to educate coaches, athletes and parents about the nature and risk of concussions.
But tougher laws and stronger helmets can only go so far, some critics point out.

"Kids are going to be superstars when they are 18, 20 or 21 based on their genes and their work ethic," Cantu said. "It isn't going to be because they started banging heads at age 5. And banging heads at age 5 might mean that some of them won't get the chance to play when they're 20."

Helmets or not, there may not even be a sure-fire way to prevent head injuries.
"The only way to really prevent a concussion is put a bubble wrap around a kid and not let him do anything," Almquist said. "You don't even have to hit your head to get a concussion. If you want to prevent them, put them in a rubber room."

The other end of the spectrum, as Cameron knows, is not at all pleasant. After his initial concussion diagnosis, he missed the next three weeks of school, confined to his bed as lingering head pains tormented him. Cameron longed to return to his place on the gridiron. So after nearly two months of rest and recovery, he strapped on his pads, laced up his cleats and headed to his team's season finale.

Cameron said he remembers some of that game —just not the last play, when another player blasted him from his blindside. The collision was violent, and the referee threw his flag. Williams' brain bruised again.
After his third concussion in a matter of months, Cameron's parents decided they'd seen enough. "Football is a dangerous sport. It's not played by anyone or watched by anyone who is faint of heart. It's a violent sport. And anytime you've got kids to adults running at each other full speed, people can get hurt," said Cameron's father, Claude Williams.

Cameron's career was officially over, ended not by an ACL tear or a separated shoulder, but by one too many hits to his head.

"If I could (come back)," Williams said softly, "I would."

Tommy Mallon Injury Video

2011-09-17T22:17:00.000-07:00

Please take the time to watch this video and pass it along to anyone who has a high school or middle school athlete...thank you

http://youtu.be/c3z0mFSZl8M

Has your athlete been screened? Go to www.epsavealife.org for information on free heart screenings for high school athletes

2011-09-13T14:18:00.000-07:00

Ft. Worth, Texas....Eleven young people from across the country died from suspected sudden cardiac death (SCD) between September 1 and 12, 2011. These statistics are gathered through media reports since there is no mandatory registry of sudden cardiac death in youth. Meanwhile, the debate over whether to provide cardiac screenings to youth as a part of their yearly physical continues. According to an article in yesterday's Washington Post, Dr. Jonathan Drezner of the University of Washington in Seattle sees "a growing pool of scientific evidence" in support of using an electrocardiogram (EKG) in physicals.
"People have a misconception that sudden cardiac arrest in youth doesn't happen that often," said Parent Heart Watch (PHW) Executive Director Michele Snyder. "Yet we have tracked eleven since September 1, and fifteen in August, with four surviving. And these are just the ones we know about. If a simple, non-invasive EKG could have saved some or all of these lives, don't we owe it to our children to screen them?"
Parent Heart Watch, the national voice solely dedicated to preventing Sudden Cardiac Arrest in youth, launched a pro-screening campaign last October during National Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Month. The campaign is ongoing.
As one parent who lost his son to SCA said, "An $88.00 test would have saved my son's life. This just makes me cry. An $88.00 test. Less than a pair of cleats."
To learn more about SCA in youth or to request educational resources, visit www.parentheartwatch.org.
###
Parent Heart Watch is the national voice solely dedicated to protecting youth from sudden cardiac arrest and preventable sudden cardiac death. Parent Heart Watch leads and empowers others by sharing information, educating and advocating for change.

Concussion Awareness is Becoming a Popular Topic Among High School and Collegiate Athletics

2011-08-22T19:24:00.000-07:00

The Mayo Clinic in Arizona has sponsored the Arizona Concussion Summit at Arizona State University. Recognizing the need for concussion awareness in her state, Governor Jan Brewer has declared August 20, 2011 Concussion Awareness Day in Arizona. The Mayo Clinic will focus on recognizing the symptoms and signs of concussions, the changes in brain function after concussions, the vulnerability of the brain, particularly those of adolescents, after concussions, the proper method of management and evaluation of the concussed athlete, and the role of the baseline test and post injury testing in helping health care providers make return-to-activity decisions. To read more about the Mayo Clinic, click here

Brutal Heat Waves Across the Country Results in Many Heat Stroke Related Deaths

2011-08-09T13:59:00.000-07:00

Heat Stroke related deaths have reached an all time high as football players are pushed harder and harder in sweltering heat. Just last week, six cases of heat stroke related deaths in high school football players were reported. The worst part is, these deaths are extremely preventable. Athletes Saving Athletes is working on a video to raise awareness on the symptoms of heat stroke and the precautions to take when one has these symptoms.
http://deadspin.com/5827289/the-preventable-annual-tradition-of-high-school-football-deaths

Advocates for Injured Athletes has begun filming for our newest program Athletes Saving Athletes

2011-07-31T14:03:00.000-07:00

These videos will highlight certain athletic injuries such as heat stroke, sudden cardiac arrest, and neck/spinal injuries, and teach the proper steps and precautions to take when you believe one has occurred. We recently filmed a video on the NCAA tennis player, Brittan, who suffered a sudden cardiac arrest and had to be saved by an AED. Our hope is that these videos will be presented to a large audience of students and adults alike and teach the importance of injury knowledge. Our Athletes Saving Athletes heat stroke survivor Will James was featured in this PBS video.

http://video.pbs.org/video/1880045332/

Tommy speaking on Sports Injury Prevention at the Phillip Rivers Camp and the Reggie Bush Camp

2011-06-25T14:07:00.000-07:00

Tommy Mallon , Dr. Allen Richburg, Dr. Becca Rodriquez and Dr. Russ Pogorelov presenting on "Sports Injury Prevention" this weekend at the Phillip Rivers Camp and the Reggie Bush camp. Helping parents and athletes learn facts on Concussion, SCA, Heat Illness and Overuse Injuries.

May 21 2011 Advocates for Injured Athletes partners with Children's Hospital and the American Red Cross for Sports Injury Clinic

2011-05-14T08:24:00.000-07:00

Athletes Saving Athletes film in progress. Advocates for Injured Athletes teaching athletes how to stay safe

2011-04-30T10:35:00.001-07:00

Advocates for Injured Athletes receives State of California Service Award

2011-04-30T10:24:00.000-07:00

Concussion seminar a success

2011-02-11T08:34:00.000-08:00

http://encinitas.patch.com/articles/concussion-clinic-provides-heads-up-for-student-athletes

Concussion Seminar Tonight

2011-02-07T07:56:00.000-08:00

AIA Update

2011-02-05T09:45:00.000-08:00

Thank you to all that continue to check in on Tommy and Advocates for Injured Athletes. We have been extremely busy this past year. Tommy is doing great! He is in his third semester at USD and enjoying every minute. He continues to stay actively involved with building Advocates for Injured Athletes. He will be live on the air Superbowl Sunday at 8:40 a.m. Channel 6 . The topic is concussion education and awareness. He will be encouraging folks to attend our concussion seminar Monday February 7th at Santa Fe Christian School in Solana Beach, CA 6p.m to 8p.m . Advocates for Injured Athletes has partnered with Scripps Hospital to create a very informative program. The event is free and open to the public.

The last year has been extremely busy for AIA. We received our tax exempt status in October and we are on our way to building a very successful foundation focused on keeping athletes safe while playing hard. We have held several concussion seminars, helped organizations develop emergency action safety plans and testified both in Sacramento, CA and Washington D.C about the importance of having Certified Athletic Trainers on all athletic fields.

We are now focused on awarding our first ATC grant. The grant application will be loaded to our website soon. In addition we are creating our Athletes Saving Athletes program. We hope to launch the program in August 2011. Athletes Helping Athletes Recover is also in the works....

We have created wallet sized concussion cards for the athlete . You can view the cards on the donate page of the website. In addition we created a Advocates for Injured Athletes Facebook page.

Please keep in touch with us and THANK YOU for all your support. We are working hard to help protect athletes from catastrophic injuries ...just as Tommy was protected by Riki !

2010-10-03T14:24:00.000-07:00

Player safety and concussion awareness campaigns underway. With the fall youth sports season underway across the country, three organizations recently announced national campaigns to emphasize player safety and concussion awareness. USA Football, the sport’s national governing body on youth and amateur levels, is conducting a national campaign through Nov. 29 titled “Put Pride Aside for Player Safety.” Promoted in partnership with the 32 NFL clubs, the NFL and the Atlantic Coast Conference, “Put Pride Aside for Player Safety” challenges and instructs coaches, parents and youth players to make the right decision when a concussion is suspected. Key components of USA Football’s campaign include player safety videos on equipment, tackling technique and concussion management, television and radio public service announcements, and internet banner advertising. USA Football’s web site (www.usafootball.com) contains extensive player health and safety information.The National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) and National Academy of Neuropsychology Foundation (NAN) joined forces on a campaign to educate the public, athletes, health professionals, coaches, parents, administrators and others about concussions. A 12-minute educational video titled “Concussions in Football: Signs, Symptoms and Playing Safe” is the focal point of the NAN and NATA effort and is available nationally. The video, funded in part by the NFL, is narrated by Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Steve Young and includes comments from Pittsburgh Steelers safety Ryan Clark and retired quarterback Trent Green.The video is available as a free online download on www.nanonline.org and www.nata.org/health-issues/concussion.

USA Football: It's more than a game
www.usafootball.com
USA Football is an independent non-profit organization whose purpose is to galvanize, support and promote the sport at all levels of amateur football.
9 minutes ago · Comment · Like · Share

Important Concussion Information for Parents and Athletes

2010-09-23T07:24:00.000-07:00

Ask Dr. Scott Laker:
Seattle Sports Concussion Program

How do I know if my doctor is knowledgeable about return-to-play guidelines?

Answer

NFL toughens stance on concussions, acknowledging long-term risks and life-changing potential

Recently released NFL helmet-impact test results should not be applied to collegiate, high school or youth helmets
NFL considers changes to camps and practices to limit concussions; concerned about sub-concussive hits
NCAA makes 3-man wedge illegal this year hoping to reduce concussions, same as NFL
Tennessee tightens concussion policies for coming school year
Study suggests athletes may need even more time after concussion to fully heal
NJ female teen athlete suffered 15 concussions now struggles daily
DC MLS star Namoff suspends career due to lingering symptoms from concussion suffered Sept 09
MLB All-Star players choosing reinforced helmets to reduce head injuries
Neuroplasticity: can our brains grow, change, and heal themselves at any age?
Emergency room visits for kids with head injuries increased 43% in the last five years
LaPorta passes neuropsychological test but doctors don't allow him to return to play
Indians LaPorta shows no sign of concussion after on-field collision and CT scan
High school softball adds concussion rule
Pro soccer player Twellman ends season due to symptoms from concussion suffered 2 years ago
Former Bengals receiver who died of unrelated causes showed signs of trauma-related brain damage at age 26
Pirates players collide leaving second baseman unconscious; out for series with concussion
Study shows most parents unaware of their local school's concussion policies
Six-yr-old sustains concussion attempting flip off diving board
Quebec bans bodychecking in youth hockey and reduces concussions significantly
Pro hockey player suffers post-concussion syndrome, symptoms originally confused with flu
Canadian amateur football association implements concussion rules to protect all amateur players
Neck muscle strength plays a role in concussion prevention
ESPN's Preston Plevetes' concussion story, former La Salle football player
Zackery Lystedt inspired WA State's concussion law, the Lystedt Law
Eagles wide receiver felt pressured by asst coach to return after concussion last season
Concussion Basics

Air Force Academy basketball player plaqued by headaches since Nov. concussion, hopes new medication helps
Are headguards the answer for soccer players? Some athletes and coaches in ME believe so

Your concussion questions answered...

Q: How can I make sure that my doctor is knowledgeable about current return-to-play guidelines? I don't want my daughter cleared too early.

A: Dr. Scott Laker Seattle Sports Concussion Program

Most doctors’ office staff will know exactly what their doctors specialize in. Ask them before you schedule your appointment if the doctor takes care of concussions frequently. Once you are at your appointment, feel free to ask how many concussions your doctor manages, how they manage them, and how they make their decisions for return-to-play. You should hear answers that involve a stepwise return-to-play and never allow a symptomatic athlete to return early. However, if your athlete has had multiple concussions or has severe or long-lasting symptoms, I recommend that they see a doctor that specializes in sports concussions.

Gradual return-to-play guidelines

Q:I'm a coach and one of my players was cleared by his doctor, but I've heard from others that he still has headaches. What should I do?

A: Dr. Scott Laker Seattle Sports Concussion Program

This is a tough position to be in for any coach. You know your athletes better than anyone and have a clear decision to make. If you are concerned that the athlete is still having symptoms, sit them down and ask them exactly what they are feeling. Be specific and make sure that they are totally symptom-free before putting them back in the game. If they are still feeling sick, then do not return them to practice or play. If you need clarification, ask the athlete’s parents to have the doctor contact you to discuss the case. No doctor wants to return an athlete if his or her coach thinks they aren’t ready and should be happy to talk with you once they get permission from the parents. If you are still concerned, sit the athlete out and recommend a second-opinion before returning them. It’s the right thing to do and it will make sure you and your team have a healthy season.

Gradual return-to-play guidelines

Q: My high school does not have a concussion policy and we do not have a state law either. What can I do to ensure that athletes are properly cared for?

A: Dr. Scott Laker Seattle Sports Concussion Program

It is great that you are working to keep your athletes safe this season. The most important thing that any school can do is to make sure that the athletes know the symptoms of concussion and report them to their coaches or trainers immediately. At that point, the athlete should be removed from play or practice and not return to sports until symptoms resolve. When in doubt, sit them out. You can also work to find a doctor in your area that specifically takes care of athletes with concussions. This may be a physiatrist, neurologist, orthopedist, or pediatrician. Your family doctor or team physician is a great person to ask for a recommendation on a doctor in your area that can help take care of your athletes with concussions.

The CDC just released a new concussion video for coaches which would be of great value, particularly in schools where there might be limited information. Coaches, parents, and athletes should be encouraged to view the program and distribute the accompanying free, downloadable CDC materials to all concerned. Education really is the key to protecting your athletes, along with the other avenues I mentioned. Keep up the good work.

Q: Now when I watch my 9-yr-old daughter play soccer I am concerned that she will suffer a concussion and I won't know it. Are the symptoms different in younger children than in high school athletes?

A: Dr. Scott Laker Seattle Sports Concussion Program

Recognizing concussions on the field can be challenging, regardless of age. The symptoms of concussion are similar in young athletes and older athletes. It is important to remember that our younger athletes might not recognize that something is wrong. An athlete is having balance problems, confusion, or is simply not “acting like themselves” should be removed from practice or play and evaluated. For that reason, we recommend our coaches and parents be even more careful with younger athletes

Q:It's not uncommon for students who have suffered concussions to return to school with headaches and other symptoms. Should they stay out of school until they are completely symptom-free? They typically want to return so they don't fall behind. (submitted by school nurse)

A: Dr. Scott Laker Seattle Sports Concussion Program

In general, we prefer to have student-athletes get back to school as quickly as possible even if it requires a modified schedule. One solution is to make use of easy changes to avoid the athlete’s main symptoms. We often suggest shortened school days, decreased homework, frequent breaks during class, and extended test-taking time. If the symptoms are too severe and the athlete simply cannot attend school successfully, we do recommend that the student-athlete stay home temporarily. If you have a student that is having difficult returning to school after a few days, I would recommend that they see a physician.

CDC Heads Up to Schools: Know Your Concussion ABCs for additional information and downloadable materials for school nurses and other school personnel

Q: What happens inside the brain when a concussion occurs, and what are we waiting for as the brain heals?

A: Dr. Stanley Herring Co-Medical Director, Seattle Sports Concussion Program

Essentially, it’s a mismatch of supply and demand. The brain cells need energy to repair themselves during a time when they can’t get enough. These changes that happen during concussions occur at the cellular level. While the brain tissue itself appears completely normal on MRI or CT imaging, the brain cells are not functioning properly. After the initial hit that causes the concussion, there is a release of neurotransmitters that cause ions to move in and out of the brain cells abnormally. Calcium rushes in while potassium rushes out of the cells, disturbing the balance of electrical charges. The brain cells have to work very hard and use a large amount of energy to restore their normal balance. At the same time, there is a decreased blood flow to the brain, limiting the cell’s energy supply. It is this “energy crisis” is why the brain is so vulnerable when an athlete is concussed.

What are we waiting for as healing takes place? The management of concussion is largely keeping the athlete safe while the supply and demand mismatch resolves. The majority of athletes resolve over the course of 1-2 weeks but some athletes may take months to completely recover. There are a number of factors that seem to influence recovery time including past medical history, previous concussions, age, etc. It is vital that athletes do not return to play while still having symptoms of a concussion.

Q: My school district just implemented computerized "baseline" testing for all athletes. Do these tests work?

A: Dr. Gerard Gioia Chief, Division of Pediatric Neuropsychology, Children's National Medical Center, Wash DC

Computerized baseline neuropsychological tests can work but only if handled properly by the appropriately trained personnel. It is important to recognize several important points:

(1) Do not be fooled by the apparent “ease” of this testing simply because it is delivered on a computer. They are complex cognitive measures that must be handled properly.

(2) The tests must be properly administered by trained testers, and taken seriously by the student-athlete to obtain valid findings.

(3) The tests are only one part of the post-concussion clinical exam. Symptom assessment, assessment of balance, and response to cognitive and physical exertional activities must also be considered.

(4) The interpretation of the neuropsychological test findings is a complex process, and should include a well-trained neuropsychologist at the very least as a consultant to the school district.

Q: My teenage daughter was playing soccer and collided with a teammate. They bumped heads, both were knocked to the ground, but neither of them lost consciousness. My daughter was a little slow getting up but both girls said they were fine. Should I be worried?

A: Dr. Scott Laker Seattle Sports Concussion Program

Collisions occur frequently in sports, especially soccer, and we need to do a better job recognizing them when they occur. It is important to watch athletes that have been involved in collisions for developing signs and symptoms of concussion. We know that less than 10% of concussions involve any loss of consciousness so we have to be aware of other, more subtle signs like headache or confusion. Many athletes, including teens, are unfamiliar with other important symptoms of concussion such as sensitivity to light or noise, balance problems, etc.

If you, or anyone, is concerned that your daughter may have suffered a concussion, she should be removed from play immediately, evaluated with a sideline assessment, like a SCAT 2, which should include an exertional challenge. It's important to observe the athlete after the collision as some symptoms don't show up right away. If she feels well, does not have any symptoms, and performs well on her sideline testing she can return to the game if cleared by the sideline medical staff. Remember, when in doubt, sit them out.

North County Times-Advocates for Injured Athletes

2010-08-21T16:37:00.000-07:00

COMMUNITY SPORTS: Son's neck injury prompted Carmel Valley woman to try to help high school athletes

BY GREG BALL - For the North County Times North County Times - Californian | Posted: Wednesday, August 18, 2010 4:20 pm | 1 Comment | Print

If Beth Mallon had her way, every high school athletic contest and practice in San Diego County would be held under the watchful eye of a certified athletic trainer. After all, she believes that the actions of one such medical professional saved her son's life.

Mallon, a Carmel Valley resident, is the mother of former Santa Fe Christian lacrosse player Tommy Mallon, who last May broke his neck on a routine hit during his final high school game. After spending months by her son's side while he negotiated a seemingly endless series of medical treatments, she has turned her attention toward making sure other families don't have to endure what hers has.

"This isn't what I imagined myself doing for the rest of my life," said Mallon, 49, who worked in the medical field before raising her children. "It isn't what I had pictured myself doing, but I think there was a bigger plan for me than I realized. Anyone that's gone through a traumatic injury with a loved one ... we felt like we had to be a resource to help others."

To that end, Mallon has founded an organization called Advocates for Injured Athletes, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting student-athletes, promoting sports safety and providing essential support, guidance and resources to injured athletes.

Among the organization's initial goals is to campaign for all local high schools to have a certified athletic trainer on site for every game or practice involving a contact sport. Its secondary aim is to educate coaches and administrators on the importance of CPR training and preparing emergency plans to handle potentially catastrophic injuries for situations when an athletic trainer isn't available.

When Tommy Mallon was injured, athletic trainer Riki Kirchhoff was on site working for Santa Fe Christian, and insisted that the fallen lacrosse player stay down on the turf and be immobilized. His mother later learned just how valuable Kirchhoff's presence was.

"Had she not been there on that day, we're pretty certain that Tommy could easily have died from getting up," Beth Mallon said. "We are so grateful that the athletic trainer was on the field that day. Now that we've been given this miracle, so to speak, we feel that we want to carry this forward and hopefully help protect other athletes."

Mallon's organization has held multiple clinics this month in which she has spoken to local club sports organizations and high schools about the need for athletic trainers and emergency preparedness. She emphasizes during those discussions that an athletic trainer -- whose job is to help prevent and treat athletic injuries -- is significantly different than a personal trainer, weight trainer or any other trainer, and is uniquely educated to handle situations that other trainers may not be. She also aims to urge coaches and administrators to question whether their athletic trainers are certified, as California is one of a handful of states that don't require certification.

"The absolute goal would be to have a certified athletic trainer at every high school and having coverage at all the contact sports," said Kirchhoff, who works closely with Mallon on her new initiative. "That's our top priority."

Nearly 15 months after Tommy Mallon's injury, he has recovered to the point where he has been able to enroll in classes at USD this semester. He has traveled to Sacramento with his mother to speak on behalf of a bill to protect high school athletes from injuries like he suffered, and he has worked with national organizations with similar missions to that of Advocates for Injured Athletes.

"The athletic trainer's decision on that day saved my life and saved my neurological function," he said in a statement to the National Athletic Trainers' Association earlier this year.

For now, Advocates for Injured Athletes is a small, community-based nonprofit that Beth Mallon is funding completely through donations via its website, www.injuredathletes.org. She hopes to expand it to reach all corners of San Diego County and, eventually, make it a national effort.

"If we touch one person, one family, one kid, one parent or help one coach, we will have done our job," she said.

Copyright 2010 North County Times - Californian. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Scripps hospital /Advocates for Injured Athlete Concussion Video

2010-08-21T16:19:00.000-07:00

Advocates for Injured Athletes in SD Union Tribune

2010-08-21T16:18:00.001-07:00

2010-08-21T16:17:00.001-07:00

2010-05-30T21:47:00.000-07:00

May 29, 2010

Our website has been revised. Visit www.injuredathletes.org. We are raising funds to help put place a Certified Athletic Trainer at every high school in the country , starting in California. Please help by forwarding this information to friends and family.

Thank you,
Beth

Advocates Fight For Stricter Sports-Related Injury Regulations In California - Neon Tommy

2010-05-28T14:09:00.000-07:00

USC School of Journalism published this article on Tommy and Sports Safety

Advocates Fight For Stricter Sports-Related Injury Regulations In California - Neon Tommy

Tommy's Story

2010-05-21T19:48:00.000-07:00

May 23rd will be the one year mark post injury for Tommy. I thought you might like to see how far he has come in a year. He had an MRI, today, Friday May 21. We are hopeful all remains stable.
Once again, thank you for all your thoughts and prayers.

Please click on this link to watch Tommy's Story which aired on NBC the other night.
http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/sports/One_Hit_Changed_His_Life_Forever_San_Diego.html

2010-04-12T13:57:00.000-07:00

If you cannot view the video from the blog go to Youtube and search Tommy Mallon

Tommys you tube video

2010-04-12T13:42:00.000-07:00

Hi All,
We just received this news alert and video from Assemblymember Mary Hayashi's office. The video was created after our last trip to Sacramento to push for sports safety and protection for athletes. Two new bills have been introduced in California...they may not pass this time around but we are gaining momentum! We will keep you posted as the bills approach the senate.

Comprehensive Legislation to Tackle Sports-Related Injuries

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bq6TsxmwanQ (cut and paste this link)

(Sacramento) – Tommy Mallon survived a serious sports injury thanks to quick, smart decisions made on the scene. Assemblymember Mary Hayashi (D-Hayward) wants to make sure all student athletes are just as fortunate as Tommy if they’re injured playing sports. That’s why she’s introduced two bills to address the problem of recurring concussions and life-threatening injuries among high school athletes. AB 1646 will add training on potentially catastrophic injuries, such as head and neck injuries, asthma attacks, and heatstroke, to the CPR and first aid certification required of all California high school coaches. AB 1647 will require athletes suspected of having a concussion to get a doctor’s written permission before returning to play. Here’s more of Tommy Mallon’s story and more on Assemblymember Hayashi’s legislation in this Assembly Web Report.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bq6TsxmwanQ

Will Wardrip Paddle Out

2010-03-06T23:37:00.000-08:00

Thank you to all who continue to send cards, emails , texts etc. inquiring about Tommy. He is doing great. We are grateful. Many of you have asked to see the Will paddle out video. It is posted below.

WILL WARDRIP MEMORIAL PADDLE OUT VIDEO
Created by Tommy Mallon and Coach Danny Kolts

For family and friends who might not be familiar with the tradition of a "Paddle Out " below is a brief description. It was a beautiful day honoring Will and his family. At approximately 5:52 into the video you will witness the jumping of dolphins next to the circle of surfers. It was truly an astounding moment....We miss you Willy.

The Tradition of the Paddle Out

“Surfing is like a dance upon a liquid stage, an intimate relationship with the waves. It is a connection with LIFE. Saltwater is like the blood that unites all people.”

There is a long honored tradition in the Hawaiian water community, that when a loved one dies, he/she is honored and remembered with a Paddle Out.

Fresh flower leis ( and in Wills service, roses) were presented with a kiss to those going into the water. Participants paddled out past the second breakers and formed a circle. Everyone sat on their boards holding hands. Mrs.Wardrip , Sara, was in the lifeguard boat, other family members including Will's little sister Elizabeth was on the shore. Ed had to leave the morning of the paddle out to return to NYU. (We missed you Ed). The group opened by reciting the Lords Prayer and then proceeded to tell stories about Willy. Will's surfboard was taken into the water by his dad , Eric. A wonderful pastor led the circle in prayer. After silent prayers, in unison, the water was tapped as a signal to those on shore to toss the roses and the leis. They were tossed toward the sky to land in the middle of the circle. Gradually everyone either paddled in or took a wave in memory of William and returned to shore. It was a beautiful morning.

SFC Lacrosse Players Honor Will Wardrip

2010-03-05T13:52:00.000-08:00

Today is the opening of lacrosse season. SFC plays Patrick Henry at 6:30p.m. We will honor Will Wardrip tonight as we take the field. We are not the same team without him but we will make every effort to play with "Will Power".

2010-03-05T13:46:00.000-08:00

Samantha Katie , "The Queen" goes to heaven 2/26/2010

Feb 1st 2010 Update

2010-02-02T22:24:00.000-08:00

Dear Family and Friends,

First and foremost, THANK YOU for all your love, prayers and support of our family. Most of you have been carrying us , with your support, since my Dad was diagnosed with cancer in 1998! And , today is my sister Lyn's birthday. Most of you know she passed away after a courageous fight with Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. We miss her very much. You all have loved us and helped us through so many years!!!!!! Thank you.

Tommy's update: February 1, 2010

MEDICAL UPDATE
January was a really busy month.....and a GREAT month! We have lots of really good Tommy Mallonnews to report! From a medical perspective things look good. He continues to be pain free and the halo wounds have finally cleared up and resolved. He did not need to have a surgical procedure on his scalp to close the wounds. He has another CTScan next week to evaluate the fracture lines and the bone stability. As long as the fracture displacement remains stable and he remains pain free the need for surgical intervention remains on hold. We still hope he will never need a surgical fusion but we are grateful for the progress he has made thus far. We will update you after the scan next Tuesday.

COLLEGE UPDATE

With the great progress he has made medically he was able to begin classes at University of San Diego last week. It is a beautiful small school set on a hill in San Diego overlooking the ocean/bay. The faculty ,staff and good friends have been wonderful in helping him adjust to campus life. Thanks to the incredible care he received from Peter Schultz at Scripps Hospital and Judd Laraway at UCSD Tommy has decided to follow their career path. He hopes pursue a career as a Physicians Assistant. He has a new found respect for human suffering and the desire to help. As far as the sport of Lacrosse..... he has been asked by the USD Lacrosse coach to help coach the USD team. We are grateful for their willingness to involve him in the sport even though he will never play again. He still loves the game.

ADVOCATES FOR INJURED ATHLETES UPDATE

Thanks to Riki , the High School Athletic Trainer we have Tommy with us today. As most of you know in October we officially formed Advocates for Injured Athletes , an organization committed to helping families and athletes who suffer trauma injuries www.injuredathletes.org. We are extremely humbled and honored by all the donations that have been made in memory of Will Wardrip. Thank you. Please keep the Wardrip family in your thoughts and prayers.
In the month of January Tommy and I have traveled to Sacramento to support Youth Safety in Sports. Tommy testified in Sacramento on January 12th regarding the vital role Riki played in saving his life post injury. He is pictured with a group of Physicians, Athletic Trainers, Parent Advocates , Educators and Leigh Steinberg an Attorney and NFL Sports Agent( he was the inspiration for the movie Jerry McGuire). Leigh is one of the major forces behind the need for the NFL to address concussion management. This need is imperative at the college and high school level too. We were asked to return to Sacramento last week in order to tell Tommy's story and help introduce two youth safety bills proposed by California Assemblywoman Mary Hayashi. We are hoping the time we are investing in telling Tommy's story will save the life of at least one athlete. We have met some incredible people over the last month. We also have heard some heart breaking stories because proper care was not given post injury. Please visit www.youthsportssafetyalliance.org . Our organization Advocates for Injured Athletes will be joining the list of supporters. Tommy's story is a positive one thanks to Riki. All athletes deserve the same access to good care.
Okay, that is enough info........if you even read this far!
Love to you all and THANK YOU!
Tommy has just started an Advocates for Injured Athlete Facebook....he will be managing and updating the page. Please let us know if you want to volunteer to help our mission. Also PLEASE let us know if you hear of an athlete that needs our help.

CATA Press Release

2010-02-02T22:10:00.000-08:00

photo by: Renee Fernandes NATA

California State Assembly Bill Aims to Protect Youth Athletes
The California Athletic Trainers’ Association Seeks to Decrease Catastrophic Injuries

SAN DIEGO, Calif. – January 28, 2010 – With approximately 7.5 million high school students participating in sports today, the dangers of kids getting seriously hurt and not receiving appropriate care isn’t just a possibility – it’s a reality – and the consequences can be deadly.

On Wednesday, January 27, Assemblymember Mary Hayashi, D-Hayward, working with the California Athletic Trainer’s Association (CATA), presented AB 1647, a bill in the California State Capital calling for increased safety precautions for young athletes.

The bill is co-authored by Senator Tony Strickland, R-California, and state assemblymembers Tom Ammiano, D-San Francisco; Joan Buchanan, D-Almo; Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo; Mike Davis, D-Los Angeles and Lori Saldana, D-San Diego.

“It’s our responsibility to ensure we provide our kids a safe environment to participate in athletics,” says Hayashi. “That means making sure there’s proper safety equipment and qualified staff available to react to any and all emergencies.”

Recent studies show a significant increase in catastrophic injuries that have resulted in death or permanent disability. In the last academic year alone, 40 middle and high school athletes suffered life-altering injuries and over 125 youth athletes died, including 18 in California.

AB 1647 would directly impact instances of catastrophic injuries by requiring the following provisions:

• Department of Education must adopt a heat-acclimatization program established by the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) or another similarly recognized physical or sports medicine organization
• A written emergency action plan that details the procedures to be followed in the event of an emergency
• On-site availability of a regularly maintained and tested automated external defibrillator
• Any athlete suspected to have sustained a concussion must immediately be removed from activity; evaluated by a licensed physician or athletic trainer working under the direction of a licensed physician; and, receive written clearance from a health care provider before they can return to play
• Title protection prohibiting anyone from holding themselves out to be an athletic trainer unless they have met the following requirements:
• Graduated from an accredited college or university athletic training program
• Passed an examination approved by the Board of Certification, Inc.
• Met the continuing education requirements defined by the Board of Certification, Inc. including emergency cardiac care

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports that high school athletes suffer 2 million injuries, 5,000,000 doctor’s visits and 30,000 hospitalizations each year due to traumas that include concussions, heat-related illness and instances of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA).

“Having an athletic trainer on-site can mean the difference between life or death,” says Beth Mallon, founder of San Diego-based Advocates for Injured Athletes, whose son Tommy fractured his neck during his high school’s lacrosse game in May 2009. “We were fortunate to have an athletic trainer on staff who realized the severity of Tommy’s injury and made sure he didn’t move – otherwise Tommy would not be with us now.”

Brain injury, heat illness and sudden cardiac arrest are just a few of the serious conditions suffered by young athletes on the playing field, and athletic trainers are educated to manage such catastrophic injuries. More than stereotypical ankle tapers, athletic trainers’ are physical medicine specialists who provide prevention, recognition, clinical assessment, treatment, rehabilitation and reconditioning of such injuries and illnesses that are sustained during activity.

Currently, only 42% of high schools nationwide have access to athletic training services. California is one of only three states without a system of checks and balances to regulate the athletic training profession, meaning anyone can label him/herself an athletic trainer without holding the proper credentials.

“This is just the first step in state protection of youth athletes and recognition of the athletic training profession,” adds West. “Our ultimate goal is to have an athletic trainer in every school, at every game and at every practice.”

Earlier this month, at a summit in Sacramento, both the NATA and the CATA spearheaded the Alliance to Address the Youth Sports Safety Crisis in America with the support of 29 other leading health care and sports organizations, visit www.youthsportssafetyalliance.org for more information.

About the California Athletic Trainers Association (CATA):
Athletic trainers are health care professionals who specialize in the provision of physical medicine and rehabilitation services, serving as physician extenders in the prevention, assessment and treatment of acute and chronic injuries and illnesses. The California Athletic Trainers Association (http://www.cata-usa.org) represents and supports 2,200 members of the athletic training profession through communication and education.
###

Strict Concussion Rules for High School Football Proposed

2010-02-02T22:01:00.000-08:00

SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS) -- Two Bay Area lawmakers are hoping they can pass a law by the start of next fall's high school football season that would require injured students to get a doctor's okay before returning to the field. This comes after a 16-year-old San Jose student was nearly killed after a blow to the head during a Thanksgiving Day football game.

San Jose High Academy running back Matt Blea is recovering, but won't ever play football again after his concussion. Now San Mateo Assemblyman Jerry Hill and Castro Valley Assemblywoman Mary Hayashi want to require doctors notes before high schoolers return to the field. Hill says he still has head scars from his days as a Balboa High linebacker.

"Medical research indicates that childrens' brains recover more slowly from brain concussions," said Hill. "A blow to the head to an athlete still recovering from a concussion can prove fatal."

Tommy Mallon should know, eight months ago he was playing for his San Diego area high school lacrosse team when he was hit from the side. Mallon was already suffering from three concussions, "and I broke my neck in three places," he said.

The hit didn't seem bad so he wanted to shake it off but an athletic trainer said no, made him stay down, and essentially saved his life.

Another bill sponsored by Hayashi would require concussion training for all high school coaches as well as make defibrillators available at all games and practices.

You can listen to the audio at this link:

Tommy continues to see doctors

2009-12-17T08:35:00.001-08:00

Tommy had several doctor appts. this week. He has developed trouble around the halo pin sites. He will see a plastic surgeon next week to evaluate and plan a procedure to help clear up the sites. He continues to be so patient as doctors evaluate, poke and examine his head. The good news is his neck feels stable! Thank you for continuing to keep him in your thoughts and prayers.

December 15, 2009

2009-12-15T11:13:00.000-08:00

Tommy begins physical therapy!

We are almost at the 7 month mark post injury and Tommy has started physical therapy. Two weeks ago Tommy had xrays which showed the fracture lines have disappeared. Although the bones are not perfectly aligned the fractures have healed. He was able to remove the brace and left the office a free man! He said it was "good to feel wind on his neck". We are so grateful! Tommy will return to radiology for a CT Scan in 6 weeks. We are hoping he remains stable and will not need the surgical fusion.
Once again, thank you everyone for all your support throughout this process. We are so fortunate to have such a wonderful family and amazing friends.
Tommy and I will be in Sacramento in January attending a National Athletic Trainers Assoc. Call to Action Summit. Tommy is a living testimony to the serious need for qualified, certified and licensed athletic trainers caring for our athletes. We need to get this very important bill passed in the state of California!
We wish you all a very Happy Holiday....thanks again for all the prayers,thoughts,letters,emails etc.

November 17, 2009

2009-11-17T14:08:00.001-08:00

We are so grateful to report Tommy is doing well! Last week he met with Dr. Taylor for a quick check of his former pin sites and to follow up on xray results. The fractures continue to heal. In 2 weeks he will have flexion and extension xrays to evaluate the ligament. We continue to hope and pray the ligament is intact and Tommy will not need surgery. He is thankful to be out of the halo and actually resuming a decent level of activity. He has started coaching the JV basketball team at Santa Fe and is working on helping to develop programs for Advocates for Injured Athletes. I cannot tell you all how wonderful it is to see him regaining some sense of normal life! Once again THANK YOU for all your continued thoughts and prayers. We will let you know the results of the flexion / extension xrays in 2 weeks.

On another note, please continue to keep the Wardrips in your thoughts and prayers. Thank you to all of you who have donated to Advocates for Injured Athletes on behalf of Will. We miss him terribly...beyond words. It is amazing the impact one person can have in your life.....Will made everything fun with that incredible smile and the gregarious personality. As most of you know our family lost Emily( she was 21) on December 18th 2004. She too was known for an infectious, beautiful smile. I am posting her picture. Like Will , Emily brightened up the world. We miss them both and grateful for everyday we had with them.

November 3, 2009 - In loving memory of Will

2009-11-03T22:42:00.000-08:00

When Tommy was injured in May 2009 on the lacrosse field, Will's Dad, Dr. Wardrip rode with us in the ambulance to the emergency room and stayed with us the entire day until Tommy was transferred into the ICU. He has kept a constant eye on Tommy and his progress. Last week when Will was killed, Dr. Wardrip and his wife Sarah met with Tommy and made their request that all donations in Will's memory go to the foundation inspired by Tommy, Advocates for Injured Athletes , www.injuredathletes.org. Our entire family was humbled as we witnessed the very emotional conversation between Tommy and the Wardrips. We had no idea the foundation we were starting would be needed so quickly. Will Wardrip inspired many and we will help his legacy continue.

Will Wardip...In Loving Memory November 12,1992 - October 25, 2009

2009-11-02T11:42:00.001-08:00

It is with great sadness that we post photos of our dear friend Will Wardrip who passed away early Sunday morning. He was a very close friend of both Tommy and Jeffrey.....a close friend to ALL that knew him. His smile will be forever etched in our hearts. We love you Will. Please keep the entire Wardrip family and the community in your thoughts and prayers.

Jeffrey and Will before Homecoming

Number 20 Will on the Lacrosse field

Newspaper Article

2009-10-23T12:46:00.000-07:00

Advocates for Injured Athletes

2009-10-22T08:40:00.000-07:00

On Saturday "Advocates for Injured Athletes inspired by Tommy Mallon" will launch our first fundraiser. The fundraiser will take place at the Santa Fe Christian Varsity Football Game at SFC @ 2:00p.m. The Santa Fe Christian Boosters and the BBQ Company Holy Smoke will be donating all proceeds from the BBQ to Advocates for Injured Athletes. We are on our way to making a difference for athletes that suffer traumatic injuries! We are waiting for our 501c3 status so until then donations will not be tax deductible but will still be helpful to athletes and athletic trainers. If you cannot attend the game and eat a delicious BBQ sandwich but want to make a donation you may mail a donation to :
Advocates for Injured Athletes
3830 Valley Center Drive Ste.705-523
San Diego,CA 92130
THANK YOU!!!!!!!

Tommy Update 10/21/09

2009-10-21T18:22:00.000-07:00

Hello friends,

What a week.......THANK YOU ALL FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT! Last week on Tuesday Tommy went in to see Dr. Taylor to have an infected halo pin site evaluated. Dr. Taylor decided based on the healing progress Tommy has made in the halo it could be REMOVED!!!!! Tuesday morning Tommy transitioned out of the halo and into a Cervical Thoracic Brace( as seen in photos). We were thrilled!!!! Early Wednesday morning Tommy was in severe pain and admitted into the emergency room. After repeat xrays and CT's nothing had changed.... gratefully no setbacks. Some patients can experience pain when transitioning out of a halo device. Tommy was discharged and has been stable since! Thankfully!!!!!

His next CT will be in 2 weeks. There is STILL an outside chance Tommy may NOT need surgery......so please keep up the thoughts and prayers that the ligament is intact and the bones continue to heal.
Tommy's best friend Matt came home to surprise him this past weekend. All of you continue to help carry him through this process....THANK YOU. Tommy is being a good sport( even though he looks grumpy) about letting me photograph him.....it is important to all those family members (especially my mom and Pat's mom )who have not been able to visit him to at least see him in photos!!!!
Love to you all

Monday October 5th

2009-10-05T09:01:00.001-07:00

Tommy and Rikki ( the Athletic Trainer ) pose very reluctantly!!!! The National Athletic Trainers Assoc. will run a story on Rikki and Tommy in their National Magazine. I will let you know when the story goes to print. Rikki's professional training combined with her firm decision to immobilize Tommy saved his life and saved his neurological function. We are forever grateful and we hope this story will highlight the value of having a Professionally Trained and Certified Athletic Trainer on every high school field across the country. Tommy had a great weekend with a surprise visit from Kelsey Huff who flew in from Oklahoma! And Patrick and Alex were home from UCLA for the weekend . Thank you to ALL college freshman that continue to stay in touch with him via skype, phone, text etc. We are in month 5 from the date of the accident....Tommy continues to be the most inspirational person I know.....EVERYDAY through his attitude alone he helps me and those around him put the "small stuff" in perspective.

Tommy Update 9/23/09

2009-09-23T10:07:00.001-07:00

Dear Family and Friends,

4 months ago today Tommy's accident occurred. I have attached a recent photo of Tom, his lacrosse jersey that was cut off in the ER hangs above his head! Thank you for all your continued support. We read every text, email, letter etc. Tommy is taking one day at a time in the halo. He is quite sedentary due to halo pin issues. A lot of you ask "How does he sleep?" He has a hospital bed which allows him to recline to a (somewhat) comfortable level. He has another 2-3 weeks left until the next CT scan to evaluate the healing progress. We are hoping for more good news.

We are moving forward on building a foundation to help other injured athletes. "Advocates for Injured Athletes " inspired by Tommy Mallon will be launched on Oct. 24th. more details to follow.

We have met and /or spoken with many professional, very special people over the last 4 months. I have been in touch with Steve Stenersen , the CEO of US Lacrosse and Eve Becker- Doyle CEO of National Athletic Trainers Assoc. Both individuals were genuinely interested in Tommy. Whenever there is an injury of this magnitude hopefully something good can be learned by the process. My mission is to spread the word about Rikki's role in saving Tommy's life and saving his neurological function by immobilizing him. We are hoping his injury and the immediate treatment he received will shed light on the importance of having a qualified,confident athletic trainer on the field.

Tommy's CT Scan Update

2009-09-11T08:26:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday we received preliminary reports from Tommy's CT scan. The results show evidence of healing in progress. This is GOOD NEWS! The goal of the time in the halo is to allow healing of the fracture lines to prevent having to fuse Tommy's skull all the way to c3 vs. a fusion of c1-c2. There are no clear answers yet....but there is evidence of fracture lines fading. Dr. Taylor would like Tommy to remain in the halo an additional 2-4 weeks. As most of you know managing the halo issues have not been easy for Tommy. He was given the option of having a completely new halo put on or trying to tighten the loose pins and complete the course in the halo he is currently wearing. He chose the later so we are heading to the doctor this morning to have the pins tightened. This is a painful process so please keep him in your thoughts. We hope to continue the full course of treatment in this halo.
Throughout this process I have been channeling my time to develop some type of program that would help other families. We have founded Injured Athletes, a foundation inspired by Tommy Mallon. www.injuredathletes.org The foundation is in the VERY beginning stages but hopefully it will grow to help many athletes and families. I have attached our overview and mission. If you would like to be involved please contact me.
Thank you for your continued love and support.

2009-09-09T13:23:00.000-07:00

No news yet on the scan results...but while waiting for the news it is emails like the one I received this morning from Coach Bickley that sustain me and keep me focused.The coaches came to visit Tommy and ended up staying for dinner...you may post this note and the email below. Thank you to all those who continue to support us.
Love,
Beth

I left yesterday thinking this is why I Coach! Go over past memories and laughing about them! Cook and I had a great time and we experienced what family is all about. I know you guys have been through a lot, but last night reminded me that through all your trials, your family is so Tight. The blessing through these trials is the tightness you guys share as a family. You cannot put a price tag on what you guys have. Praying for Tommy as he goes through this and want to thank you guys for your example. I went yesterday thinking I could be an encouragement and left being the one encouraged. God is good

See ya

Coach Bickley

Phil 1:20

Wednesday's Scan..Pray for Tommy

2009-09-08T20:38:00.000-07:00

Tommy has a CT Scan tomorrow ay 9:30 to evaluate healing. Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers.

Friday Update

2009-09-04T13:41:00.001-07:00

We just returned home from the Dr.'s office. Tommy's pin was too infected to tighten so they had to remove the pin and create a new pin site. He is now on two different antibiotics and pain meds. Hopefully he can sleep a little now.
His CTScan is scheduled for Sept 9th at 9:30. We are hoping the scan will show a significant amount of bone healing. The second part to the treatment decision moving forward is the amount of ligament damage. We will have more information on the 9th and be able to determine a direction. In the meantime, Tommy is at home not moving around a whole lot as we need the halo pins to stay firm for another week.

Tommy

2009-09-04T00:28:00.000-07:00

Tommy is going to the doctor tomorrow at 8 a.m. One of his pins is infected and one or all may be loose.... will keep you posted. Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers....this has been a long 3 months for him.

Wednesday Update

2009-09-02T23:11:00.001-07:00

Tommy is back on antibiotics tonight for the same persistent infected halo pin. We are hoping it does not get any worse and we can complete the course in the halo. This week we will have his CT scan date set. This CT scan will help evaluate the level of healing during the time in the halo. We continue to hope for perfect bone healing and the transverse ligament of the atlas intact and strong.
Thank you to all of you who continue to follow Tommy's progress. Your cards and emails genuinely mean so much to us...THANK YOU.
Tommy has been ichatting with some of his friends....the house is quiet now with most of his classmates gone to school. We hope he is able to start his college career in January.
Love to you all. We will post the CT SCAN date once we secure it.

Wednesday Thursday Update

2009-08-28T13:35:00.001-07:00

wednesday and thursday were GOOD days....no pain!!!

Update 8/23/09

2009-08-23T12:16:00.001-07:00

Tommy had a bit of a challenging week. On Monday he saw the neurosurgeon and all seemed quiet. The halo has "plowed" some but the surgeon does not want to reapply it. On Wednesday Tommy started to feel sharp pain on the left side of his head. The halo rep arrived Friday to find all his halo pins were loose particularly the left front pin and right back pin. In anticipation of having the pins tightened Tommy had to take pain medication which makes him very sick. Three of the four pins were tightened but when Ara
( the halo rep.) tried to tighten the left front pin it was just too painful. On Tuesday Tommy will have the pin tightened with sedation. Unfortunately due to the pain meds. he spent most of Saturday vomiting. He is one tough kid. Vomiting while in a halo is not a good combination. The plan continues, as of now, to remain in the halo for 3-4 more weeks. We continue to hope for complete healing during this time spent in the halo. Thank you for all your continued support.

Tommy and his best friend Matt

2009-08-18T08:26:00.001-07:00

Last night Matt's mom brought Matt's going away dinner to our house so Tommy could say goodbye to friends. Matt and Ronald leave this morning to drive to Eastern University. Both will be playing lacrosse for Eastern. We wish them a safe drive and a great first year.
Matt has been by Tommy's side EVERY day....he has been a huge support to the entire Mallon family. We will miss him and we love him.

Tommy sees the neurosurgeon today. Please continue to pray for complete and perfect healing in the halo. We continue to hope this time in the halo is enough to heal . We are hoping when the halo is removed the bones will be healed and ligaments have repaired.

Update

2009-08-12T22:19:00.001-07:00

We went to the doctor yesterday and it was a very sobering visit for all 3 of us( Pat, me and Tom). Tommy has a very tough situation....a very bad break which is complicated to fix. The doctor would like to see him remain in the halo for 4-6 weeks, take the halo off ct scan and evaluate. BEST CASE the bones are completely healed and he is done in 6 weeks!!!! If not, then hopefully c1 has healed and a fusion of c1-c2 will be the recommended surgery. Post surgery he would be evaluated in 3 months to make sure he is stable and the fusion is working( back into the neck brace after surgery) . If c1 has not healed Tommy will need his skull fused to c123. This is a big surgery but if all else fails he will have no choice. After this surgery he will either be back in a halo or neck brace until he is stable.
Currently, he has one infected halo pin and started antibiotics today. We are hoping this heals otherwise they will need to remove the pin and put a new pin in a different site.
We feel confident in our medical care. We have been told this is a tough situation.
I am just praying Tommy stays well and there are NO complications in the halo....no further settling or moving. Please keep him in your thoughts as his peers head off to school in the next few weeks.
We love you all and we are forever grateful for your love and friendship.

Tommy Discharged

2009-08-09T21:37:00.000-07:00

Tommy was discharged the end of the week and is doing well. We will keep you all posted. Thank you once again for all the love and support. Tommy had several visits while in the hospital from Johan Otter. Thank you Johan for your time and encouragement. If you have not heard of Johan you should take the time read his story.....a true testimony to beating the odds.

Happy Blog News!!

2009-08-04T07:53:00.001-07:00

Patrick Mallon turns 20 today August 4th...Happy Birthday Patrick!!!!! We love you!!!!!

PRAY FOR TOMMY!!!

2009-08-03T08:26:00.001-07:00

Tommy had the halo placed on Sat. morning. He is in a lot of pain and still suffering from nausea. He was placed on a new anti nausea medication on Sat. which caused a severe allergic reaction on Sunday. Tommy went into dystonia , losing muscle control in his body, face, tongue and speech........it was terrifying. The dystonia was reversed by benadryl and obviously the new medication discontinued.
Please pray for Tommy's physical and mental strength. Yesterday was very traumatic. He is in pain and needs our continued love and support. Please pray the pain at the halo pin sites disappears. Please pray there are no more complications and we can get him safely home to heal.

Thursday, July 30th - 7:00p

2009-07-30T19:37:00.001-07:00

Tommy has been in the hospital since Monday with severe pain on the right side of his neck. As it turns out, recent scans revealed that while there was some healing (bone growth) of the c1 fracture on the left side, healing wasn't occurring on the right side and showing instability. The instability is the brain stem settling downward on his right side which isn't strong enough to hold things in place. Also, the ligaments seem to be damaged as first feared. Thus, putting Tommy at risk for further injury in the near-term. As such, some sort of immediate intervention is needed to repair and/or stabilize Tommy's break.

The potential interventional approaches came down to two choices - 1) surgery to fuse Tommy's c1, c2, and occipital bone, or 2) place Tommy in a halo and see if he can achieve some healing prior to a surgery like the one I just mentioned or possibly just a c1 c2 fusion which would give him a greater range of motion in his neck compared to the c1 c2 occipital bone fusion. After consultation with a number of neurosurgeons, we have decided to try the more conservative halo approach first and get Tommy stable. We are going to give him a chance to heal no matter how small that chance may be and for a shot at more movement. He will be getting his halo on in the next couple of days and he will then be able to come home as long as his pain is under control. Tommy is being unbelievably strong through all of this — he is one amazing young man.

I hate to keep asking you all this but please pray (or continue to pray) for Tommy's recovery. Bless all of you for your kindness to Tommy and the entire Mallon family through this trying time.

Tommy need for prayer...

2009-07-30T11:19:00.000-07:00

Tommy is in the hospital. He was admitted in severe pain to the emergency room. His scans show he needs some type of intervention to stabilize him. He remains in the hospital and we will keep you posted when we know more...keep up the prayers for safety and healing.
Jeffrey Mallon turns sweet 16 today, July 30th......

Update: Thursday July 9th

2009-07-09T16:32:00.000-07:00

Its been 7 weeks since Tommy injured his neck. He is progressing and doing well - both physically (although he is quite thin) and mentally. Next week Tommy will be having a scan of his vertebral artery that was damaged when he broke his neck. They will be looking for whether it has opened up (for normal/good blood flow) or, if it is occluding/closing which is okay too - if it is closed, we don't worry as much about a potential blood clot. Also, his other artery will pick up the slack and get sufficient blood to his brain.

On July 23rd, Tommy will have scans of his neck and other tests to determine his healing and the level of damage to his spine - mostly to ligaments. The doctors all believe the bone will heal and be okay, it's the ligaments that there is concern for as he needs these to be relatively unharmed so that his neck can be stable without his brace. If the ligaments are "too" damaged we will be contemplating a sensitive/difficult surgery. As such, we are continuing to pray for Tommy's full recovery.

Separately, just yesterday, Beth and I learned that our best friends from Denver son was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma. Like Tommy, Drew just graduated from high school and is a lacrosse player. He is a big strong kid and we know he (and his family) will beat this but if you have a little room in your prayers please give Drew and his family a mention.

God and all of you have blessed us so these past weeks. Thank you all so very much for your continued kindness and prayers.

Tommy's 18th

2009-06-25T10:56:00.000-07:00

Tommy turns 18....pictured with some of the friends that helped him celebrate. Sorry we did not have one big group photo of ALL the friends that stopped by the house.
Thank you to all those who sent cards, emails, texts to Tommy on his birthday. This was a special day for all of us. Tommy is doing well and we should have a progress report by early next week. Thanks to all of you who continue to check up on him!

2009-06-16T10:14:00.001-07:00

Dear Family and Friends,

It has been a little over three weeks since Tommy's accident. He is doing well.His cousin Sam just graduated from University of Virginia and came to visit for a week. Sam challenged Tommy to endless play station sports games , Scrabble and Yahtzee. We are doing well with the low key activities.Thanks to all who have visited Tommy.
Thank you to all of you who have sent cards, emails , blog comments and text messages. Once again, each note has been read and appreciated !!! They are all hanging on a big board in Tommy's room. Thank you (from Tommy) for all the graduation cards!
We continue to ask for prayers for Tommy. Specifically that the clot in his vertebral artery will dissolve( he remains on blood thinning medication) the ligament is in tact (when evaluated in 6 weeks) and the fractures are healing well. We are praying there will be no need for surgery. TOMMY TURNS 18 on Friday the 19th.........as you all can imagine , we are so GRATEFUL to celebrate this birthday with him....
Love,
beth

Graduation

2009-06-08T08:47:00.000-07:00

In less than 2 weeks from the accident Tommy was discharged from the hospital and set a goal of making it to graduation. He achieved it!!! Congratulations Tommy!!!! We are beyond proud. We love you!!!!

Also, CORRECTION to the blog....Now that Tommy is able to read the blog he found an error....He will be 18 on June 19th...not 19! Sorry Tommy...love, mom

Article about "Ironman"

2009-06-05T10:10:00.000-07:00

Copy & paste this link into your browser

http://www.sdranchcoastnews.com/cmv_dm_pages/cmv_dm_top_stories/tp3.html

Nurse & Trainer

2009-06-04T14:23:00.000-07:00

Best nurse..Jenna. Thank you so much Jenna for all your love. Good luck this weekend in your races. We wish we could be there to watch you. We love you!!!

Tommy's Trainer Rikki who saved his life!!!! Eternally grateful....

Tommy has been making great progress. Thank you for all the love.

Trouble posting comments?

2009-06-04T14:19:00.001-07:00

Word on the street is that some people are having trouble posting comments. If you would like to send a message to Tommy and/or the Mallon family, Beth has requested to just send them an email to bmallon3000@yahoo.com

Thanks!

From Tommy...

2009-06-02T22:44:00.001-07:00

Thank you to everyone who prayed for me, supported me, took care of me and to you all who continue to inspire me. I am grateful.
love,
Tommy

Video of "Ironman" returning home

2009-06-02T09:26:00.000-07:00

Sorry but I couldn't rotate the video. So, turn your head while you watch. NOT YOU TOMMY!!!!

Monday June 1st...TOMMY'S HOME!!!!!!

2009-06-01T17:02:00.000-07:00

Tommy's home!

It will be a long recovery but Tommy will make it happen with God's help. God has blessed Tommy, and us, to have you all in our lives, physically and in prayer. Thank you all, so, so much for everything. We are just so unbelievably happy (so is Tommy). Peace and comfort to all of you, your friends and family.

Monday June 1st 11:30 AM

2009-06-01T11:43:00.001-07:00

Tommy had another restful night and was eating again this morning - donuts and chocolate milk. However, last night he did have a meal from Pick-Up-Stix. Its amazing what a little food can do. Tommy is now off all i.v. meds (still on oral pain, blood thinner, and anti-nausea medications) and in stable condition. He is now "medically" able to come home pending some physical therapy. He needs to be stable/strong enough to get up out of bed and walk short distances on his own. Actually, he is with a physical therapist right now gauging his status. We are so thankful for his progress and all of you prayers encouragement.

2009-05-31T18:04:00.000-07:00

Today was one of the MOST incredible days as a Mom. I was able to witness Tommy walk and climb up and down 10 stairs.Tommy will turn 19 June 19th. The steps he took today were even more exciting than the ones he took in the first year of his life. I am so proud of him...I am humbled to be his Mom. This photo was taken before prom 2 weeks ago...what a lot has happened and Tommy is already fighting his way back.

Sunday May 31st 1:15 PM

2009-05-31T15:27:00.000-07:00

What a difference 24 hours makes. Tommy woke up this morning with a smile - not a forced smile but a genuine smile and had an actual laugh - at my expense mind you. He's been off all i.v. medications for a full day now and close to a day without narcotic-based drugs (pain relievers). He is taking only NSAIDS now which seem to be managing his pain fairly well without the extreme nausea. He got up and walked around the nurses station and even took a few steps up and down a small set of stairs. He also added some calf raises and squats on his accord.

I quickly wanted to share a story that resonated with Tommy and us that says "tons" about SFC and why it is such a special place. In brief, a young 5th/6th grader came by with his family this morning to let Tommy know that he and his family are thinking and praying for him. He told Tommy he knows how he feels because just a few months ago he was on life support and spent weeks in the hospital too. But the message he truly brought to share was that "there are people that care for you even if you don't know them." Unbelievable for such a young boy.

Its Baccalaureate this afternoon and Tommy wishes he were able to be there with his class. Unfortunately, he can't make it but he knows how blessed he is at this time to be "okay". He wants everyone to know that he had a great time at SFC and has love and appreciation for his classmates, teachers, coaches, and friends.

Saturday May 30th 8:30 PM

2009-05-31T09:09:00.001-07:00

Dear Tommy,

You are strong - you have faith and fortitude - you are surrounded by an incredible family who loves you - and you have friends, teachers, and coaches who want to support you. God has a plan for you, Tommy. You may not know what that plan is or why you have to go through this to find out but keep going Tommy! Stay strong! Stay faithful and always know how many people love and admire you. You WILL get through this. And when you do, you "...will receive the crown of life that God has promised..." James 1:12

We love you - Uncle Jay and Auntie Susan

Tommy is resting peacefully tonight after a trying but a good day. Beth and I pray for all of you and your family's good health. Peace.

Saturday May 30th 11:45 AM

2009-05-30T12:58:00.000-07:00

Tommy fractured his spine at C1 and damaged his vertebral artery exactly one week ago. At that time, Tommy was at risk for not being able to walk and having potential neurological/brain damage. However, the seven days since his injury, we have gained more certainty to his future. It looks as though Tommy will recover but with potential surgery in the future to stabilize his spine. We feel so blessed that this wasn't worse. Also, blessed to have all of you praying for Tommy's recovery.

This morning, Tommy was able to walk once around the floor and sit-up for 15 mins - to see this, is beyond words. Immediately after, he felt sick and laid back down. It will be like this for some time - two steps forward, one-step back. For the remainder of the day, he will try and sit up (in a chair) a few more times. He has to get use to being up right again and to get his neck muscles working to support his head. He is still in pain but mostly off the i.v. pain meds. Good news is that they just took him off the i.v. heparin this morning and is only on the oral coumadin.

What a difference seven days makes. Peace.

Brothers: Tommy #5 Jeffrey #6

2009-05-30T12:34:00.000-07:00

#5 Tommy: SFC Defensive Player of the Year
#6 Jeffery: SFC Lacrosse Rookie of the Year

Thank You!!!

2009-05-30T11:37:00.001-07:00

Dear Family, friends and the entire community,
Thank you for the overwhelming amount of love and support. Each note has been read and greatly appreciated...thank you. Tommy will improve each day with this level of kindness. Thank you for all the prayers that stretch literally around the world. We have heard from our children and families in Uganda.....thank you.
Pat will keep up the blog updates...just wanted to let you ALL know your love sustains me and our family
Love,
beth

Friday 8:30 PM

2009-05-29T20:53:00.001-07:00

After what was a very tough day, around 6:00p this evening Tommy started to feel a bit better - his nausea and pain subsided enough to allow him to eat. He actually had mashed potatoes and a couple bites of chicken, albeit small bites. Its funny how such small things are so big right now. We tried a few different medications and we think this is what might have helped. We will know better tomorrow but we sure hope and pray this is the right combination. Regardless, it was a great end to a rocky start.

Tommy still show's no sign of neurological effects or damage to his spinal cord which is such a relief. Also, he remains in the therapeutic window for his oral coumadin (blood thinner) treatment. I haven't mentioned it recently but his damaged/compromised vertebral artery is still of greatest concern to us in the near-term.

With your prayers and God's help, we are getting Tommy better. Have a peaceful weekend.

Friday 2:55 PM

2009-05-29T15:11:00.000-07:00

Tommy has had a very rough time of it so far today. He's been unable to eat or rehab as we are struggling to get his pain and nausea (caused by his pain medications) under control. I believe I have said this before, this needs to be managed so that he can not only rehab but leave the hospital. We are now approaching a critical time in his recovery in that he could regress if we don't get this taken care of very soon. As such, if you still have more prayer energy, continue to pray for Tommy's pain and nausea to subside so he can start the the hard work necessary for his recovery.

Also, he's limited to family for visitors until he gets his pain under control. I'm so sorry but as much as I/we would like for him to see everyone, its in his best [health] interest to be restful and expend his energy on rehab.

Godspeed

TM #5 TP LAX LUV

2009-05-29T09:20:00.000-07:00

Thursday 7:15 PM

2009-05-28T19:34:00.000-07:00

Tommy is still in a lot of pain. We are trying a different strategy now with a few different medications - we hope this will help. However, late this afternoon he rallied to get up with the physical therapist to take a few steps - the most yet. I believe he felt your prayers. Tomorrow is another day of hope and we pray that he will start getting his strength back to help combat the pain and get home soon. Good news is that he may be getting off his i.v. heparin in the next day or so as his oral coumadin (warfarin) has reached and remained in its therapeutic window for a full day now.

Many of you have asked when Tommy will come home and the answer is, we just don't know. His break/fracture is deemed stable now and he is close to being of the i.v. heparin (blood thinner) in the next day or two, that just leaves the pain and his strength. We are in unchartered waters. We will take it day-by-day.

Peace.

Thursday 12:15 PM

2009-05-28T13:20:00.000-07:00

After a restful night Tommy has had a tough morning due to pain. Unfortunately, the pain occurred (or occurs) during rehabilitation preventing him from sitting up and walking. His pain is due both to the fractures in his spine and the muscle spasms in his neck. This is all expected but difficult to manage. We are focused now on pain management so he can become more active. Plus, when he is in less pain he is more apt to eat, enabling him to gain his strength. All of this will get him home quicker.

We are praying, and ask if you will as well, that Tommy's pain comes under control. We know that it will but the sooner the better for Tommy's near-term recovery and future health. It must sound like a broken record to you all (as it does to me) but our sincere thanks for all of your continued love and support. God bless you all.

Wednesday 8:00 PM

2009-05-27T20:15:00.000-07:00

Tommy had a good, no, great day. He got up again and was able to take a few steps and Matt Kenyon was able to witness his walk. I/we are still so amazed by Tommy's ability to get up with the pain he has and be able to walk - he is doing whatever he can to get better. Also, he still shows no neurological effects from his injury. He has come so far in just 4 1/2 days. We feel so blessed and continue to be cautiously optimistic about his prognosis. However, we continue to manage Tommy and our own emotions day by day because we know things can change/happen at anytime.

Tommy's artery is still a major concern and will be for the next six weeks at least. He is getting closer to being completely off of his i.v. heparin blood thinner and onto his oral coumadin - assuming it works. His pain is still intense but he is beginning to wean off the i.v. morphine to oral pain killers. Getting his pain under control with oral medications is key to getting Tommy out of the hospital sooner rather than later. Tommy tonight ate some pasta, albeit a very small portion, the first solid food which made us very happy as this will help him not only with his strength in rehabilitation but to help him "stomach" his pain meds.

Peace to all of you and thank you all so, so much for your prayers. Tommy is feeling them daily as are we. I/we don't know what we would do with out all of you in our corner. Again, thank you so very mu

Wednesday Update

2009-05-27T12:51:00.000-07:00

> Wednesday 12:30p
>
> Tommy just had his first rehab/physical therapy visit - with help,
> he sat up, stood up and took a few steps. I don't know what else to
> say...

Tuesday 8:15 PM

2009-05-26T20:57:00.001-07:00

This evening, we met with Tommy's doctors and are just now getting a better picture on Tommy's prognosis and treatment moving forward but as we have learned, this too is day by day. Anyway, tests show that Tommy's neurological function remains intact and there is no damage to his spinal cord. This, first and foremost, is great news and alleviates many worries. Thank God and all your prayers. As time continues without problems, the more confident we can be that there won't be issues long term.

Also, Tommy is now being transitioned to oral (pills) coumadin for his blood thinning therapy (from i.v. heparin) to prevent clots from his potentially damaged vertebral artery - they still can't determine if its pressure or damaged. They are doing this, keeping him on therapy, as a precaution to give the artery time to heal if it is truly damaged. This is good news because we now have some certainty that his arterial issue will resolve itself.

As for the break itself, we saw some pictures this evening and Tommy has three distinct fractures in C1 of his spine. The neurosurgeon said it looks like it will be able to heal on its own but surgery still maybe needed if it doesn't heal correctly or if the ligaments in the area are damaged. We won't really know for 2 to 3 months.

Tomorrow, Tommy starts rehabilitation where he will start trying to sit up - from what we understand this will take some time to conquer but we know Tommy and he is capable of amazing things.

Peace

Tuesday 11:00 AM

2009-05-26T12:39:00.001-07:00

We just received preliminary results from Tommy's [vertebral] arterial scan and the good news is that the blood is freely flowing to his brain. It isn't all the way open but it hasn't gotten any worse. The bone fracture is still there but not causing any further problems/damage. We hope that as his break heals this becomes less and less of a concern. The doctors are now getting together and will review the results and figure out a plan as to what do. We should know more later on in the day.

Some people have started to ask how long Tommy will be in the hospital and the answer is we just don't know. It will be awhile though as he needs to transition from his current blood thinning therapy/drugs to something else that he can be out of the hospital with. Also, he needs to get off of i.v. pain drugs to oral drugs. But most importantly, he needs to eat, gain his strength and let his break start healing.

Tuesday Morning 9:15 AM

2009-05-26T11:36:00.000-07:00

Tommy had a fairly restful night. Its almost 72 hours without any other problems - we are so thankful. He goes to get scans of of neck/vertebrae and his artery around 9:30/10:00a this morning. Afterwards, we should have an idea of what comes next. The doctors want him to start eating today and get some movement. Also, to start oral medications vs. i.v. Still in pain but the headache has resolved some. Sorry, have to go they are taking him now.

Monday 7:24 PM

2009-05-25T20:15:00.000-07:00

Tommy had a good day today - all his neurological signs/test were normal, he's taken a nap, sit-up (with help) briefly, sip a Jamba Juice, and even asked for cheeseburger (didn't eat it but just the thought is encouraging). Also, he was moved from the ICU as his doctors felt he was stable enough to monitored in a less critical setting. He still has significant pain and now a headache that's giving him (and us) some concern. We watch for headaches as sometimes it can mean bleeding.

Tomorrow, late morning, Tommy has tests to see how his break looks but more importantly, to assess his artery and see if the pressure from the fracture has relieved and the blood flow back o his brain is better. We did learn today, that they won't try to perform surgery on the artery no matter the results as it is just to risky. Instead, if there is pressure on the artery or if it is damaged, he will remain on blood thinners for some time to minimize the chance of a clot. However, we believe that with all the power of your prayers, Tommy's artery will be open and free flowing with blood and he won't have to be on the drugs for but a short time. So if you will, tonight or in the morning, please pray for Tommy that his artery is returning to normal. This would be such a major step in his recovery.

I/we will let you know how things go tomorrow and again the Mallon family thanks you for your love and your prayers - we truly feel them and we are seeing God's work thru you all. Peace.

Monday 10:00 AM

2009-05-25T11:13:00.001-07:00

Tommy was able to sleep some last night (as did Beth) which is great for his recovery. Every moment of sleep and undisturbed rest is crucial during this still uncertain time. Last night the docs/nurses had him sit up for a while to keep his lungs open. He now has a slight fever which we are watching closely as we don't want to see him get sick. He is still in an amount of pain that at times seems unbearable but for those that know Tommy, he puts it to the side. He is awake a bit more today (so far) and responsive and even smiled a few times (particularly when he saw the pictures on a poster brought to him by the sophomores and their parents of the lacrosse team - thanks guys). Also, this morning he has orders that he can start eating/having soft foods but he's not too interested in eating, yet. We take it hour by hour until our next milestone of information which comes with his tests tomorrow afternoon which will help the doctors decide what they need to do next. We know I can't say it enough let alone to show it but you are "all" so great and we thank you for your prayers, they are working. We luv you guys.

Tommy's Status 10:00p Sunday

2009-05-24T22:44:00.000-07:00

Evening everyone. Tommy had a good afternoon - he was able to sleep and the nurses/doctors have been able to (for the most part) keep his pain under control. Better yet, he was speaking much better than earlier in the day and more alert. He still isn't eating on his own yet or any food for the matter but hopefully soon. It looks as though we will be having tests that should give us a feel for the direction things are going on Tuesday rather than Wednesday.

Beth and I want you all to know that we feel your prayers working and the prayers from all points in the world that you have shared with your friends and believers. We have had messages of hope and support from all over the world - it is amazing what all of you have provided and put in place with the word of or Lord. Tommy and the Mallon's thank you.

Also, for all of Tommy's friends (and Jeffrey's), teachers and coaches that came tonight for prayer in the courtyard, thank you. It was unexpected and for some reason or another I/we knew we couldn't keep you all away. However, its these type of things that make you all so special to us and keep us moving forward. You all are awesome!

We hope you all will have a wonderful holiday. Peace be with you all.

From the Mallon Family

2009-05-24T15:14:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone. First off, thank you all so much for the unbelievable amount of love and support you have shown to Tommy (and the entire Mallon family) over the past 24 hours. I/we can't begin to express how much this means to Tommy. All your prayers are being felt - please, don't stop as we are just in the beginning of a long journey which at this time is mostly unknown.

As many of you know already, Tommy broke his neck (in a lacrosse game yesterday) and is in the ICU where he is in the process being stabilized. Tommy broke his neck at C-1, the very first vertebrae where the skull and the spine connect. We were very fortunate that Rikki (our trainer) was on hand at the game to prevent what most commonly happens in such injuries, spinal cord damage - our heart felt thanks to Rikki for her professionalism and smarts to do what was best for Tommy. Also, Dr. Wardrip who fully supported Rikki with her decisions on the field and then riding to the hospital with Beth and the Paramedics, and helping us navigate a frightening time.

Right now, thankfully, Tommy has feeling and motion in his body but is in significant pain and as I said earlier, in the ICU where he will be for at least the next several days where he is trying to rest and resolve a problem that resulted from the break - the break is pressing an artery that supplies blood to the brain. Hopefully, in a few days we should know more what lays ahead but for now, we take it just one day at a time.

Moving forward, I will try to keep you all updated via this site and/or the school's. However, for now, the next few days are very critical for Tommy and his recovery. As such, we have to limit his visitors- I'm so sorry to have to do this because the love you all have shown him has been just so incredible and welcomed. I will surely let you know when Tommy can see all your faces again. Hopefully, very soon.

The Mallon family loves you all and to say the least, is humbled by your love for Tommy and our family.

GOD is Great! Peace.

Tommy Mallon

2009-05-24T10:39:00.001-07:00

Doctors said NO VISITORS today. Please check back as the Mallon Family will be updating everyone on Tommy through this blog.