JOIN THE REGISTRY
New York, NY – The Sarah Jane Brain Foundation, a non-profit organization whose mission is to assist in the research of new developments for children suffering from pediatric acquired brain injury (PABI) and the rehabilitation of these children, today announced the first National Pediatric Acquired Brain Injury (PABI) Conference to be held in New York City on January 8-9, 2009. The entire National Advisory Board of The Sarah Jane Brain Foundation will be meeting to finalize the first-ever National PABI Plan, a comprehensive model system of care for the millions of children and their families dealing with pediatric acquired brain injury. In addition, there will be a reception and dinner on the evening of January 8, 2009, with the National Advisory Board (see attached invitation).
The Founder of The Sarah Jane Brain Foundation and Sarah Jane’s father, Patrick Donohue stated, “This will be a historic meeting of the most talented and respected group of professionals in the field of pediatric acquired brain injury (PABI).”
“When Sarah Jane walks for her Ph.D. graduation someday, we will look back at this conference and realize the foundation of those steps will have been laid during these two days,” Donohue continued. “With this amazing gathering, there is no doubt we will be able to address and solve the national health care crisis facing the millions of children and families dealing with PABI.”
Pediatric Acquired Brain Injury consists of traumatic and non-traumatic brain injuries:
Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injuries consist of the following non-exclusive list of injuries: Motor vehicle accidents, sports-related injuries, falls, Iraq/Afghanistan War blast head injuries (for veterans under 25 years of age), pedestrian motor vehicle accidents, assaults/child abuse, gun shot head wounds
Pediatric Non-traumatic Brain Injuries consist of the following non-exclusive list of injuries: Brain tumors, strokes, AIDS, meningitis, alcohol poisoning, hypoxia, ischemia, infections
The Sarah Jane Brain Foundation is named after 3 year-old Sarah Jane Donohue, who was shaken by her baby nurse when she was only 5 days old breaking three ribs, both collarbones and causing a severe brain injury.
The following National Advisory Board Members will be participating in the PABI Conference:
Gary Bedell Ph.D., Tufts University
Rachel Berger, M.D., MPH, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh
Paul Berger-Gross, Ph.D., St. Mary’s Healthcare System for Children
Sandra Chapman Ph.D., University of Texas at Dallas
Roberta DePompei Ph.D., University of Akron
Jeanne Dise-Lewis Ph.D., University of Colorado at Denver and The Children’s Hospital (Aurora, CO)
Darryl Gibbs, Cynthia Gibbs Foundation
Jane Gillett M.D., McMaster University and Chedoke Hospital (Hamilton, ON)
Gerard Gioia Ph.D., Children’s National Medical Center and George Washington University School of Medicine
Christopher Giza M.D., UCLA Brain Injury Research Center and Mattel Children’s Hospital
Ann Glang Ph.D., Western Oregon University and Teaching Research Institute
Wayne Gordon Ph.D., Mount Sinai School of Medicine
Sharon Grandinette MS, CBIST, Exceptional Educational Services
Patricia Haldeman, The John Blair Haldeman Fund
Gillian Hotz Ph.D., University of Miami
Marilyn Lash MSW, Lash & Associates Publishing & Training
Karen Lawson Ph.D., Windward Islands Research and Education Foundation (WINDREF)
Harvey Levin Ph.D., Baylor College of Medicine
Deborah Little Ph.D., University of Illinois at Chicago
Jeffrey Max M.D., University of California at San Diego and Children’s Hospital & Health Center (San Diego)
Gigi McMillan, Children’s Brain Tumor Foundation
Margaret Mikol, Sick Kids need Involved People (SKIP) of New York, Inc.
Peter Patrick Ph.D., University of Virginia
Ron Savage Ed.D., North American Brain Injury Society and The Center for Neurological and Neurodevelopmental Health (Voorhees, NJ)
Alan Pitt, M.D., Barrow Neurological Institute and St. Joseph’s Hospital (Phoenix)
Edwin Simpser M.D., St. Mary’s Healthcare System for Children
William Singer M.D., MassGeneral Hospital for Children (Boston, MA) and The Center for Developmental Neurology & Pediatric Behavioral Medicine
Donald Stein Ph.D., Emory University School of Medicine
H. Gerry Taylor Ph.D., Case Western Reserve University and Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital, University Hospitals of Cleveland
Joseph Tepas III MD, University of Florida
Bonnie Todis Ph.D., Western Oregon University and The Teaching Research Institute
Lyn Turkstra, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin-Madison
Janet Tyler Ph.D., University of Kansas Medical Center
Shari Wade Ph.D., Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
Keith Yeates Ph.D., Ohio State University and Nationwide Children’s Hospital (Columbus, OH)
Mark Ylvisaker Ph.D., College of Saint Rose
Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury (PTBI) is the leading cause of death and disability for children under 15 years of age in the United States resulting in over 5,000 deaths and over 17,000 permanent disabilities each year. In addition, since most adolescent brains do not mature until age 25, many of the military veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan with TBI are actually considered PTBI.