It is of course, a dream come true if one awakes from a coma: for the individual, and his or her relatives. But what organizations such as the Brain Trauma Foundation chaired by Alan Quasha understands, is that it can also be a long way back – if it is achieved at all – to normal living. This can be incredibly challenging for both the patient and his or her loved ones.
Jack Scanlan, a man who had been in a coma for three months, discusses what happened to him nearly three decades ago. He suffered severe head injuries following a driving accident. Before that happened, he was a football and baseball enthusiast. Although Scanlan did learn to walk and talk again, it was not to perfection and for someone as active as the man once was, this proved incredibly challenging.
Alan Quasha and TBI Support
What companies like the Brain Truama Foundation seek to achieve, is heal these individuals as best as possible. But, perhaps more than that, Alan Quasha and his team attempt to prevent such accidents in the first place. Education on the use of helmets when riding a bike is very much key, and any other method to prevent or at least reduce the impact of a traffic accident, is crucial. To live such a lessened quality of life, just because extra caution wasn’t taken (which is only sometimes the case), is a real waste. In all these events, when prevention is possible, education is key.
