Personally, I’d like to see more but this is a great start in recognising the importance of the seriousness of concussion. It is about time those behind sporting events were trained in dealing with this serious health condition in the correct manner and I hope, in time, it will be better recognised in all walks of life. Starting with sport, I guess is an important step.

Why?

Because through education and sporting and media coverage it will—eventually—convey to a wider audience how dangerous concussion can be and that early intervention saves lives.

Let’s make something very clear. I’m not from the “snowflake” generation. Instead from a sporting background and have been rushed to hospital unconscious from a horse-riding accident, my riding had cracked from the impact.

Moreover, I wasn’t rushed to hospital outside of sport when it was most needed. I suffered concussion in twenty-fourteen and it changed my life. Assaulted in the workplace by a “mentally ill patient” I now live with epilepsy, sight impairment and CPTSD. Perhaps an early intervention might have prevented these complications I now endure. Realistically, my chances might have been far greater of a normal life had early intervention been in place

Let’s discuss the government initiative behind their goals to address concussion in sport. There is already a good understanding of the topic at elite levels of sport and that is a good thing. An injury to the head leads to a stop in that person’s continued participation on that day, and they cannot return until medically cleared. It isn’t until we begin to look at the grass roots of sport: to kid’s clubs, unprofessional football clubs or boxing clubs, for example that education might be lacking. Their “IF IN DOUBT SIT THEM OUT” campaign is a good start but there needs to be more.

Please don’t shoot me down—I believe in these clubs, and I believe in sport.

The government intend to send emails to community clubs outlining government requirements with regard to concussion and have placed these guidelines on their government website (link below).

Where is the buy-in that promises responsibility and a better promise that clubs will educate? How many of those emails will go unread? These are the lives of our children, parents, sisters, or other family members at risk. In this day and age we expect first aid to be a mandatory. Club fees should guarantee that right. Are our brains not important enough for the government to ensure a public health campaign? I believe they are! It would ensure a better understanding for all involved at every level of sport and this could then be spread into the wider community.

That should have happened already.

by Donna Siggers