First ever Brain Injury and Sport European Conference

Tackling the concussion crisis Acquired Brain Injury Ireland, in association with EBIS (European Brain Injury Society) will host a ‘Brain Injury and Sport’ conference at the Aviva Stadium, Lansdowne Road, Dublin on Friday 13th December 2013.

 

Educating players, coaches and clinicians about concussion management and return to play guidelines; ABI Ireland and EBIS are bringing together a panel of expert speakers to discuss the growing concern surrounding the head injury. For more information see www.braininjuryandsport.ie

 

Early Bird Offer:

 

Book your ticket before 31st October for only €149. After 31st October 2013 ticket prices increase to €199.

EBIS Members book your ticket before 6th December for only €120. After 6th December ticket price increase to €150.

 

Chaired by Newstalk broadcasters Ger Gilroy and George Hook, the conference will feature the following sports personalities and medics:

* Leo Varadkar TD; Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport

* Chris Nowinski; Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Sports Legacy Institute; solving the sports concussion crisis through education, policy, and research, Boston University School of Medicine

* Mark McGovern; GAA player who suffered a head injury playing football in San Francisco

* Dr. Michael O’Brien; Associate Director of the Sports Concussion Clinic and Physician of Sports Medicine at Boston Children’s Hospital

* Professor Michael Gilchrist; Head of UCD School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering

* Professor John Ryan; Accident and Emergency Consultant, St Vincent’s Hospital, Dublin

* Jean-Luc Truelle; Honorary Professor of Neurology University of Angers, France

* Michael Darragh Macauley; Dublin GAA Football player and ABI Ireland Ambassador

* Dessie Farrell; Chief Executive and Founder of GPA (Gaelic Players Association)

* Simon Keogh; Operations Manager and Head of Legal, IRUPA (Irish Rugby Union Players Association)

* Anais Jaron, Pat Phelan and Pascal Sergysels; Sport after a brain injury, ABI Rehabilitation.

 

A Panel Discussion will be chaired in the afternoon discussing:

Make the Concussion Call – Who’s Responsibility is it?

Panel members include:

 

* Dr. Barry O’Driscoll, Former International Rugby Board medical advisor

* Rory O’Carroll and Mark McHugh, GAA football players

* Nikki Symmons, Irish hockey international player

* Brian Kerr, Former Ireland Soccer Manager

* Dr. Adrian McGoldrick, Turf Club Senior Medical Officer.

 

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Movie Premiere

Head Games: The International Version

 

How much are you willing to lose for a game?

 

Astra Hall, UCD at 6:30pm on Thursday 12th December 2013

From Steve James, Director of Hoop Dreams and The Interrupters, Head Games The International Version is a 2013 documentary film that examines the effects of repeated concussions, particularly those associated with sports. It follows football player and wrestler Chris Nowinski’s quest to uncover the truth about the consequences of sports related head injuries.    Head Games the International Version will premiere with Chris Nowinski at 6:30pm on Thursday 12th December in the Astra Hall at the University College Dublin as a pre-conference event. Tickets cost €10 and are sold separately to the conference tickets. Visit www.braininjuryandsport.ie for more details.

 

Contacts

For queries in relation to the Brain Injury and Sport European Conference

Contact:    Roisin Callaghan

Phone:      01 290 0000

Email:       braininjuryandsport@greenlightevents.ie
For queries in relation to Conference Media or Acquired Brain Injury Ireland

Contact:   Karen O’Boyle

Phone:       01 280 41 64 E222

Email:        koboyle@abiireland.ie