GALVESTON, Texas - The ninth annual Galveston Brain Injury Conference, set for April 29-May 1 at Moody Gardens, will explore how to help people with traumatic brain injuries and other cognitive disabilities who are affected by natural disasters.
As the result of Hurricane Ike, "We are in a unique position to provide firsthand data and also directly benefit from this dialogue," said Kenneth Ottenbacher, director of the UTMB Center for Rehabilitation Sciences.
The conference is an invitational event sponsored by the Center for Rehabilitation Sciences and the School of Health Professions at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston in collaboration with the Transitional Learning Center in Galveston. The TLC is a residential rehabilitation and treatment center that provides comprehensive services for persons who have suffered acute brain injuries and their families.
Elizabeth Protas, dean of the School of Health Professions at UTMB, said, "We will address emergency preparedness, response and recovery issues and challenges faced by health professionals, agencies, families and individuals in crisis situations using the storm as a basis for discussion."
During the conference, Wayne A. Gordon will receive the 2009 Robert L. Moody Prize for Distinguished Initiatives in Brain Injury Research and Rehabilitation. The award recognizes Gordon's brain injury research, clinical care and his advocacy for people who are severely injured Gordon is associate director, chief psychologist and co-director of research in the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at Mount Sinai Medical Center.
More information, go to http://www2.utmb.edu/TLC/MoodyPrize/.