Athletes Saving Athletes Sponsor: Cymer, Inc.

Advocates for Saving Athletes™ is the trademark program of Advocates for Injured Athletes.  This peer-to-peer education program has taught students all over San Diego how to recognize potentially life-threatening injuries in their teammates.  Most recently two ASA™ ambassadors have saved a life with the skills they learned.  It’s obvious the program has made an impact in San Diego.  This would not have been possible without the help of program sponsors such as San Diego-based company, Cymer.  Advocates for Injured Athletes would like to take time this week to thank Cymer for its support of the ASA™ program as it continues to grow.

Cymer is a San Diego technology company that employs over 1300 employees worldwide (approx. 800 in San Diego) with a very strong culture of supporting the local community.  Cymer has logged 2300 volunteer hours in the last year and employees can be seen giving back to the community on a regular basis.  Cymer supports 40 local events and 20 regional events annually including the San Diego Zoo Food & Wine Festival, UCSD Luau and Longboard Invitational (a cancer research fundraiser) and the San Diego Festival of Science and Engineering just to name a few.  Since 2005, Cymer has spent $6 million on a variety of projects and grants in the San Diego area.  Advocates for Injured Athletes has been a fortunate recipient of some of Cymer’s resources since 2011.

Cymer eagerly partnered with Advocates for Injured Athletes in 2011 because it was a “different spin” on the usual grant requests they receive.  The request wasn’t just about money to fund a one-time project.  Cymer realized supporting the ASA™ program meant supporting something that would have a long-term impact in the community because of its educational focus.  Knowledge is power and in the case of ASA™, knowing what to do could actually save lives.  It’s been exciting from Cymer’s perspective to see Advocates for Injured Athletes continue to grow and work to expand the program beyond San Diego.

Grant funding from Cymer has allowed Advocates for Injured Athletes to update all aspects of the ASA™ program including program audio, videos and handouts.  The primary promotional video, as well as many of the other video resources available on Advocates for Injured Athletes YouTube Channel were sponsored in part by Cymer.  Other videos in the works include A4IA’s hands-only CPR video.  Finally, the ASA™ program has been so successful here in San Diego that funding from Cymer will help the ASA™ program expand to other cities around the US.  This expansion means being able to find and train additional program instructors and educate more students, broadening the impact of A4IA and ASA™ into a national program. 

In the end, all non-profits depend on the donations and grants from the community to support their work.  It has been the privilege of Advocates for Injured Athletes to be supported by Cymer, a local corporation that has made a commitment to improving the community where they work and live.  Thank you for realizing the potential of Advocates for Injured Athletes and the ASA™ programs and we look forward to a continued relationship. 

Submitted by Heather L. Clemons, MS, MBA, ATC

Searching for Information: Position & Consensus Statements

For those of you who read the A4IA blog on a regular basis you know that I often refer to position statements from prominent associations and organizations in order to support some of the safety information that I have provided.  Some of you may be familiar with how to find these resources, but others may just follow the links I provide to a specific statement.  Knowing this, this week’s post will spend some time connecting you to the resource pages where you can find statements on a variety of topics.  My primary focus will be on organizations and resources that relate most directly to youth sport safety, but some associations may have a much broader scope.  For those associations with a broader scope…. Feel free to explore, you never know what you’ll find getting lost in an internet search!

I find position statements useful in many situations because they are scientifically based, peer reviewed statements put together by the subject experts.  A word to the wise though, it is always important to know that new information regarding a given topic can come to light at any time making older information instantly obsolete, so be sure that when reviewing a position statements to critically analyze it and be sure you are looking at the most current information.  In order to give some organization to the information I provide I am going to provide resources from organizations with a sports medicine focus and general health focus.  The sources will be listed in alphabetical order.  Please remember this list is in no way inclusive of every organization and resource available, but is intended to give you a connection to the most prominent organizations and most often referred to statements.

SPORTS MEDICINE RESOURCES:

American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) is a national professional association that represents the profession of sports medicine from all angles supporting physicians, athletic trainers, fitness professionals and other associated professionals.  Position stands on topics ranging from nutrition and athletic performance and AEDs in fitness facilities to exercise and bone health can be found in a collection HERE.  Position stands are published in the Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise.

American Medical Society for Sports Medicine (AMSSM) is a professional organization that represents sports medicine physicians.  Position statements can be found HERE.  Topics addressed include concussion, ADHD, and mononucleosis and sports participation.  Statements are typically published in the Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine.

American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM) is an international professional organization for sports medicine physicians and other allied health professionals that work in sports medicine.  Consensus statements on topics ranging from sports medicine management to team physician concerns can be found HERE.  The AOSSM supports a variety of publications including American Journal of Sports Medicine, Sports Health:  A Multidisciplinary Approach and Orthopedic Journal of Sports Medicine.

Gatorade Sports Science Institute (GSSI) is the sports science research organization that focuses on learning more about topics related to athlete performance.  Topics include hydration, nutrition, well-being, and exercise physiology.  While the group does not provide specific position statements they have provided important research that other organizations have consistently cited.  Check out their publications and the Sports Science Exchange.

International Federation of Sports Medicine (FIMS) is the home to individual members and broader organizations who all have a focus in sports medicine.  Position statements can be HERE.  Topics range from the female athlete triad and fluid replacement to vegetarian and vegan diets in athletes.  Statements are published in the International SportsMed Journal.

National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) is the professional association that represents athletic training professionals.  Position statements on topics ranging from heat illness, sudden death and dietary supplements to safe weight management and managing asthma can be found in a collection HERE.  Position statements are published in the Journal of Athletic Training.

National Operating Committee on the Standards for Athletic Equipment (NOCSAE) is a national organization that provides safety testing for much the athletic equipment used in this country.  Most notably football, softball/baseball and lacrosse helmets.  Equipment safety standards information can be found HERE.

4^th Annual International Consensus Conference on Concussion in Sport (2013) is available in the British Journal of Sports Medicine or online HERE.

The resources listed above are those that have position statement/stand links available on their website.  There are other organizations out there that provide information through their peer-reviewed research publications, but may or may not publish position statements.  Some of these organizations include the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), United States Army Research Institute for Environmental Medicine (USARIEM), Sports Medicine Australia, the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) and the Association for Applied Sports Psychology (AASP) just to name a few.

GENERAL HEALTH RESOURCES

Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (formerly the American Dietetics Association) is an international organization for food and nutrition professionals.  Position statements can be found HERE.  Topics are all associated with nutrition and diet. The most interesting position paper for athletes would be “Nutrition and Athletic Performance for Adults”.  Position statements are published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

American Academy of Neurology (AAN) is a national organization that supports physicians who specialize in neurology.  Position statements (and other policy information) can be found HERE.  Statements are available for a variety of topics, but the most relevant one is titled, “Sports Concussion”. 

American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is a national organization that supports physicians and other allied health professionals who work primarily with the pediatric population.  Position statements (or policy statements) can be found HERE.  The statements are grouped by committee, simply click on the committee of interest and then you can peruse the available statements.  For those with a sports medicine focus check out the statements under the Council on Sports Medicine and Fitness.  It addresses topics from cheerleading injuries to heat stress in children and a lot more in between. Statements are published in Pediatrics.

American Heart Association (AHA) in conjunction with the American Stroke Association work to provide information, education, and research on the various topics associated with cardiovascular health.  Position statements on a variety of topics can be found HERE.  For those with a sports medicine focus when searching by topic you can find a few key statements under “athletes”.  Depending on your focus you can also find treatment and management statements regarding specific cardiac conditions, the use of AEDs, exercise guidelines, EKG guidelines and much, much more.  Statements are published in Circulation.

Again, this is just a sampling of potential organizations that are focused more broadly on health and well-being, but with a closer look may be able to provide you some useful information specific to your sports medicine questions.  This list contains organizations and statements that I thought most relevant and I most often refer to.  As you continue to scour the internet for information you may find others.  I encourage you to share what you find!  Let’s learn from each other. 

In this week’s post I have focused on an organization’s ability to provide position statements, but it does not mean that an organization that does not publish position statements does not provide useful information.  There are many, many organizations out there such as the Korey Stringer Institute, the Matthew Gfeller Foundation and others that are conducting research and answering important questions.  You should always work to find the most current information on any given topic and critically analyze it.  Just because it’s in print, doesn’t mean it’s good information.  Use position statements as a starting point, but always challenge yourself to go further and really delve into whatever topic you’re trying to learn more about.

Will James Featured in ESPN’s Outside the Lines

 It will be three years almost to the day since Will suffered heat stroke at the end of a Pulaski High School football practice on August 13, 2010.  Thanks to the quick actions of his athletic trainer who moved him into the showers and began cooling him with water and ice Will is focusing on his future.  He is currently a sophomore at the University of Arkansas and hopes to attend law school.  Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for Tyler Davenport, another Arkansas high school football player who suffered heat stroke at the same time as Will and did not survive.  In spending some time speaking with Will it is obvious how much his recovery and Tyler’s death has motivated him to educate others about how to prevent heat illness. Will says, “Heat illness is 100% preventable.  Every time I do an interview I am honoring Tyler’s memory and helping people understand that there are consequences for not knowing what to do.”

Since Will’s injury he has become involved in several organizations that promote heat illness prevention and has been featured on television programs on the topic.  You are already familiar with him as an original ASA™ ambassador for Advocates for Injured Athletes, but he is also very involved with the Kendrick Fincher Hydration Foundation.  This foundation was started by Rhonda Fincher following the death of her son on August 25, 1995 from heat stroke following a junior high school football practice in Rogers, Arkansas.  The Foundation focuses specifically on preventing heat illness and Will has worked closely with this organization, telling his story in hopes of helping others.

Will was contacted by Advocates for Injured Athletes to film a video regarding his experience with heat illness and to help others prevent and treat the condition, making him a founding ASA™ ambassador.  The video filming was a three-day event that involved his coaches, teammates and his entire family working hard in the August heat.  Will’s mom opened her home to the San Diego-based film crew during the entire filming process.  The end result was a film that is shown at every ASA™ program and has already been viewed by approximately 1500 athletes.  Athletes know what to do because of Will and his video and A4IA hopes that the video will be seen by every middle school and high school athlete in the country.  Advocates for Injured Athletes and its founder Beth Mallon are forever grateful and thankful for the time and effort Will and his family put in to making the heat illness video and the ASA™ program such a success.  As Beth Mallon says, “He is a gifted speaker and tells a genuine, compelling story that athletes listen to!”

Patti James, Doug Casa, Will James
in 2011 at Arkansas ATA Annual
Meeting

Will was most recently featured on ESPN’s Outside the Lines (originally aired August 11, 2013 at 9p EST) in a piece titled, “Heat Stroke”.  The airing discusses the connection between heat illness and football and the research that is being done to prevent it.  Along with featuring Will and Tyler’s stories, it discusses Korey Stringer and speaks with the Korey Stringer Institute’s Doug Casa, Chief Operating Officer, in an effort to understand where we've been and where we’re going in our efforts to prevent heat illness in all sports, but especially football.  You can check out ESPN’s website to see when the episode will be re-aired.

He was previously featured on PBS’s Frontline in a piece titled, “Football High”, taking a look inside the high profile nature of many high school football programs around the country.  Asking the question, “Is it worth the risk?”  The piece touches on the many potential dangers of high school football ranging from concussions to heat illness.  This programming originally aired in 2011, but is still available online by clicking HERE.  

In my brief interaction with Will, he admitted that the first year following his injury was tough, he just wanted to put it behind him.  Now, telling his story is much easier and he realizes telling his story means telling Tyler’s.  Will and Tyler’s stories will always be connected, not just because they were both admitted to Children’s Hospital in Little Rock together, but because Will is so committed to honoring Tyler’s memory.  Will remains in touch with the Davenport’s today and visit’s Tyler’s resting place every chance he gets. 

The power of storytelling is evident in Will’s efforts and the number of untold athletes he’s helped understand the dangers of heat illness.  Never has a story made it so clear that knowledge is power.  Knowing what to do can make all the difference. 

Heat illness IS 100% preventable. 

Do YOU know what to do?

Submitted by Heather L. Clemons, MS, MBA, ATC

A special thanks to Will James for taking the time to speak with me by phone in order to write this piece.  It was my privilege to meet such a great young man who is willing to relive his story in an effort to help others.

Brittan Sutphin Sets Goal To Raise $10K for Advocates for Injured Athletes

For those of you who are familiar with Advocates for Injured Athletes' story you know Brittan, along with Tommy, Will and Nolan as the faces of the Athletes Saving Athletes™ program.  They are the original ASA™ Ambassadors, each surviving a potentially fatal injury or medical emergency while playing sports as teens.  These ambassadors are growing up and making their own impact on the world.  Brittan will be turning 21 this month.

It has been five years since Brittan’s sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) and since that time Brittan has been focused on learning more about the conditions that cause SCA and other unexplained deaths.  Ultimately, she wishes to become a physician scientist with a focus in cardiology to help unravel the mysteries of SCA in young people.  As part of those efforts she is preparing to take her MCATs and has spent the last two summers completing a research fellowship at the Mayo Clinic doing work in the area of Sudden Unexplained Deaths and Sudden Infant Deaths.  In addition, she is hoping to raise at least $10,000 for Advocates for Injured Athletes.

Brittan played sports from a very young age, was a nationally ranked tennis player and dreamed of playing tennis in college.  All of that changed on December 5, 2008 at the age of 16 when she suffered a sudden cardiac arrest during swim practice.  Fortunately for Brittan there was an AED at the recreation center which brought her back to life after two shocks.  It is estimated that 90% to 95% of SCA victims die without immediate treatment from an AED.  Brittan, was diagnosed with CPVT (catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia) after a year of testing.  As a result of the CPVT she had a device implanted that can detect and address the cardiac arrhythmia and takes medication daily.  Her surgery was performed by Dr. John Rogers, a cardiologist at Scripps Health and Medical Director of Advocates for Injured Athletes.

Brittan was initially told that she would not be able to return to sports following her diagnosis, a life altering directive for someone who had always been an athlete.  In hopes of learning more about her condition and whether or not she’d be able to return to sports she and her family sought out the advice of Dr. Michael Ackerman, MD, PhD , cardiologist at the Mayo Clinic.  Dr. Ackerman ultimately allowed Brittan to return to sports and Brittan is a member of the tennis team at Claremont McKenna College (NCAA Division III) heading into her senior season.

In her efforts to raise funds for A4IA Brittan has turned her 21^st birthday celebration into a fundraising event.  She is asking in lieu of gifts that people make donations to A4IA on her behalf.  The celebration will be held on September 1, 2013 and is by invitation only.  Attendees will have the opportunity to donate directly at the party as well as bid on a few auction items.  If you're interested in donating and helping Brittan reach her go, check out the A4IA Facebook page for more information.

As Brittan’s mom, Kim, said, “Brittan has taken some lemons and made some really great lemonade.”  A4IA is proud to have Brittan as an original ASA Ambassador and looks forward to seeing her continue on her journey to become a physician scientist and continue to make a difference.  A4IA also thanks Brittan for her continued efforts in supporting the ASA™ Program.  Brittan has left quite a mark on ASA™ already, but it’s obvious she’s only just getting started.

Submitted by Heather L. Clemons, MS, MBA, ATC