Subcommittee on Sports-Related Concussions in Canada committee  Yes. That's the thing that the partnership with Holland Bloorview and the GTHL had worked through. It was certainly educating parents, kids and coaches about what to look for. If you had even one symptom, then it was, “When in doubt, sit it out”. Then you work with your family p

Subcommittee on Sports-Related Concussions in Canada committee  With Matthew's first concussion, we had very few resources. It was the Internet and that's not a good source of information. When Matthew had his second concussion, the Greater Toronto Hockey League had partnered with Holland Bloorview, so we had resources to go to. We weren't

Subcommittee on Sports-Related Concussions in Canada committee  We very much like meeting people and talking about concussions. We've met dancers, gymnasts, my nephew skiing, my niece skiing in a collision, falling off playground equipment. Even Matthew, in swimming, was kicked in the head by a kid doing laps. That has been our experience as

Subcommittee on Sports-Related Concussions in Canada committee  You have to place a lot of responsibility on them. They're the ones who run the game. They're the ones who charge the fees. They're the ones who have the expertise. They're the ones who can engage the parents, find coaches or hire trainers, and provide the expertise so that peopl

Subcommittee on Sports-Related Concussions in Canada committee  I just wanted to say that there's a great sense of self that gets lost for a kid who identifies with one sport. That was really hard, transitioning to something else where you're not going to end up with a concussion. I think our family suffers from post-concussion bubble-wrap sy

Subcommittee on Sports-Related Concussions in Canada committee  There's the culture, and then there's the way games can be played. I go back to the workplace analogy. People come to work just like kids come to games. Kids need to grow up into adults and be healthy, and I'm not sure that the culture is 100% focused on the health and safety of

Subcommittee on Sports-Related Concussions in Canada committee  No, and some of the things said.... There are some dark sides, and there are some egos. I love the game. I think it's great. My sons have enjoyed it and really benefited from participation. I think that slowing it down and making it about plays, not about hits, and making it abou

Subcommittee on Sports-Related Concussions in Canada committee  Interestingly, I worked with the—I think it was—the Ontario Neurotrauma Foundation on an educational brochure to help parents and families go out and try to find resources, because a lot of people claim to have concussion services. They can help you get better and they list that.

Subcommittee on Sports-Related Concussions in Canada committee  It was just outside of the locker room, and everybody was giving me all kinds of advice about whether or not to go to the emergency room. It's a common thing: What should you do? When is it serious enough?

Subcommittee on Sports-Related Concussions in Canada committee  No. When an injury happens, everybody has their commentary—

Subcommittee on Sports-Related Concussions in Canada committee  —but it is a very real thing. When you end up as a family with a concussion, you become a resource for other families when it happens and you get phone calls from parents asking if they should take their child to the emergency room, but it was just more of a conversation at the t

Subcommittee on Sports-Related Concussions in Canada committee  My name is Kathy Leeder, and Matthew is my son. He suffered two concussions playing hockey. I feel really lucky that Matthew and his brain have fully recovered and that he does not have residual concussion symptoms. I'm also sad that he no longer plays a sport that he loves. Toda