AANS and NREF Focus on Increasing Awareness About Traumatic Brain Injury for 2014 National Neurosurgery Awareness Week

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Newswise ROLLING MEADOWS, Ill. (March 28, 2013) The American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) will commemorate National Neurosurgery Awareness Week (NNAW) April 6-12, 2014, in conjunction with its 82nd Annual Scientific Meeting in San Francisco, which takes place April 5-9, 2014. The theme for the 2014 AANS Annual Scientific Meeting, Expanding Neurosurgery, focuses on the growing influence those in the neurosurgical specialty have in so many areas of medicine especially the area of traumatic brain injuries, which according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have increased by more than 300 incidents per 100,000 hospital visits in the last decade.

When it comes to traumatic brain injuries, neurosurgeons continue to lead the way in the diagnosis, treatment and understanding of how these injuries affect patients, and what can be done to treat their symptoms and outcomes. For this reason, the AANS and the Neurosurgery Research and Education Foundation (NREF) are working to raise awareness and funds to help fight the damage caused by TBI.

To help in that effort, AANS Treasurer Alex B. Valadka, MD, FAANS, is running the Boston Marathon on April 21, 2014 one year after a tragic bombing injured so many involved with this iconic event. Dr. Valdka is partnering with the AANS and NREF to Race for TBI Research. Individuals may go to the NREF website (www.nref.org) to hear about why Dr. Valdka is running, and to make a donation themselves to help fight TBI.

This is the one-year anniversary of the bombing at the Boston Marathon, and TBI is a common type of injury for trauma and mass-casualty patients, noted Dr. Valadka. It seemed appropriate to participate in this event on the anniversary this year. Personally qualifying for and finishing this race has been and will be a challenge for me, just like creating awareness and fundraising for TBI research is a challenge as well.

The AANS will continue to promote and highlight the importance of TBI research throughout the year though other programs, events and outreach. If you would like to find out more about the organizations efforts to benefit neurosurgical research and education, contact John A. Iwanski, AANS Director of Integrated Marketing and Website Communications, at 847.378.0517 or via email at jai@aans.org.

Media Representatives: The 2014 AANS Annual Meeting Press Kit includes releases on highlighted scientific research, AANS officer and award winners, National Neurosurgery Awareness Week, and other relevant information about this years program. Those releases also will be posted under the Media area on the 2014 AANS Annual Scientific Meeting website (http://www.aans.org/Annual Meeting/2014/Main/Media.aspx). If you would have interest in a topic related to neurosurgery or would like to interview a neurosurgeon either onsite or via telephone during this years event, please contact John Iwanski, AANS Director of Integrated Marketing and Website Communications, via the onsite press room at 415.978.3603 or email him at jai@aans.org.

About the 2014 AANS Annual Scientific Meeting: Attended by neurosurgeons, neurosurgical residents, medical students, neuroscience nurses, clinical specialists, physician assistants, allied health professionals and other medical professionals, the AANS Annual Scientific Meeting is the largest gathering of neurosurgeons in the nation, with an emphasis on the fields latest research and technological advances. A record-breaking 1,321 scientific abstracts were presented for review at the 2014 AANS Annual Scientific Meeting, and the scientific presentations given at this years event represent cutting-edge examples of the incredible developments taking place within the field of neurosurgery. Additional information about the AANS Annual Scientific Meeting and the Meeting Program can be found at http://www.aans.org/Annual Meeting/2014/Main/Home.aspx.

Founded in 1931 as the Harvey Cushing Society, the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) is a scientific and educational association with nearly 8,600 members worldwide. The AANS is dedicated to advancing the specialty of neurological surgery in order to provide the highest quality of neurosurgical care to the public. All active members of the AANS are certified by the American Board of Neurological Surgery, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons (Neurosurgery) of Canada or the Mexican Council of Neurological Surgery, AC. Neurological surgery is the medical specialty concerned with the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of disorders that affect the entire nervous system including the spinal column, spinal cord, brain and peripheral nerves. For more information, visit http://www.AANS.org.

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AANS and NREF Focus on Increasing Awareness About Traumatic Brain Injury for 2014 National Neurosurgery Awareness Week