Hosted by PINK Concussions
PINK X Opening Event
Join our event to hear our panel of interns as well as Keynote Speaker Anna Bowers for incredible stories of recovery.
Anna Bowers
Hometown: Nowthen, MN
Age: 29
Description: Anna Bowers is a former Division I and Division III soccer player, All-American, wife, mother, and driver of the #16 Wingless Sprint Car. She sustained her first concussion at the age of 16 and in 2018 suffered the “big one” after a serious wreck in her sprint car. She knew she wasn’t right after the big accident, so she stopped racing for the last few races of the season. As time went on Anna struggled to face the fact that she was struggling with a serious brain injury and continued to push through the pain until she was no longer able to function as herself.
Also in the event, Cristabelle Braden, an award-winning singer/songwriter, speaker, writer, podcast host, and advocate for brain injury will perform at the end of the night.
Cara Ferber, the Advocacy and Policy Director of PINK Concussions, will host and moderate the panel. The mission of PINK perfectly aligns with her goals to advocate for health equity, civil rights, and progressive reform. She is dedicated to increasing awareness, diagnosis, pioneering research, and progressive, holistic treatment of brain injury of women.
Cara has presented at the International World Brain Injury Congress in Toronto, Federal Interagency Conference on TBI in DC, Mount Sinai and Columbia University in NY. She was honored with the Victory Award in 2020 by the Brain Injury Association of NY for her impact and accomplishments with PINK Concussions.
PANELISTS:
Panelist #1:
SAMANTHA
Hometown: Palmer, Massachusetts
Age: 23 (College Graduate)
Description:
Samantha Lukaskiewicz is a recent graduate of the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. There she received her Bachelor’s degree in Political Science. Samantha sustained her first concussion at the age of fourteen while cheering for her high school competitive team. She got her second concussion at the age of sixteen and her most recent at the age of twenty after slipping on an icy sidewalk in front of her college dorm. After Samantha’s first brain injury she switched high schools in order to receive the proper academic accommodations she needed during her recovery. Feel free to ask Samantha questions about self-advocacy, living with a TBI, coping with school, and the mental health aspect of dealing with a TBI.
Panelist #2:
SAMMI
Hometown: New York, New York
Age: 17 (High School Student)
Description:
Sammi Stern is a high school student at Columbia Grammar Preparatory School in New York City. Sammi is a soccer goalie who has been playing competitive soccer since she was five years old. She has sustained three concussions from playing sports while in middle school. Sammi has had to navigate returning to school after each of her concussions as well as experiencing the pressures associated with recovering quickly as an athlete. During her recovery, Sammi worked very hard during physical therapy to ease her way back into soccer, which she is still able to play today. Feel free to ask Sammi questions about playing sports after experiencing a TBI, handling the stigmas associated with concussions in sports and physical therapy for TBIs!
Panelist #3:
AVELINE
Hometown: San Diego, California
Age: 20 (college student)
Description:
Aveline Langmead is a college student studying biological sciences at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Aveline has sustained three serious concussions over the span of five years. She grew up playing competitive soccer where she experienced her first two brain injuries and received her third serious concussion playing Division I college soccer. With this third injury, Aveline had to make the decision with the help of her doctors to medically retire from college sports. With her most recent injury taking over a year and a half to recover, Aveline knows all about the post-concussive syndrome and its accompanying symptoms. Feel free to ask Aveline anything related to dealing with a TBI and school, sports, transitioning out of sports, handling friendships, and post-concussive syndrome!
Panelist #4:
CALI
Hometown: Cheshire, Connecticut
Age: 20 (college student)
Description:
Cali Lonardelli is a college student in a Dual-Degree, Entry-Level Doctor of Physical Therapy program at Quinnipiac University. Cali grew up in gymnastics and pole-vaulting. She sustained a serious injury while pole-vaulting, landing on her head on the track. Amidst this recovery, she was hit in the head with a lacrosse ball. Unfortunately, Cali missed her senior year of high school due to injury and had to decide to retire from both pole-vaulting and gymnastics. Cali is driven to raise awareness about diabetes insipidus and neuroendocrine disorder after experiencing a traumatic brain injury, and the relationship between RED-S/underfueling and injury risk in athletes.
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Each entry is $2
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