MAC PARKMAN FOUNDATION FOR ADOLESCENT CONCUSSIVE TRAUMA INC

The Mac Parkman Foundation is a dedicated resource for service members, veterans, their families, parents, coaches, athletic trainers, medical professionals, and athletes impacted by Repeated Head Impacts (RHI) in sports and Repeated Blast Exposure (RBE) from military service. We aim to raise awareness about the long-term effects of sub-concussive trauma/RHI, providing vital information, resources, and support to help children, athletes, and veterans suffering from these injuries. Join us in our mission to improve brain health and protect at-risk individuals.

The Importance of Awareness:
Despite mounting evidence, the connections between repeated head injuries (RHI), mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBI), repeated blast exposure (RBE), and mental illness remain largely unrecognized and overlooked by parental, medical, and psychological communities. The Mac Parkman Foundation is dedicated to illuminating these critical links while exploring and advocating for essential treatments to address brain injuries, particularly within military and veteran communities.

The Danger for Our Kids:
Millions of children engage in contact sports without proper consideration of associated risks, leading to long-term suffering. RHI, often incurred during contact or high-risk sports activities, includes seemingly innocuous hits like heading a soccer ball or tackling in football. While these impacts typically lack immediate concussion-like symptoms, they trigger microcellular changes such as synaptic death, demyelination, and vascular irregularities, affecting vital brain structures. Over time, this damage, particularly concerning developing brains, can manifest as mental illnesses and cognitive dysfunction.

The lack of effective mitigation for RHI compounds the issue, as any violent head movement can potentially cause harm. Without trained professionals, children are misdiagnosed and mistreated, leading to a cycle of suffering and dysfunction that may persist into adulthood. Mental illness, often the first indicator of RHI damage, is frequently misattributed to other causes like childhood trauma or ADHD, resulting in inadequate treatment focused solely on symptoms rather than the underlying brain injury. This failure to address the primary cause of mental illness perpetuates suffering and dysfunctional behaviors in affected individuals.

The Danger for Our Military & Veterans:
Repeated Blast Exposure (RBE), a newer diagnosis emerging within military and veteran communities, results from recurrent exposure to explosive blasts. Analogous to RHI, continuous exposure induces brain damage, potentially leading to mental health disorders. Yet, RBE remains largely unrecognized outside research circles, leaving many veterans with undiagnosed brain injuries, exacerbating issues like PTSD and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). High-intensity training involving repetitive blasts from explosives, artillery, high-caliber weaponry, breaching, parachuting, and more happens off battlefields just as it does during combat situations.

Veterans with significant RBE from combat and training often experience mental health challenges without adequate acknowledgment or treatment. Without proper diagnosis and treatment options that address brain damage, veterans can spiral into further mental health issues, leading to violence, marital and financial problems, emotional and behavioral issues, as well as suicidal and homicidal ideation and incarceration. Proper assessment and treatment for RBE are critical to providing veterans with the care they need to improve their mental health and quality of life.

With your help we can make a difference in the lives of our children and our veterans!
By increasing awareness, encouraging proactive assessments, and championing targeted interventions, our organization aims to mitigate the profound impacts of RHI and RBE, fostering healthier futures for both our children and our veterans.