Wake Forest Baptist to Host Sports Medicine Summit

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – May 10, 2018 – Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center’s sports medicine team welcomes National Sports Media Association (NSMA) award winners to participate in the inaugural Sports Medicine Summit. On Sunday, June 24, 2018, from 10 a.m. to noon, NSMA winners will gather at Wake Forest School of Medicine’s Bowman Gray Center for Medical Education to actively participate and learn about advances in injury prevention and care in sports.

“At Wake Forest Baptist, we provide world-class sports medicine care throughout the region to athletes of all ages and skill levels,” said Bob Gfeller, M.B.A., executive vice president for external relations and chief marketing officer at Wake Forest Baptist and executive director of the Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma. “As an academic medical center, part of our mission is to teach people how to prevent and treat injuries. With the National Sports Media Association now located in Winston-Salem, this is a great opportunity to educate the sports media professionals who keep the fans informed.”

Wake Forest Baptist Sports Medicine Summit attendees will be able to participate in three situations:

• Concussion protocol with Chris Miles, M.D., assistant professor of family and community medicine and sports medicine physician at Wake Forest Baptist and team physician for the Wake Forest University football team
• Knee injuries with John Hubbard, M.D., assistant professor of orthopaedic surgery at Wake Forest Baptist and orthopaedic surgeon for the Wake Forest University football team
• Spinal cord injuries with Jeff Hinshaw, P.A.-C, chief physician assistant at Wake Forest Baptist and Chris Ina, A.T.-C., athletic training coordinator at Wake Forest Baptist

A football helmet fitting station will be manned by Riddell representative Lou Kovacevic and Wake Forest Director of Equipment Services Brian Daniels.

“We are thrilled to be working with Wake Forest Baptist on this initiative,” said Dave Goren, Executive Director of the National Sports Media Association. “As conduits to the fans, it’s important that those of us in sports media are educated in the latest safety protocols. This summit will provide that knowledge so that our guests can pass it on to their readers, listeners and viewers.”

Prior to the breakout stations, 1980 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year and former North Carolina Tar Heels linebacker Buddy Curry, who founded Kids & Pros, a nonprofit organization that conducts youth camps and clinics focused on athlete safety, will serve as the keynote speaker of the event. Curry is known nationwide for serving as a USA Football master trainer and implementing the “heads-up” tackling program at the youth football level, helping ensure the future of the game.

“The Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma has been working with Buddy for many years all across the country, helping youth football players, their parents, and coaches learn how to keep the head out of the game through proper blocking and tackling techniques,” said Gfeller. “This kind of hands-on coaching from Buddy is sure to help our guests in the broadcast booth, the press box and on the sidelines.”

Joel Stitzel, Ph.D., professor and chair of biomedical engineering at Wake Forest Baptist and Jill Urban, Ph.D., assistant professor of biomedical engineering at Wake Forest Baptist, will present their research measuring on-field head impacts in high school and youth athletes utilizing helmet sensors and mouthpieces.

Local media members are invited to participate in the day’s activities and learn alongside their colleagues from around the country.

Media contact: Spencer Turkin, 516-668-1782.

Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center (www.wakehealth.edu) is a nationally prominent academic medical center in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, with an integrated health care network that incorporates hospitals, clinics, physician practices, diagnostic centers and other primary and specialty care facilities serving the residents of 24 counties in northwest North Carolina and southwest Virginia. The Medical Center’s divisions are Wake Forest Baptist Health, a regional clinical system that includes Brenner Children’s Hospital, three community hospitals, approximately 150 locations and more than 1,300 physicians and 1,159 acute care beds; Wake Forest School of Medicine, a recognized national leader in cutting-edge research and experiential medical education; and Wake Forest Innovations, which commercializes the discoveries and research capabilities of the Medical Center and operates Wake Forest Innovation Quarter, an urban district devoted to driving regional economic growth and building vibrant community. Wake Forest Baptist clinical, research and educational programs are consistently rated among the best in the country by U.S. News & World Report.

About the Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma

Life threatening injury is the No. 1 killer of kids in America. Nearly 10,000 children lose their lives every year from serious injuries. In addition, almost 300,000 children are hospitalized and over 8 million children are treated in the emergency department for serious injuries each year, many of whom struggle with long-term recoveries and disabilities. It can happen anywhere, at any time, to any child. The Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma discovers and shares the best ways to prevent and treat severe injuries in children. The Institute funds research, education and advocacy to help improve the care and treatment injured kids receive across the U.S. The Childress Institute was founded at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in 2008 through a generous gift from Richard and Judy Childress. Visit www.SaveInjuredKids.org to learn more.