(Washington, DC) – Nov. 13, 2014 - The George Washington University Hospital, The GW Medical Faculty Associates and The GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences will host their third annual Trauma Awareness Day on Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2014, at GW Hospital Auditorium, located on the basement level, from 1:30-2:30 p.m., with a reception to follow.
The event will reunite seven patients with the very trauma team members who helped save their lives, and the patients will tell their death defying stories. Physicians will also share their own perspectives and provide details on the lifesaving response provided by CTACC (The Center for Trauma and Critical Care), our Level One trauma center. The day will also recognize the vital role so many people play in caring for trauma patients, from doctors and nurses to technologists and chaplains.
Among the trauma patients who will participate is a former veteran zookeeper, who made national news last November when he was attacked by a zebra. A year later, because of the CTACC response, he is enjoying an active retirement. Another patient will tell the story of his recovery from a horrific accident that caused an iron rod to pierce his brain just this past April. The CTACC team performed an emergency craniectomy and subsequently a cranioplasty to restore him back to health. Today, he is back at work.
Trauma Awareness Day offers a unique time for both patients and hospital staff to show appreciation for the ways they have touched each other’s lives. In many trauma cases, patients can be in the hospital for several months, and during that time, patients and their families become intimately known to the hospital staff. They celebrate triumphs together and regroup after setbacks. But many times, staff members are left to wonder what has become of their patients once they leave the hospital.
News Reporters: If you wish to attend, please RSVP by calling Leonard DeShield at (202) 715-4462.
###
