Why Pledge?
Bruno Guévremont, Veteran
The thing that really helped me was to reach out to my peers - the people that had been there. And the reason now that I'm partnering up with Project Enlist is because I'm all about the science behind it. I've learned so much about military brain research. And I want to help to recruit people to really start the conversation and donate their brain for research. Maybe you recognize some of the symptoms that you're going through. And if that is the case, then join us on this project.
Alannah Gilmore, Veteran
I think we're learning. I'm very happy that CLFC is having this conversation because I think this is something that the military needs to be more on board with. We have an entire generation of soldiers right now that have potential mental health, or brain injuries, just from doing the work.
Ryan Carey, Veteran
Most military personnel don't realize just how much head trauma they are exposed to during both training and combat. Project Enlist will help us better understand the links between the mental health challenges facing active and retired military personnel, which is often undiagnosed and undocumented. We need to create resources to support those who are struggling, and improve diagnostics and treatment for those affected
Why Pledge your Brain for Research?
The goal of Project Enlist is to dramatically accelerate critical research on traumatic brain injury (TBI), chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in military veterans. TBI due to improvised explosive devices (IED) and other military service-related causes is a significant problem for our broader military community. However, the scientific understanding of TBI and related disorders, such as CTE and PTSD, is in its infancy, and we lack accurate diagnostic tests for living patients and effective treatments. Service members diagnosed with TBI deserve our attention and support. There is an urgent need for scientists to better understand how to diagnose and treat TBI in our troops so they can protect those who fight for our nation.
Brain donation has proven to be an effective accelerator of research on CTE among athletes over the last decade. By showing how CTE has affected hundreds of athletes, across multiple sports, we have inspired the scientific community to invest in CTE research. We're learning that CTE isn't just affecting athletes, but also showing up in our nation's military members. Stories of veterans returning home with brain injuries and symptoms of depression, memory loss, and bouts of rage are all too common. We know these changes are symptoms of CTE, but need to know more. Brain donation allows us to gain a better understanding of the unique effects of military brain trauma exposure.
By signing up, you will join fellow servicemembers from across the country in pledging to donate your brain to the VA-BU-CLF Brain Bank. If you have fought for our country, now you can fight for those who have defended it alongside you. The Concussion Legacy Foundation is proud to collaborate with Boston University School of Medicine and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs on the UNITE Brain Bank, led by Dr. Ann McKee.
The Concussion Legacy Foundation Canada proudly works in partnership with the CAMH Brain Health Imaging Centre in Toronto, Ontario.