Think with your helmet!

Quebec’s Trauma Centres and the Quebec Ski Areas Association (ASSQ) are teaming up to drive home an important message – helmets are a smart choice! This Sunday (February 21) trauma experts from the Montreal General Hospital (MGH), part of the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC), will gather at Ski Bromont with the ski Safety Tour to explain to skiers and snowboarders how helmets can help avoid head injuries and encourage them to try one on.

“Wearing a helmet reduces the risk of head injuries in skiers and snowboarders by approximately 35 per cent,” says Dr. Tarek Razek, director of the MGH Trauma Program, who has also advocated helmet use in other sports, including cycling and rollerblading. “We hope to convince skiers and snowboarders to adapt to the theory of ‘safety first’.”

“We know that traumatic brain injuries can be devastating to the injured person, family, friends and community," says Debbie Friedman, director of the MCH trauma program. “It is important to use the knowledge we have to be aware of the risks and make smart decisions to encourage children, teens, and adults to be active, healthy, and trauma free."

“This is the first time major trauma hospitals have teamed up with the ASSQ to work together and raise awareness on a very important issue,” says MGH Injury Prevention Coordinator, Tara Grenier. “Wearing a helmet has been mandatory for users of the snow parks since 2007 – a measure that puts Quebec at the forefront of the industry in North America – but we believe we can help more people stay safe by informing them of the many benefits of wearing a ski helmet.”

The events at Ski Bromont this weekend are part of a wider helmet safety initiative, spearheaded by the MGH, also involving The Montreal Children’s Hospital, Sacré-Coeur Hospital and the Centre hospitalier Universitaire de Sherbrooke. MétéoMédia, a proud partner of the ASSQ in this safety campaign, will also provide tips on the air throughout the winter. The ski Safety Tour will visit over 25 ski areas this season, the campaign continues until March 7. The collaborative schedule for the rest of the season includes:

February 20th: Mont St-Bruno

February 21st: Ski Bromont

February 28th: Mont Sutton

The Trauma Program at the Montreal General Hospital would like to thank Louis Garneau for providing helmets for the head injury prevention initiatives. To find out more about the safety tour or for a full schedule of the ASSQ efforts go to www.moncasque.ca . For a medical perspective email: trauma [dot] program [at] muhc [dot] mcgill [dot] ca.

The McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) is a comprehensive academic health institution with an international reputation for excellence in clinical programs, research and teaching. Its partner hospitals are The Montreal Children's Hospital, the Montreal General Hospital, the Royal Victoria Hospital, the Montreal Neurological Hospital and Institute, the Montreal Chest Institute and the Lachine Hospital. The goal of the MUHC is to provide patient care based on the most advanced knowledge in the healthcare field, and to contribute to the development of new knowledge.