FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ON June 17, 2014
Do You Love Your Brain? FREE Bike Helmet Giveaway This Saturday in Minneapolis
Event Coincides with “Brain Health Awareness Day” in City
MINNEAPOLIS -
WHAT: FREE Bike Helmet Giveaway by the American Academy of Neurology (AAN), AmericanBrain Foundation WHERE: Mill City Farmers Market on Chicago Mall, Minneapolis, between Guthrie Theater and Mill City Museum WHEN: Saturday, June 21, 2014, 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Arrive early as quantities are limited. PHOTO/VIDEO/INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITIES: • AAN and American Brain Foundation staff will give away and fit 1,000 free bike helmets starting at 8:00 a.m. • A neurologist will be available for interview regarding helmet safety and concussion • Former Super Bowl champion Ben Utecht who suffered concussion related injuries will be available for interviews • The Mill City Farmers Market will present a cooking demonstration on healthy brain food as a part of “Mill City Cooks” with Chef Heather Hartman at 10:00 a.m. • Minneapolis Bike Cops for Kids program and other local organizations will receive 500 additional helmets to distribute around Minneapolis (additional interviews available) In its third year of raising awareness and preventing head injuries in Minnesota, the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) and its foundation, the American Brain Foundation, is giving away 1,000 bike helmets this Saturday to adults and children at the Mill City Farmers Market on Saturday, June 21, 2014. The AAN has also paired with the Minneapolis Police Department’s Bike Cops for Kids and other organizations around the Twin Cities to donate an additional 1,000 helmets for their programs. More than 4,000 Minnesotans are reportedly hospitalized with head injuries each year. “As the world’s trusted authority on preventing, diagnosing, managing and treating concussion, the AAN is thrilled to continue our local mission to protect Minnesotans from head injury as we enjoy this time of year bike riding in our beautiful state,” said Catherine M. Rydell, CAE, Executive Director and CEO of the American Academy of Neurology. “Through our bike helmet giveaway this Saturday at the Mill City Farmers Market, and by donating helmets in support of other local organizations with the same mission, we hope to educate Minnesotans about why it’s important to keep your brain healthy by wearing a helmet during any bike-related sport.” Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges also proclaimed Saturday Brain Health Awareness Day in the city to raise awareness of brain disease and the importance of supporting research to find cures. “Wearing a helmet is one of the best and most simple ways to protect your brain. In a city like Minneapolis, where biking is encouraged and practiced daily by many residents, we want to promote efforts to continue this safe practice.” You can follow the Academy’s efforts Saturday on Twitter using the hashtag “iHeartMyBrain”. The helmets will be given away as part of a larger commitment by the AAN and the American Brain Foundation to donate 2,000 helmets in Minnesota this year. Attendees should arrive early as quantities are limited. As the largest trade association in Minnesota, the American Academy of Neurology’s headquarters is located at Chicago Avenue and 2nd Street, across from the Mill City Farmers Market. To learn more about concussion, please visit www.aan.com/concussion. The American Academy of Neurology, an association of more than 27,000 neurologists and neuroscience professionals, is dedicated to promoting the highest quality patient-centered neurologic care. A neurologist is a doctor with specialized training in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system such as Alzheimer’s disease, stroke, migraine, multiple sclerosis, brain injury, Parkinson’s disease and epilepsy. For more information about the American Academy of Neurology, visit http://www.aan.com or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and YouTube. The American Brain Foundation, the foundation of the American Academy of Neurology, supports vital research and education to discover causes, improved treatments, and cures for brain and other nervous system diseases. Learn more at http://www.americanbrainfoundation.org or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and YouTube.