Care For PA

Caring for a community is nothing new to Pennsylvania's hospitals. It is that mission that has been driving the care they provide to communities for hundreds of years. And it was that mission of caring, combined with its specialized treatment of traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries, and a community that had a high incidence of alcohol-related car accidents involving adolescents, which led Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital, Malvern, to create a pilot injury-prevention program in 1989 for six area schools.

For the past 17 years, Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital has developed its "Cruisin' Not Boozin'�? injury-prevention program into a comprehensive community outreach program that not only reaches students, but families; those arrested for driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol; and school, health, and community professionals.

The results have been amazing. The program has reached more than 300,000 students at middle schools, high schools, and colleges, as well as adult programs in the Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware areas since its inception.

The program uses speakers, many who were former Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital patients, who have survived drug- or alcohol-related vehicle crashes but sustained permanent, life-altering injuries such as spinal cord injuries or traumatic brain injuries. Some were drivers, others were passengers, and others were hit by drivers who were under the influence of drugs and alcohol.

Here are three speakers and their stories:

Michael Vozzelli--A 1989 birthday celebration left the 21-year-old in a coma for three months, with a shattered spine, and paralysis on his left side. It was the first time Michael had driven drunk. Although the accident has affected many facets of Michael's life, Michael remains committed to teaching young people about the dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs as a speaker for the Cruisin' Not Boozin' Program and as a part-time personal fitness trainer for the local YMCA where he conducts youth strength training classes.

Jimmy Brown--On a Saturday evening in April, 16-year-old Jimmy Brown sat in the passenger seat of his friend's 1968 Malibu convertible. They were speeding and drinking until the driver lost control and hit a telephone pole. Jimmy sustained severe brain and spinal cord injuries when the telephone pole fell on his head. The accident left Jimmy paralyzed, with severe cognitive deficits and unable to speak or care for himself. Since the accident 20 years ago, Jimmy has been cared for at home by his parents, Jim and Kaye Brown. This tragic loss motivated the Brown family to take this tragedy and make it into a mission by developing a videotape of Jim's story and the life-altering consequences of alcohol and drugs. The tape is shown to other parents and young people in collaboration with the Cruisin' Not Boozin' Program.

Randy Armistead--In 1987, the Delaware State Trooper ended up in a head-on, high-speed collision with a 21-year-old woman on cocaine. After a three-month coma and years of rehabilitation, including relearning how to eat, walk, and talk, Randy is still unable to return to his job as a state trooper, unable to drive, and still in pursuit of a meaningful work experience. However, Randy is able to fulfill his goal of helping others through public service as a speaker for the Cruisin' Not Boozin' Program.

The speakers are able to connect with their audiences in a very personal and compelling manner. It is a sobering experience that brings individuals face-to-face with the potential negative outcomes of an impulsive decision to drink and drive or to ride with someone else who has been drinking. "It's that type of personal connection that makes the program so successful,�? says Carole Flounders, Cruisin' Not Boozin' program coordinator.

Those who have participated in the program couldn't agree more. More than 90 percent of the students surveyed about the program said the program convinced them not to drive after drinking. Students who have attended the program have said ...

"...You guys have really changed me. The stories I heard made me think about what I was doing and from now on I will make the right decision.�?

"...It made me think twice about my actions and who I am driving with.�?

Caring for communities. That's what Pennsylvania's hospitals do--day in and day out. Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital's outstanding program is an example of how hospitals across the state are addressing important health needs in their communities.

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