ThinkFirst
National Injury Prevention Foundation
Founded by neurosurgeons, ThinkFirst's Mission is to prevent brain, spinal cord, and other injuries through education, research, and advocacy.
Traumatic Injury is a leading cause of death and disability among children, teens, and adults. The most frequent causes are vehicle crashes, violence, falls, and sports. Simple actions can greatly reduce our risk for injury, such as wearing a seat belt, driving safe, sober, and without distractions, wearing bike and sports helmets, and other safety precautions.
Who We Are
Our Vision
At ThinkFirst, our vision is to create a safer and healthier world through education and prevention. We strive for inclusivity, ensuring that people of all ages, regardless of their location, have access to quality injury prevention programs. Our goal is to foster a culture of safety and to positively influence behaviors thus reducing the occurrence of injuries. We believe that everyone should have the knowledge and resources necessary to protect themselves and others. Together, we can make a significant impact on reducing brain and spinal cord injuries.
Our VIPs
The success of ThinkFirst programs lies in one of our most powerful prevention and education strategies: partnering with individuals who have experienced a traumatic brain or spinal cord injury to visit students right in their classrooms.
VIPs (Voices of Injury Prevention Speakers) talk directly with students about their personal story: how their injury occurred, how it has affected them and how it could have been prevented. Students learn how easily one decision can lead to life-altering consequences, such as paralysis or brain impairment, that can change a person's life forever.
Information shared:
- increases students' knowledge about the brain and spinal cord, risk factors and their ability to protect themselves
- changes attitudes abouts taking safety measures seriously, such as putting the phone away while driving or wearing a bicycle helmet
- encourages behavior change, like buckling up every time they are in a vehicle
Whether convincing a child to wear a helmet, empowering a teenager to buckle a seatbelt, or offering hope and meaning to an individual with a brain or spinal cord injury, ThinkFirst VIPs add a critical component to our programs, and are valued members of our chapters and our organization.