Brain Injury

THE DAY after her 28th birthday, Devon Struck took the final step in her 2,170-mile trek along the Appalachian Trail. Despite a sprained ankle and a bout with Lyme disease, the Clary's Forest resident completed the hike Oct. 1. Starting in Georgia on March 15, she finished on top of Mount Katahdin in Maine. The walk was more than a personal journey. Struck's goal was to raise money and awareness for the Brain Injury Association of America. By coincidence, the private walk-a-thon was completed at the start of Brain Injury Awareness Month.

"Don't assume this is a two-hankie book. It is not. You will cry, but you will also laugh. You will experience not only anger, but also gratification. And in the end, you will be uplifted. " - Eileen Rudnick, from her book, "The Glass Between Us" Eldersburg resident Eileen Rudnick is living proof that sometimes out of the worst, the best can come. The evening of Oct. 3, 2000 was just another mild Tuesday, another relatively uneventful day ... until the moment that everything changed for Rudnick, a wife, mother of two, grandmother of two and an accountant.

Dental program aimed at those on fixed or low incomes The Oral Health Program of the Howard County Health Department has started a Citizens' Dental Access Program designed to make dental services available to county residents with low or fixed incomes and who cannot afford insurance. Dentists are to provide services at reduced fees to eligible clients, who receive a list of participating dentists and a fee-reduction card valid for one year. Information or to request an application: Traci McNair, 410-313-5161.

Dr. Elliot Pellman, who directed the NFL's concussion committee since its inception in 1994, has stepped down in the wake of mounting criticism from experts in the field of brain injury, The Sun has learned. Last fall, ESPN The Magazine documented that Pellman was selective in what injury reports he used to reach his conclusions and omitted large numbers of players from the league's study. Pellman will be replaced by co-chairmen of the league's mild traumatic brain injury committee. NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said yesterday that Pellman asked to be relieved of his duties as chairman.

Doctors have succeeded in "jump-starting" the brain of a man who had been barely conscious for six years with electrical stimulation, making it possible for him to speak a little and take food by mouth, doctors report. The 38-year-old man, whose identity was not released, had been in what is called a minimally conscious state for six years after suffering brain injury in an assault. He retained some language capability but was unable to communicate reliably beyond brief gestures and silent mouthing of words.

James Odom Jr. is living proof that miracles happen. It was Labor Day in 2000, and 32-year-old Odom was sailing toward the Havre de Grace Marina with a canoe in tow. Rough, choppy waters and the weight of the canoe were more than the towline could handle. The line snapped, sending the metal hook like a slingshot into the lower right side of Odom's skull. The Harford County businessman and widowed father of a 3-year-old girl slumped over, motionless. Several of Odom's relatives, including his daughter, Tori, were on board.

Etan Patz, Madeleine McCann, Phylicia Barnes, Jaycee Dugard: four children who were declared missing and whose cases have had different outcomes so far. What knits their families together is that they all experienced loss, though of different types. Etan Patz, missing since 1979, was 6 when he vanished and was declared dead in 2001. A recent search for his remains was started and stopped. Madeleine McCann, presumably abducted at age 3 while on vacation with her parents in Portugal in 2007, may still be alive, according to new police reports.

Cancer workshop offered for females The American Cancer Society will offer a "Look Good ... Feel Better" workshop to female cancer patients from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. tomorrow at the Carroll Hospital Center Women's Place. The free program is open to women who are learning to cope with appearance-related side effects of cancer treatment. Topics will include make-up techniques, hair care, wig styles and accessories. Registration is required. The Women's Place is at 291 Stoner Ave. Information: 888-535-4555.

Pat Althoff can't remember the night a truck careened out of the darkness and slammed into her car, leaving her comatose for six weeks and brain-damaged for life.But as she watched actor Harrison Ford's portrayal of a brain-injured patient in the movie "Regarding Henry," Althoff remembered the frustration she felt when she could not walk or speak, and the sudden fear that overwhelmed her when she realized how her life would change."It brought back a lot of memories," said Althoff, 44, who has been in a rehabilitation program since her accident last October.

If the NFL is feeling pressure about facing hundreds of concussion-related lawsuits now, Troy Polamalu's startling admission Wednesday might have league officials feeling even more stressed about what the future holds. In a radio interview with Dan Patrick, the Pittsburgh Steeler's hard-hitting safety copped to having suffered at least eight or nine concussions during his career. And he added he expected the number to be higher by the time he retires. He also told Patrick that he had lied about having a concussion in order to get back into a game.