HEAD STRONG: Fanelli 4 Brain Injury Awareness is an organization set up for the purpose of raising public awareness of brain injury and fundraising for the Canadian Brain Injury Association.
Video HEAD STRONG: Fanelli 4 Brain Injury Awareness
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In October 2009, OHL players from Kitchener Rangers, Ben Fanelli took a devastating blow to the head of Erie Otters player Mike Liambas. Fanelli was laid unconsciously on the ice, and was taken to the hospital in critical condition with facial and skull fractures. After Fanelli's hit takes, he's lucky to be alive let alone be able to play hockey again. "It is a miracle for me to get into this room and collect the sentence after what I experienced," Fanelli said of the severity of his injury. After recovering from his injury, Fanelli eventually returns to Kitchener Rangers for the 2011-2012 season.
In March 2011, Fanelli founded Head Strong: Fanelli 4 Brain Injury Awareness, with the support of Kitchener Rangers, to raise awareness of brain injury and to help and raise funds for the Canadian Brain Injury Association (BIAC). "Lance Armstrong overcame something that no one thought and I want to imitate it in a way different from my injury," Fanelli said in an interview with BIAC. Armstrong is Fanelli's inspiration and still remains one of his greatest idols. With the support of Kitchener Rangers behind him, Fanelli collects donations (which can be done online, or directly at the Kitchener Rangers Office), and sells HEAD STRONG T-shirts for $ 20 with proceeds to the Canadian Brain Injury Association. Fanelli also stated that during the 2012-2013 hockey season, the new Head Strong product will be sold at the Kitchener Auditorium.
Maps HEAD STRONG: Fanelli 4 Brain Injury Awareness
Fanelli contribution and support
From the start of Head Strong, this organization quickly became a great spirit for Fanelli as well as hockey. Fanelli continues to play hockey at OHL and while doing all he can to continue to spread the word about Head Strong: Fanelli 4 Brain Injury Awareness. Two of Fanelli's teammates Gabriel Landeskog and Ryan Murphy helped to contribute to Fanelli's recovery and support him fully during his tough times. On June 5, 2011 Fanelli started his first organizational event by participating in a triathlon at Milton, ON to raise funds from donations donated to BIAC. For this event, his team-mates helped him to practice; "I'm a vocal out there who keeps him going - Gabe is a man who can work with him but we do our part and can not wait to see him running, swimming and cycling," said team mate Ryan Murphy about Fanelli triathlon training. In addition, many public events that support Head Strong and Kitchener Rangers can be found around Ontario and are free to raise awareness about brain injuries and brain injuries in sports. "A concussion is a brain injury now and common in my sport, hockey," Ben said. "I want to make her know that there is a way to help."
Future
He has hopes that in the end Head Strong: Fanelli 4 Brain Injury Awareness will be known as the organization and funding of Livestrong's idol by Lance Armstrong. When Head Strong quickly approached the organization's second anniversary in March 2013, there has been tremendous support from dozens of hockey players, Don Cherry hockey icons to Prime Minister Stephen Harper and many others.
Fanelli continues to spread the word about Headstrong to raise awareness about brain injury and donations to BIAC. He does not play at OHL anymore. Just the Beer League with some pretty ladies.
References
External links
- Ontariohockeyleague.com
- Kitchenerrangers.com
- Kitchener.ctvnews.ca
- Biac-aclc.ca
- Gongshowgear.com
- Openicehockey.com
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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