Coastal Authority and Team Frog are proudly teaming up in the Molokai 2 Oahu Paddleboard World Championships on July 26, 2015, with a goal of raising $120,000 for veterans with traumatic brain injury (TBI) to receive ground-breaking treatment at Carrick Brain Center in Irving, TX. The M2O is a grueling 32 mile paddleboard race across the 2,300 foot deep Ka'iwi Channel between the Hawaiian islands
of Molokai and Oahu. This channel is known as one of the world's most treacherous bodies of water. The paddleboarders of Team Frog (all veterans themselves) are true athletes and experienced paddleboarders. Competitors must be able to paddle 10 miles in less than 2 hours to be eligible to participate in the M2O. This year, Team Frog is proud to be racing to raise awareness of traumatic brain injury in veterans, and raising money for treatment that is restoring quality of life right now. The Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center reported total cases of TBI between 2000 and 2014 to be 320,344. But not all cases are diagnosed while the member is still on active duty. Many veterans are not diagnosed until months, even years after getting out or retiring from the military. As of this date, approximately 2.6 million American troops have served and fought in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Traumatic brain injury is caused by a jarring of the head, possibly from a fall, explosion, repeated gunfire exposure, or a blow to the head. The jarring causes damage to brain tissue, blood vessels and cells that link areas of the brain, and the brain to the body. The damage can be mild or severe and the individual may or may not have lost consciousness. Some veterans recover, but others will suffer for months, years or possibly the rest of their lives. Most cases of TBI in returning veterans are considered mild (mTBI). But the symptoms they suffer are far from mild. Symptoms include confusion, trouble holding thoughts, vertigo, difficulty sleeping, memory loss, headaches, blurred vision, ringing in the ears, mood swings, easily angered and frustrated, depression, and anxiety. One of the worst chronic symptoms is feeling they are going insane from lack of sleep, often reaching a point of despair. According to the VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guidelines for Management of Concussion/Mild Traumatic Brain Injury, the VA recognizes that many veterans will not receive early diagnosis or will not seek treatment. And in individuals with chronic, persistent symptoms of TBI, "traditional medical interventions are less than successful". Tragically, some veterans with TBI have reached such a point of despair from these symptoms that they have taken their own lives. But, there is hope on the horizon. Carrick Brain Center in Irving, Texas, is a treatment center that focuses on treating combat veterans suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury. Veterans who have received treatment from Carrick are reporting great success with this treatment and a restored quality of life. The Veterans Administration currently does not offer or pay for this treatment. Veterans with TBI need your help and support to be able to receive this treatment at Carrick Brain Center. 100% of the proceeds from Coastal Authority and Team Frog's M2O Race for Veterans with TBI fundraiser will go directly to Carrick Brain Center's non-profit organization, to be used specifically for veterans with TBI to receiveI. All donations are tax deductible. If 6,000 people gave $20 we would reach our goal! Our Crowdrise donation page will be up and running in the next few days!! We look forward to the journey! Thank you for your support!
