ASPS Donates Sport Helmets to Local Public Schools

CHICAGO, Oct. 27 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) will donate 1,500 multi-sport helmets to the children of Chicago in an event on Thursday, October 30, from 10:00 - 11:30 a.m. The donation will be held at Franklin Elementary Fine Arts Center in Chicago, where local ASPS Member Surgeons will also act as Franklin's Principals for A Day -- in conjunction with the Chicago Public School's (CPS) annual event.

Alderman Vi Daley (43rd Ward); John Blick, Executive Director of Old Town Merchants and Residents Association; Suzanne Carlson, CPS Environmental Program Manager; and Commander Steve Georgas of the Chicago Police Department will join ASPS President Richard D'Amico, MD, and other ASPS Member Surgeons for the helmet donation ceremony, which is open to the press.

"Every year ASPS Member Surgeons are called upon to treat thousands of children's injuries from bike, skateboard, and scooter accidents," said Dr. D'Amico. "Plastic surgeons see firsthand how devastating these brain injuries, lacerations and fractures can be, so it is our duty to not only repair these injuries, but be at the forefront of injury prevention, as well."

• An estimated 44.3 million people younger than 21 years-old ride bikes in the US. Children 15 and younger accounted for an estimated 257,900 bicycle-related injuries in 2006.

• In 2006, an estimated 77,600 skateboard-related injuries occurred among children 15 and younger.

• Non-powered scooter-related injuries accounted for an estimated 38,400 injuries among children 15 or younger in 2006 and powered scooter-related injuries accounted for an estimated 3,700 emergency room visits in 2006 in this age group.

ASPS, in coordination with CPS, selected Franklin Elementary Fine Arts Center to host the donation based on the ethnic diversity and need of the student body. With approximately 360 students, Franklin Elementary serves grades kindergarten through eighth. All students at Franklin Elementary will receive helmets and the remainder will be distributed to students city-wide by CPS, throughout the 2008-09 school year.

The helmets ceremony also coincides with the annual CPS Principal for A Day event. Chicago ASPS Member Surgeons will act as "principals" at Franklin, sharing their personal messages of safety and injury prevention and serving as role models, in the hope of developing a long standing relationship with the school and its students.

"We extend our thanks to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons for this wonderful donation and for their participation in our event," said Carol Friedman, Principal, Franklin Elementary. "We want our students to be physically active and engaged in play, but we also want them to be smart about safety, and these helmets will ensure that they have the equipment they need to play hard and be safe."

Helmets 4 Safety is supported by a grant from the Integra Foundation.

"The Integra Foundation is proud to support the Helmets 4 Safety program for the fourth year," said Integra Foundation Executive Director Gianna Sabella. "We all know how important helmets are in ensuring the safety of our children, and we are pleased that we can help."

This is the second helmet donation made by ASPS to CPS school children. Following the event, ASPS will be welcoming more than 6,000 plastic surgeons, medical personnel, and exhibitors to Plastic Surgery 2008, its 77th annual meeting, October 31 through November 5, at McCormick Place West (Convention Center).

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons is the largest organization of board-certified plastic surgeons in the world. With more than 6,700 members, the Society is recognized as a leading authority and information source on cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery. ASPS comprises 94 percent of all board-certified plastic surgeons in the United States. Founded in 1931, the Society represents physicians certified by The American Board of Plastic Surgery or The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.

The Integra Foundation is dedicated to advancing innovative medical and healthcare research and education, primarily in neurosurgery, extremity reconstruction, orthopedics and general surgery, that lead to improved outcome and quality of life for patients and their communities. It is funded by Integra LifeSciences Corporation (Nasdaq: IART), a leader in developing and marketing high quality surgical instruments, innovative devices and bio-products, for use in neurosurgery, reconstructive and general surgery, and soft tissue repair.

Statistics provided by the American Academy of Pediatrics Bicycle Helmets Policy Statement and the Skateboard and Scooter Injuries Policy Statement; the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission; and the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control.

SOURCE American Society of Plastic Surgeons