Biography

Sandhya [MSc candidate] and Swapna [MD candidate] Mylabathula are students at the University of Toronto. They have been developing a Private Member’s Bill with collaboration and advice from Member of Parliament Dr. Kirsty Duncan to create this Comprehensive Strategy to Address Concussions in Canada. They were inspired by sport medicine courses that they took and by hockey [their favourite sport], in which there was rising attention on head injuries. Swapna and Sandhya have presented their work at several conferences and are honoured to have had the opportunity to interact with various stakeholders, helping shape the Bill to truly represent and address the needs of Canadians affected by concussions, in sports and across many other situations. This Private Member’s Bill has also received media recognition, and has had a 1st reading in Parliament so far. For their work, Sandhya and Swapna were honoured to receive recognition, including as two of the fifty most influential Torontonians of 2011 by GridTO magazine. Ultimately, the aim of this project is to make a tangible difference for concussion awareness, diagnosis, prevention, and management for all Canadians suffering from concussion, their families, and caregivers. This is a very timely and significant issue for many, and Swapna and Sandhya are excited to move their strategy forward toward achieving this goal, and to share with you how youth can make a difference!