During a worldwide tour of the famous rock band, R.E.M., drummer Bill Berry collapsed on stage at a concert in Lucerne, Switzerland. Through this dramatic and unfortunate event, band members became supporters of the Think First Foundation.
An R.E.M. employee, Brooke Johnson, is engaged to the son of Jacksonville, Florida neurosurgeon, Gaston J. Acosta-Rua, MD. When Berry became ill, she immediately called her future father-in-law for help. By coincidence Dr. Acosta-Rua had trained in Zurich and was able to recommend a neurosurgeon right there in Lucerne.
Berry was taken to Nic deTribolet, MD, Chief of Neurosurgery of University Hospital, Geneva and Lucerne. During surgery, Dr. deTribolet found two brain aneurysms, one of which had burst, causing Berry’s collapse. Dr. deTribolet repaired the aneurysms and Berry fully recovered in only a few months. R.E.M. then continued its world tour through completion in November 1995.
So, what does this have to do with THINK FIRST, a national brain and spinal cord injury prevention program? Out of gratitude for Dr. Acosta-Rua’s help in securing the services of Dr. deTribolet, R.E.M. made a gift of $7,500 in his honor to the Think First Foundation. Dr. Acosta-Rua is a founding member of the national Board of Directors of the Foundation and a former vice chair of the board. When asked what the band members could do to show their appreciation, Dr. Acosta-Rua suggested they might consider an investment in the Think First program.
The R.E.M. gift to THINK FIRST not only expresses gratitude for Dr. Acosta-Rua’s assistance, but also makes a statement to young people about the importance of the THINK FIRST message. Further, it exemplifies the band’s social consciousness. At R.E.M. concerts, various organizations are invited to set up booths to build awareness for their causes. A spokesperson for the band, Kevin O’Neil, said, “Members of the band are politically active and like to encourage people to be involved with organizations they feel are important.”
Do THINK FIRST Educational Programs Work?
One Family’s Experience
THINK FIRST For KIDS was introduced into two New York-area schools last spring, with dramatic results. Third grade students at Cherry Road School and some younger students at Walberta Park Primary School in the Westhill District of Syracuse, New York, learned why forewarned is forearmed.
The Westhill District teachers followed the prescribed curriculum consisting of modules on vehicular, water, bicycle, sports and recreational safety and violence prevention. But at least one teacher questioned the need to include the unit on violence that covers weapon safety. She told the THINK FIRST coordinator that guns were not a problem in her district. However, she agreed to implement the entire curriculum.
Third-grade student Drew Greeley, age 9, had the full benefit of the classroom instruction and video before bringing home the parent letter and comic strips for his mom to review. The comics and video depict a boy and his friends finding a gun. The boy wonders what to do. “Street Smart,” the safety superhero starring in the video and comics, warns, “Don’t touch it! Call your mom!” So, the finder yells at the top of his lungs, “MOMMMMMMM!”
Two days later, Drew, his brother and a friend (both 12 years old) were riding their bikes around the development where they live. The winding roads in this residential neighborhood pass by some undeveloped areas that include “party sites,” as evidenced by broken beer bottles.
The boys took off on the trails and were beyond hearing distance from any nearby homes, when Drew discovered two guns stashed behind a concrete reservoir. Drew’s mother said that her son is a “250% curious boy” and his first inclination was to pick up the guns. However, he decided to follow the directions he had just learned from the THINK FIRST program. At his insistence, the boys did not touch the guns. Instead, they got back on their bikes and went home, agitated and somewhat scared about their discovery. Drew’s mom called the police. As she was dialing she was thinking, “Here we just learned about this and now it is happening!”
The sheriff who responded to the call went with the boys to find the guns — a rifle and a pellet gun — which were both loaded. As it turned out, there had been reports of teenagers with guns in the area who were harassing younger kids. This information made the boys and their families realize the seriousness of the situation. The THINK FIRST safety lesson clearly educated a young child in the proper way to handle a potentially dangerous situation.
Does education work? The answer is undeniably YES!
Think Special Occasions, Think Generously, THINK FIRST
If you are searching for a special gift for a friend, colleague, neighbor, relative, patient, or customer, why not THINK FIRST?
A special gift in their honor to a program dedicated to protecting brains and spinal cords is a wonderful gift alternative. Especially for those special people who are unusually difficult to shop for. A gift to THINK FIRST in their honor will show you care for them and, at the same time, help advance the work of the nation’s premier injury prevention program!
- No shopping, no wrapping, no packing!
- No standing in lines at the post office, no UPS, and no last minute crises!
Just fax (or mail) your gift list to us with the names and addresses of those to whom you want to honor. We’ll send a special greeting card informing them of your gift and include your personal message. The amounts of your gifts may vary just as they would if you were to select a box of candy at $29, a tin of cookies at $49, a fruit basket at $79, a picnic basket filled with goodies at $155 or a very special bottle of wine at $299.
Oh, by the way, these gifts are tax-deductible!