Atlanta, GA,
28
February
2014
|
09:00 AM
America/New_York

Atlanta Attorneys and Physicians To Play in Basketball Benefit for People with Brain Injury

An annual benefit basketball game, which pits attorneys against physicians to raise money for a program for people with brain injury, is scheduled for Saturday, March 15, at 6 p.m. at Decatur High School. The fundraiser – now in its third year – will also feature appearances by NBA legend Gerald Wilkins and Atlanta Falcons cheerleaders.

The event, Jawbones (attorneys) vs. Sawbones (physicians), is hosted by Side by Side Brain Injury Clubhouse. Founded in 1999 with support from Shepherd Center and Emory Healthcare, Side by Side is Georgia’s only nonprofit organization that supports people with brain injury along their rehabilitative journey after medical treatment has ended.

Based in Stone Mountain, Ga., Side by Side operates a day program where its 50 members (half of whom are former Shepherd Center patients) and staff work together to operate their Clubhouse and support members as they relearn skills, rebuild relationships, and restore meaning and purpose to their lives. These services, though less costly than comparable medical care, require about $100 a day per person to provide support that is sometimes required for a lifetime. So, the Jawbones vs. Sawbones fundraiser provides much-needed financial support for the program.

This year’s benefit also features more than 50 silent auction items, including a Whole Foods gift basket and family tickets to Walt Disney World and the Nantahala Outdoor Center.

Tickets to the event are $10 and are available online at www.sidebysideclubhouse.org or by calling 770-469-9355.

Hundreds of people attended last year’s event, and players – including Shepherd Center physicians Brock Bowman, M.D., and Andrew Dennison, M.D. – thoroughly enjoyed themselves, organizers said.  The Jawbones won last year, giving each team one win in the event.

About Shepherd Center

Shepherd Center provides world-class clinical care, research, and family support for people experiencing the most complex conditions, including spinal cord and brain injuries, multi-trauma, traumatic amputations, stroke, multiple sclerosis, and pain. An elite center recognized as both Spinal Cord Injury and Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems, Shepherd Center is ranked by U.S. News as one of the nation’s top hospitals for rehabilitation. Shepherd Center treats thousands of patients annually with unmatched expertise and unwavering compassion to help them begin again.