2019 Keynote Speakers

David Menon MD, PhD, FRCP, FRCA, FFICM, FMedSci, Head of the Division of Anaesthesia at the University of Cambridge

Dr. Menon began the day with a comparison of TBI treatment to kintsugi, the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery by mending the areas of breakage with lacquer dusted with powdered gold, silver, or platinum. Menon added themes throughout his presentation that built upon the idea of TBI care being a “one size fits none” approach—similar to when pottery breaks, the solution to re-build will never be identical from one pot to the next, but each end result is still uniquely beautiful. He humanized TBI care, emphasizing the importance of patients and/or their families needing to determine the degree of “acceptable” disability—and that often the best result is the least-worst choice versus best option.

Dave Woodruff, Midwest Director of Sales & Marketing for Entrepreneur Media and the Co-Founder and Chairman of the Board of the Bob Woodruff Foundation.

Weil Institute Executive Director Kevin Ward, MD participated in a fireside chat with the Summit’s second keynote speaker: Dave Woodruff. Dave told the story of the traumatic brain injury that his brother, ABC News anchor Bob Woodruff, suffered while covering the war in Iraq in 2006. He spoke about Bob’s treatment, the intense media coverage of the incident, and the Woodruff family’s experiences both in and out of the hospital. In particular, Dave highlighted how family members can never be fully prepared for the profound impact a TBI will have on a loved one—including their initial treatment, the amount of rehabilitation involved, and the many unknowns that accompany their long-term outcomes. His insight reminded Summit attendees of how important the bedside presence of clinicians and caregivers can be in helping the injured through such a difficult process.