Natalie was in her second year at Western University when she collided with another player during an intramural football game. The injury happened in November, forcing her to push back assignments and final exams until January of the next year.

Ferris was walking her dog when she slipped on ice and hit her head. Because of her severe concussion symptoms, she’s put her interior design diploma at Fanshawe College on hold indefinitely.

Jenn was lucky to walk away from a car accident during the summer between her first and second year at Carleton University. But her concussion threatened her academic success when she returned to school in the fall.

Morgan didn’t remember she hit her head until days after it happened. She was weeks away from finishing her undergraduate degree at Carleton University, and her symptoms meant she may not graduate on time.

Concussions on Campus was reported and produced by Kelly Hobson.

Kelly has written for the Globe and Mail, National Post, Edmonton Journal and Ottawa Citizen, produced for NHK, freelanced with CNN, and was cast as Neville Longbottom in a Harry Potter radio documentary on CBC Radio’s The Current.

This project was fuelled by a desire to better understand my own experience as a student with a severe concussion during my undergraduate degree. But it was also driven by my commitment to telling the stories of other students affected by this life-altering injury. It was a challenging and rewarding enterprise. I have many people to thank.

To Kathryn O’Hara for endless encouragement and thoughtful editorial direction. To Dave Sarazin for his patience and technical expertise. To Roger Martin for help building a seamless webpage. To Mary McGuire for detailed commentary on the story pitch. To my parents and brother for enduring my running commentary. To Brittany Aldworth for helping me quash my doubts and commit to this story. To Tyler Buist for coaching me in the home stretch. To the Irwin family, Sam Hart and Jen Walsh for their hospitality during my travels. To the administrators and staff at Western University, Queen’s University, the University of Toronto, Carleton University and the Parkwood Institute who welcomed me to observe their facilities and programs, and aided me in my research. To the parents, doctors and other experts who gave me the gift of their time and knowledge.

Finally, to the dozens of students who told me the stories of their concussions: without you, this project would not have been possible. I hope I did justice to your experiences.

Concussions on Campus is dedicated to the many students who endure concussions while pursuing higher education, and the people who help them through it.