On May 20, 2025, Grayson Pope walked across the stage at his high school graduation. The straight-A student smiled as he accepted his diploma. It was a milestone moment — one his family thought they may never witness.

UAB Sports and Exercise Medicine has donated 800 Guardian Caps to the Birmingham Youth Sports League to decrease the risk of traumatic brain injuries and concussions.

As patients walk through the halls in the University of Alabama at Birmingham Spain Rehabilitation Center, they may encounter UAB’s newest canine colleague — a 2-year-old golden retriever named Topgun. Topgun is UAB’s first facility dog. He joined the SRC team in May and has already become a favorite among UAB Medicine patients and employees.

While Halloween offers fun-filled activities for families, it also raises significant safety concerns, especially related to traumatic brain injuries among trick-or-treaters.

With help from her care team at UAB Spain Rehabilitation Center, Christy Moore is recovering from a traumatic brain injury caused by a gunshot wound. Despite it turning her life upside down, this senior at Central High School in Phenix City, Ala., approaches her recovery with a positive attitude.

A traumatic brain injury (TBI) refers to damage to the brain caused by an external physical force sometimes seen with a car wreck, fall, sports-related accident, or assault. A TBI is not caused by internal factors such as a stroke or tumor, and it does not include brain damage that results from prolonged lack of […]

I joined the Spain Rehab speech department in 2005 as a new speech therapist. I spent many years working with a variety of diagnoses. However, since our facility transitioned to a service line delivery model five years ago, I have primarily worked with the TBI population. I’ve always had an interest in working with the TBI population, because it means entering into the recovery process of individuals after they’ve experienced a catastrophic life event. It’s a privilege I don’t take lightly, to be present as milestones are met and life starts returning to normal.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) refers to damage to the brain caused by an external physical force sometimes seen with a car wreck, fall, sports-related accident, or assault. A TBI is not caused by internal factors such as a stroke or tumor, and it does not include brain damage that results from prolonged lack of oxygen. […]