Conversations on Severe Traumatic Brain Injury and Life Sustaining Treatment

In this episode of Finding Strength, we explore thedifficult decisions families face when a loved one experiences a severe traumatic brain injury (TBI), particularly regarding life-sustaining treatment.In this episode we speak with Debra, whose daughter Marissa sustained a severe TBI in a car accident and spent months as a Spaulding patient. We also hear from Dr. Theresa Williamson, a neurosurgeon and surgical ethics researcher, and Dr. Yelena Bodien, a clinical neuroscientist specializing in disorders of consciousness. Together, they discuss the evolving science of prognosis in TBI, the impact of early decisions to withdraw life-sustaining treatment, and the need for improved patient-doctor communication in critical care settings.

Episode Guests

Yelena Bodien, PhD is an Assistant Professor at Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) in the Department of Surgery, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, and Department of Neurological Surgery. She is an investigator in the VUMC Critical Illness, Brain Dysfunction, and Survivorship Center where she co-directs the Imaging Core. Previously she was faculty at Massachusetts General Hospital and Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital where the work described in this podcast was conducted. Dr. Bodien studies recovery after severe brain injury, applying standardized neurobehavioral assessment and advanced neuroimaging techniques to improve diagnostic and prognostic precision. Dr. Bodien holds leadership positions in the Neurocritical Care Society Curing Coma Campaign and the American Congress for Rehabilitation Medicine.

Theresa Williamson, MD is a neurosurgeon and surgical ethics researcher who cares for people with all types of spine disorders as well as brain and spinal trauma.  Her clinical expertise includes tailoring an approach to best fitthe patient and their disease including using minimally invasive techniques. Her research focus is neurosurgical decision-making and patient-doctor communication as well as health care disparities. She combines bioethics theory with empirical data science to tackle complex decision-making problems in neurosurgery. Dr. Williamson is a member of the Center for Outcomes and Patient Safety in Surgery (COMPASS) at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Deb Jones is a proud parent of a 39-year-old daughter who sustained a significant TBI. Her career as an educator spanned over 38 years and included teaching kindergarten through third grade. Over the last 12 years of teaching, Deb served as Math Specialist for Kindergarten through sixth grade in her hometown district. Following her retirement, Deb focused on her many interests of gardening, reading, walking, traveling, and enjoying her new granddaughter! Last year she received a phone call with news that no parent ever wants to hear – her beautiful, vibrant daughter had been in a car accident while traveling from NH to Virginia and was hospitalized with a serious TBI. From that moment on, Deb has focused on advocacy efforts to ensure that her daughter has access to best possible resources. She and her husband serve as caregivers for their daughter. The journey is long and ongoing, but with the results of research, support from dedicated therapists, family and friends, and continued love and prayers from all, the future is promising. The goal is for her daughter to have increased independence, enjoy a high quality of life and return to all that she loves and holds dear!

Episode Resources

Episode Articles & Related Research

Recovery Potential in Patients Who Died After Withdrawal of Life-Sustaining Treatment: A TRACK-TBI Propensity Score Analysis | Journal