Jacobsen Run for Recovery

Our Story

On May 4, 2018 (16 months ago), Lars Jacobsen competed in a Charity Boxing fight night, fundraising for Mental health, where he suffered a severe Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).
Lars was rushed into emergency craniotomy surgery. The Neurological team were able to remove a large section of Lars’s skull, stop the bleed, remove the blood (allowing Lars’s brain to shift back into the correct place) and luckily reattach the skull.
Lars was in Post Traumatic Amnesia (unable to form new memories) for 16 days post injury.
After 6 days in hospital, Lars spent 5 weeks at ABI Rehab in West Auckland.
Since moving home, Lars has worked with a team of rehabilitation specialist (Occupational Therapist, Speech and Language, Physiotherapist, Psychologist and Ophthalmologist) to help him return to his normal life, including regaining his drivers license 7 months post injury and returning to work part time.
Lars’s recovery has been nothing short of remarkable, but it has been and still is a very slow and difficult journey. Lars is back at work 30 hours/wk, slowly working towards returning full time.

A Traumatic brain injury (TBI), also known as intracranial injury, occurs when an external force injures the brain, such was the case with Lars. At some stage in the early rounds of the boxing fight, a blow to the head created a whiplash like event tearing the brains epidermis; creating a bleed - specifically a subdural hematoma.
Brain trauma occurs as a consequence of a sudden acceleration or deceleration within the cranium or by a complex combination of both movement and sudden impact. A variety of events following the injury may also result in further injury e.g. cerebral blood flow alterations and pressure within the skull.
TBIs can result in physical, cognitive, social, emotional, and behavioural symptoms, and outcomes can range from complete recovery to permanent disability or death.
Symptoms of brain injuries more often than not can last a lifetime. And given their nature of being a ‘hidden injury’ (unless a scar from surgery is evident) sufferers tend to be misunderstood for the rest of their lives.

It has been a life long dream of Lars and his sister Renee’s to run in the New York Marathon together, so this year they will tick it off the bucket list to fundraise for Headway: The Brain Injury Association Auckland.
Sunday 3 November - NZTime: Monday 4 November
42KM

To raise awareness for the brain injury community, and the lifelong challenges those directly and indirectly affected face on a day to day basis, for the rest of their lives.
To fundraise for Headway: The Brain Injury Association Auckland
https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/jacobsen-run-for-recovery
Goal $100,000

Every dollar counts, so we are aiming to fund raise as much as possible.

Donation to our Give a Little page - even the smallest donation will make a difference to the lives of those effected by brain injuries. https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/jacobsen-run-for-recovery
Donate an item to be auctioned - all proceeds go to Headway: The Brain Injury Association Auckland.
Donate Training apparel / support / supplements.
Donate food, beverages or decorations towards our Silent Auction fundraising afternoon tea.
To thank you for your contribution, we will promote your business by featuring your brand/products on our social media channels. If your donation is $1,000+, we will also feature your brand/logo on the back of Lars and Renee’s New York Marathon gear.

All donated items will be auctioned off on Labour Weekend via Silent Auction
We will be hosting a ladies Champagne Afternoon tea in Auckland - $45 ticket, where final auction biding can take place, the winner of each auction item will be announced and items will be distributed.

In NZ, 99 people a day suffer from a brain injury - 70% are traumatic brain injuries
Regardless of if a brain injury is medical (25% of all brain injuries) derived from a tumour, stroke, aneurysm etc., or if the brain injury is from an accident (e.g. falling down the stair, off a bike or during a boxing fight) the effects and outcome are the same.
The main causes of TBIs in NZ are falls around the home, sports, vehicle collisions, and violence.
2 years on from the injury…
- Approximately 30% of those who have suffered from a moderate to severe TBI return to work, but it may not be the same job as before the injury.
- Approximately 25% have major depression.

Lars Jacobsen, severe Traumatic Brain Injury survivor, and his sister Renee Woolcott are running the New York Marathon in November 2019, for those who can’t.
Our mission is to bring awareness to the lifelong challenges those with brain injuries face for the rest of their lives.
We aim to raise $100,000 for Headway: The Brain Injury Association Auckland, to help other New Zealanders affected by brain injuries and help in their recovery.
We’d love your support to help us achieve our goal!
Thank you so much for your time.
For more info or if you have any questions, please contact Louise Jacobsen: ph. 027 369 7003 louise.trautvetter@gmail.com

@Jacobsen Run for Recovery

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