Former hockey player-turned-researcher calling for better concussion care
CTV
A former hockey player whose career was cut short due to head injuries has dedicated his life to research, treatment and prevention of concussions. He says his research has uncovered some eye-opening issues in B.C.'s health-care system.
Dr. Scott Ramsay is a former hockey player who says he fought around 70 times in his career, resulting in multiple concussions.
"I'll tell you really simply, it was hell," said Ramsay, a former WHL player who now calls North Vancouver home.
He says his symptoms included everything from severe migraines to depression.
"I had such bad photophobia—so sensitivity to light—that I'd have to sit in my parents’ living room with sunglasses during the day," said the 32-year-old.
Ramsay eventually retired due to his head injuries and has since dedicated his life to addressing the issue.
Over the past decade, he's worked as a nurse in an outpatient neurology clinic and just recently graduated from The University of British Columbia with a PhD in nursing.
His dissertation included research covering more than 20,000 B.C. children who've suffered concussions over the past few years. He says he believes it's the largest sample study of its kind in B.C. history.
