Whether he’s racing in the pool or training before school, swimming has always been a huge part of Drew Eastwood’s life. The teen who trains with Brisbane Jets has won medals at championship level and developed a passion for understanding how exercise affects both the body and brain. That’s why QBI’s brain health study caught his attention.
Inside a brain health study
“I was curious to see how researchers study the brain,” Drew said. “My experience as a participant was good. The MRI was probably the most interesting part because the researcher said, ‘Don’t think about anything during the scan, but don’t fall asleep,’ which was tricky lying still after swimming training.”
The QBI study is helping researchers better understand concussion in young athletes, with the aim of improving diagnosis, recovery and safety in sport. Drew enrolled in the study as a control participant to contribute data that the QBI team can compare to data from young athletes who experience a concussion.
An unexpected turn
Ironically, after joining the study as a healthy comparison participant, Drew experienced a concussion himself. During swimming training, another swimmer accidentally collided with his head while approaching the wall.
“You don’t often see concussion in swimming,” Drew said. “Thankfully, my symptoms, a headache and dizziness, only lasted a day, and because I was already involved in the QBI study, I did some extra testing to confirm.”
Helping make sport safer
“I know research is a deciding factor in how medicine happens, and it was cool to see inside a facility where brain research is being conducted. It was a unique experience, and I look forward to hearing about the results one day.” Drew said.
“If anyone is thinking about participating in this study, I’d say, “Go for it! It’s a chance to contribute to research that could help athletes in the future, learn a bit more about the brain, and you get to be part of something bigger.”
Interested in taking part?
While Drew prepares for his next swimming competition and completes year 12 at Brisbane South Secondary College, the QBI research team is looking for more young athletes and healthy volunteers aged 14 to 19 years in South East Queensland to participate in the study. You can find more details and express your interest on QBI’s webpage.
