Ending drunk driving is goal of MADD's Jingle Bell 5K

AUSTIN -- In an attempt to remember those impacted in the kind of accident that can change lives forever, the Mothers Against Drunk Driving Jingle Bell 5K brought more than 600 runners and walkers to the Domain in Austin.

"This kind of event gives people the opportunity to heal," said Jaime Gutierrez, the Executive Director of MADD Texas. "It gives the opportunity for us to make the public aware of the dangers of drinking and driving."

MADD said that in 2011 between Thanksgiving and New Year's Eve, intoxicated driving was to blame for 931 deaths nationwide.

That's 931 too many, according to Mark Huber. He said these days, drinking and driving is no longer a mistake, it's a choice.

Huber called his 12-year-old daughter Jessica a "miracle." Jessica survived a horrific drunk driving accident in 2002, when her mother ran a red light on Highway 290 and collided with a truck. The then 19-month-old was hurt so badly, doctors told Huber they would not be able to save her.

Since the accident, Jessica had several facial reconstruction and brain surgeries, and there's still so much left to do.

"The nightmare never goes away," Mark Huber said. "11 years later, she still is going to require another facial reconstruction. That's titanium plates in her forehead, rebuilding her left cheekbone. It's financial. It's emotional. It's physical. The nightmare never goes away and it need not happen."

MADD helped Huber get Jessica's mother convicted of DWI.

As the bells worn by runners in the group's Jingle Bell 5K reminded racegoers of the holidays, Mark brought Jessica to the race to remind people that the choices they make can have a real impact; especially on the ones they love.

"It's not a matter of 'if', it's a matter of 'when'. It's going to happen to somebody you know. It could be in your own house. No child deserves this. No parent deserves to spend the holidays in the hospital with a child that need not be there," Huber said.

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Source: KHOU (Shively, 12/01)

Leave Fireworks to the Professionals this Fourth of July

AUSTIN---June is Fireworks Eye Safety Awareness Month. "Too many Fourth of July celebrations are ruined because a child has to be rushed to the emergency room after a fireworks accident," said David K. Coats, MD, pediatric ophthalmologist at Texas Children's Hospital in Houston. "Potentially blinding injuries can be avoided if families attend a professional public fireworks display instead of putting on a home fireworks display."

Children are the most common victims of fireworks accidents, with those 15 years old or younger accounting for half of all fireworks eye injuries in the United States. For children under the age of five, seemingly innocent sparklers account for one-third of all fireworks injuries. Sparklers can burn at nearly 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit, which is hot enough to cause a third-degree burn.

Roberto Diaz-Rohena, MD of McAllen once treated a 4 yr-old boy who lost an eye due to a rocket-induced ruptured globe. "The sad part was that the dad asked the young boy to pick up the rocket from the floor when it didn't shoot into the air. It did when the boy picked up the rocket – right into his eye. I'll never forget the dad's guilt-driven howling."

Fireworks are not toys for children to play with. "I treated a little girl last year who had a bottle rocket blow up in her face. The child suffered a severe eye injury and one eye is now legally blind. Be careful, because life can change in an instant," said Evelyn Paysse, MD, of Texas Children's Hospital in Houston.

"Among the most serious injuries are abrupt trauma to the eye from bottle rockets," according to Dr. Coats. The rockets fly erratically, often injuring bystanders. Injuries from bottle rockets can include eyelid lacerations, corneal abrasions, traumatic cataract, retinal detachment, optic nerve damage, rupture of the eyeball, eye muscle damage and complete blindness.

To avoid any type of fireworks related injuries follow these safety tips:

• Never let children play with fireworks of any type.
• View fireworks from a safe distance: at least 500 feet away, or up to a quarter of a mile for best viewing.
• Leave the lighting of fireworks to trained professionals.
• If you find unexploded fireworks remains, do not touch them. Immediately contact your local fire or police departments.
• If you get an eye injury from fireworks, seek medical help immediately.

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Source: Sacbee (AP, 6/20)