About

Paulina Turczynska

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Paulina Turczynska

In November 2021, Paulina suffered a severe concussion at rep-volleyball practice that severely impaired her ability to walk, read, and process information. She missed an entire year of school and spent many months recovering in bed – missing out on a variety of momentous occasions such as graduation and prom. The lack of awareness from the public astounded her. It was a rare occurrence when she encountered two doctors on the same page. Paulina’s injury opened her eyes to the hard truth: concussion treatment is still an experimental field.

It was only when a friend recalled their experience battling Post Concussion Syndrome to her, that Paulina felt seen. She scoured the internet for books on the topic but found it lacking. She thought then of other teenagers whose lives had been upended by an injury or illness, and how lonely they must feel.

At the age of 16, despite struggling to read, mere months after having sustained a life-altering head injury, Paulina turned to writing as a means of catharsis and advocacy. She wrote not only of the invisible injury that’d laid claim to her life but also of the adventure she craved while confined to a bed. Paulina felt she defied her concussion with every chapter she wrote. At the age of 18, she secured a publishing contract, and in June 2024 her debut novel Letters From A Concussed Girl was published. Her book serves as a physical reminder that injuries do not have the power to define lives.

Paulina is the founder of the Concussion Project – a primary resource aimed at depicting the true spectrum of concussion symptoms. Paulina spends her time speaking to both students and teachers about the effects of concussions. She tells her story in the hope it will inspire others to keep going and not give up.
In her spare time, Paulina can be found inviting others to take part in the Concussion Project delivering book talks, raising concussion awareness, traveling, and chasing new dreams.

The Concussion Project

No two concussions are alike. Not everyone will experience the same set of symptoms or recovery time. Through the Concussion Project, Paulina desires to make return to school easier for children suffering from Post Concussion Syndrome.
Paulina’s experience taught her that the only way to counteract the stigma surrounding concussions is through the power of words. It is for this reason that she founded the Concussion Project.
She has sought out individuals who have suffered from Traumatic Brain Injury and given them a platform to share their experiences and lessons learned from concussion diagnosis. Through a collection of diverse voices, Paulina has worked to make an invisible injury slightly more visible. Concussion Project.
Paulina has spent the last two years presenting her project and its findings to staff members at various schools. By recounting stories of Traumatic Brain Injury to teachers and administrators it is her hope that the next generation of concussed students can enter classrooms with the ability to focus solely on their recovery, without the added burden of having to continually justify their symptoms.

Click here to take part in the Concussion Project today!

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