Mind Your Melon: Get In-the-Know About Concussions

You've hit your melon.

No, you're not checking for ripeness at the grocery store. You've bumped your head (your "melon") and might have a concussion. It's a good idea to get it checked since you can't tell how injured you are by glancing at your head in the mirror.

Concussion Awareness Now, a new coalition we co-founded with the Brain Injury Association of America and nearly 20 additional advocacy groups representing the elderly, veterans, victims of domestic violence and more, is raising awareness about how serious concussions can be and the importance of getting tested after a potential head injury. And to do that, we're introducing the Melons, a family spanning three generations encouraging everyone to "get it checked."

The Melons are meant to help people see and understand the concussions of everyday life. You could be trying out a new VR headset, but the cat decides to stroll underfoot. Maybe you're making the ultimate play in pickleball, and you end up hitting more than just the ball. With the help of the Melons, people will understand why it's important to protect the health of their own melon as they watch the fruit-faced family go about their day.

"Just like how you can’t decide a melon's ripeness by looking at it, we can't see the full impact of a concussion from the outside," said Dr. Beth McQuiston. "This invisible injury requires evaluation and care. Your brain plays a huge role in making you the person you are." 

More than 50% of people who thought they had a concussion never had it evaluated, according to a Concussion Awareness Now survey. However, getting a brain injury evaluated is key to help prevent second impact syndrome, which is similar to how you're more likely to sprain your ankle a second time. Trying to "walk off" a head injury puts you at serious risk if you hit your melon again.

And as a heads up: Concussions don't just happen to athletes. "From texting and walking to playing at the park, most concussions happen to everyday people who are enjoying everyday life," said Rick Willis, president and chief executive officer of the Brain Injury Association of America. "We want to educate and change the way people think about concussion so that if you sustain one, you know to get it checked."

Rebel Wilson is helping spread the word about the seriousness of this brain injury too. She had her own melon checked after she slipped on wet grass, and she's since realized how important it is to not tough it out just because you don't think your symptoms are severe enough. In reality, every bump, hit or jolt to the head matters, even if you can’t see what's going on.

We're no stranger to concussions either. We've helped advance research in concussion testing for over a decade and are committed to improving care and encouraging people to get checked when something may be wrong.

If you see bumps and bruises on a melon, you wonder what's going on inside.

Apply that same care to check the melon you've always had when it gets bumped – because your brain is the most valuable of them all.

You can learn more about Concussion Awareness Now and the Melons at CheckYourMelon.com.