• New program will provide improved access, technology and support for children recovering from traumatic brain injuries
• Resources will also focus on supporting the families of injured children
• Emphasis will be on raising the quality of care in communities with the greatest need

PLANO, Texas, Feb. 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Toyota Motor North America (TMNA) today announced the Way Forward Fund, a multi-year initiative aimed at strengthening access to care and injury recovery support for individuals and their families, with an initial focus on children with traumatic brain injuries (TBI).

According to National Academy of Science, Engineering and Medicine and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), TBI is a major pediatric health condition that is often under-recognized.

• More than 2.8 million Americans sustain a traumatic brain injury (TBI) each year, 2.5 million of which visit an emergency department.
• Children account for 32% of TBI-related emergency department visits, while they only account for 22% of the US population.
• However, current TBI funding is focused mostly on adults, with limited resources available to advance care and outcomes for children.

In its first year, grants totaling $8.5 million will be made available to select institutions with an emphasis on raising quality of care in communities with the greatest need. This includes support for a wide range of resources and technologies designed to advance TBI treatment and recovery. Toyota intends to award additional grants in subsequent years with the goal of creating a sustainable program with long-term impact.

Funded activities will include:

• Programmatic operations designed to support children and their families.
• Research and development of innovations and technologies that advance treatment.
• Provision of equipment to increase access to tools for treatment.

The fund will be guided by an external advisory board made up of experts in the field, including:

• Dr. Flaura Koplin Winston, Philadelphia, PA
  • Distinguished Chair in the Department of Pediatrics and founder and co-Scientific Director of the Center for Injury Research and Prevention at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and professor of Pediatrics at the University of Pennsylvania
• Dr. Herman Gray, Detroit, MI
  • Chair of Wayne State University Department of Pediatrics; former president and CEO of DMC Children's Hospital of Michigan
• Dr. Pamela Okada, Dallas, TX
  • Attending pediatric emergency physician, board certified in Pediatrics and Pediatric Emergency Medicine

"Quality treatment and early intervention are vital, particularly in a developing child with a traumatic injury," said Dr. Winston. "I am honored to serve with Dr. Gray and Dr. Okada, combining our unique strengths to help address this critical need."

"With the guidance of our expert advisors, we want to help strengthen and expand access to support systems for children with traumatic brain injuries as well as their families," said Tellis Bethel, chief social innovation officer, Toyota Motor North America.

The following recipients will use the grants to advance pediatric TBI care by:

• Beaumont Children's/Corewell Health - standardizing diagnostic models of care to deliver the right care, in the right place, at the right time throughout its network of hospitals
• Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Foundation - improving care coordination for patients, families, and providers to ensure the best possible outcomes in addition to supporting the development of innovative technology for patient care
• ImPACTS (Improving Pediatric Acute Care Through Simulation) administered via Yale University - increasing access to emergency care for pediatric patients with severe head injuries in rural and underserved communities

In pursuit of creating mobility for all and inspired by the principles of the Toyota Way, the fund aims to help illuminate a way forward for patients and their families, demonstrating respect for people and continuous improvement. Future phases will expand support to additional states and populations in need, with the goal of supporting systems for children and their families in a sustainable way.

For more information, visit www.toyotawayforward.org.

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for more than 65 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our more than 1,800 dealerships. 

Toyota directly employs more than 48,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 45 million cars and trucks at our 13 manufacturing plants. By 2025, Toyota's 14^th plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles. With more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, Toyota currently offers 20 electrified options, the most among any automaker, with more in showrooms later this year.

Through the Start Your Impossible campaign, Toyota highlights the way it partners with community, civic, academic and governmental organizations to address our society's most pressing mobility challenges. We believe that when people are free to move, anything is possible. For more information about Toyota, visit www.ToyotaNewsroom.com.

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