Smiling from Within
Ford Durbin
Ford, what you are doing as the president of Conrad Smiles is nothing short of amazing! Would you please tell us what inspired your journey towards ABI awareness?
The founder of Conrad Smiles, Liz Tullis, was my initial inspiration on this journey. Being a high school peer tutor for special needs students piqued my interest in the current and available research for understudied cognitive disorders and injuries.
As president of Conrad Smiles, what has been your most rewarding experience?
Personally, I would say the most significant achievement was when we confirmed our active science advisory board was moving forward with the current research study.
Please tell our readers how they can donate to Conrad Smiles and help you active your goal!
I want to credit our amazing team at the Conrad Smiles Board, currently working with leading national and international researchers to launch a new and exciting study. The doctors will direct a safe and painless stimulation therapy called tDCS to the damaged brain area and review its impact on the child’s ability to better interact with their environment.
Interview with Cream City Magazine
We had the chance to meet two outstanding human beings who support research to improve ABI treatments and who have fought to prove that these children are still in there. Read on to get to know Liz Tullis, Conrad’s mom and founder of the fund, and Ford Durbin, president of the Board Team.
Liz Tullis
Liz, your work is truly inspiring! Would you please tell us more about ABI?
It is a brain injury related to a lack of oxygen. Research has proven this type of injury is isolated to the part of the brain that controls movement. Thus, the condition has been described as “Locked-in Syndrome.” Our goal with Conrad Smiles is to promote and improve the quality of life of those who suffer from Locked-in Syndrome due to ABI.
Would you please share with us how your son’s story has shaped your unrelenting research towards fighting for ABI?
When Conrad was 17 months old, he fell into a swimming pool and drowned. But he survived. Even though he can’t talk or walk, he can communicate. Doctors told me there was nothing I could do. I realized that the doctors were saying that because the research hadn’t caught up. It’s almost as if the doctors thought the world is flat and then found it’s actually round. My purpose is to build more research around this understudied condition.
With everything you know regarding ABI, what advice would you give to parents who have recently gone through the same experience?
I don’t like when people tell me to be patient. So I will never tell that to another parent, but I will tell parents to hold on because there will likely be an answer in the long run. What I do tell parents is that you need to take care of yourself. Don’t let your child’s condition identify you. I understand a child is your life, but you have to take care of yourself to continue showing positive care for your child.