Donate here in lieu of WSL responsibility.
The World Surf League sure is in a heap of mess right
now. What with champion Joel Tudor demanding
responsibility for rumored decimation of the longboard world tour,
jettisoning of the once ballyhooed WSL Studios and… general
incompetence, I supposed, it finds itself adrift like an unmanned,
badly burned cargo ship filled with luxury cars.
Well, to add injury to insult*, Sally Cohen, a professional
longboarder on the rumored decimated longboard world tour, was
gravely injured last year at Surf Ranch whilst practicing for the
event there and has turned to the public in order to help pay
catastrophic bills.
Per her
GoFundMe:
I lost 4 of my front teeth, received more than 30 stitches on
my chin, and a fracture to the jaw. Although I was rushed to the
hospital, the hospital was at full capacity so I received all of my
medical attention in the hallway and unfortunately due to the poor
medical attention, things didn’t heal as hoped (frown face)
Hi. My name is Sally Cohen. I am a professional surfer
currently on the WSL world longboard tour. Last year I was
practicing for an event at the Surf Ranch, where I suffered a
terrible accident; a surfboard to the face. This surfboard hit my
chin, resulting to: two huge lacerations, 30+ stitches, 4 lost
front teeth, and a fracture to the jaw. I received all of my
medical attention in the hallways, due to the hospital being at
full capacity. I had no call buttons, barely any help/attention,
and I felt completely helpless for hours at a time. They didn’t
have any space for me.
But hours later, they gave me stitches on my face and a
temporary splint to hold my teeth together, since they didn’t have
an oral surgeon at that location.
A few days later, I found an oral surgeon that took me in as
an emergency case, where I received a CT scan and was informed that
I had to remove all four of my front bottom teeth.
What was meant to be a four day trip, ended up being quite
an expensive month-long trip.
RECENT UPDATE:
[6 months since my injury] I recently found an oral surgeon in
Hawaii that took a CT scan of my mouth and informed me with both
some good and bad news.
Good News: My gums are finally healed and ready for dental
implants.
Bad News: My insurance refused to cover any of the expenses
regarding this accident, since they considered all of the
procedures “cosmetic”…
As many of you may know, it really hasn’t been the easiest
year for me with back to back injuries. Currently I am out of the
water, healing from a second surgery on my foot. This was related
to an unexpected freak accident… The wood on the balcony of a
friend’s porch was rotten and I fell through it and landed on the
concrete from 2 floors up…
I’m not one to normally ask for help or for donations, but
after paying off all of my previous medical bills and receiving
another pile of bills to pay off, I realized I can’t do this
alone.
No amount is too small, anything truly helps. I appreciate
all of the love and support from all of you and can’t wait to get
back in the water with high hopes to be 100% myself again.
… Even though, as of now, it seems like that’ll be in a few
years… I can’t wait!!
Wait. How is the World Surf League not paying for an injury
sustained by one of its athletes at one of its pools ahead of one
of its events?
Hmmmm.
Donate here in lieu of WSL
responsibility.
*Injury to insult, in this context, is good no?