Rowan Stringer thought she might have a concussion, but she wasn’t sure. Like many Ontarians, she did not know what to do, who to talk to, or where to get more information about concussions.

She was unaware of the serious consequences that can occur if concussions are not managed correctly. Perhaps most importantly, Rowan was part of a culture that exists in amateur sport that does not make it easy to "put up your hand" when you, or someone around you, may have sustained a concussion.

This report, and the coroner’s inquest report on which it builds, came about because of all the things that weren’t known on the day Rowan played her last game. Our Committee is proposing a new law, and several regulations, policies, programs and best practices, that will help ensure that we all know more about head injuries and concussions—how to prevent them, how to identify them and what to do about them. We feel that it is critical that all 21 of our recommended actions be taken together, and that all must be implemented if we hope to be successful in developing a truly world-class system to prevent and manage concussions.

The members of the Rowan’s Law Advisory Committee want to see more people, young and old, out on the field, the ice or the court, playing and having fun. Increasing the safety of these sports will allow that to happen. Building a culture of safety will allow that to happen. Building a culture in which young athletes feel empowered to raise their hand if they think there is any possibility that they, or a teammate, might have suffered a concussion, will allow that to happen.

There was a time when people acted very much the same way about drinking and driving as they do today about concussions. This is also true about using seatbelts and smoking. Culture change can happen. It just needs people to be aware of the risks, how to reduce those risks and how to make it easier and more socially acceptable to do the right thing.

The members of this Committee want “Rowan’s Law” to be more than just a law. We want it to be a way of thinking. We want it to be a brand. Not just in Ontario, but in Canada. There is a lot of excellent work being done across this country on managing head injuries and concussions. The culture is already changing. But we can change faster. As His Excellency Governor General David Johnston has challenged us, we can do better. We can play, and send our kids to play, knowing that we are all protected by a system that ensures that we all understand head injuries and concussions, that we have done everything possible to reduce the chances of them happening, and that we are in a position to act immediately and effectively if they do. That’s what we want Rowan’s Law to be.