TCNJ

48 The College of New Jersey Magazine A teal deal Landmarks shine light on an unnerving injury. BACK STORY LEANN P. JANZEKOVICH; PHOTOS OCCIPITAL NEURALGIA FOUNDATION On October 25, buildings worldwide had the ultimate teal-light takeover: the waters of Niagara Falls, the roof- top of the Sails Pavilion in San Diego, and TCNJ's Trenton Hall were among more than 70 places that were illuminated for the night. Matt Smock '26 coordinated this global glow-up to raise awareness about occipital neuralgia, a chronic nerve pain condition often caused by concussions or whiplash injuries. Why was it important to you that TCNJ participate? Concussions are common in the college age group. I wanted students to know that if symptoms persist, it could be ON, and they should get checked. As a host of the event, TCNJ shined a light on ON and that might help some- one get the support they need. Did the lights on campus and beyond create a buzz around the topic? Yes! At TCNJ, many asked for more information. The foundation received many photos from members of the ON community who visited the landmarks around the world. The lights showed those with ON that they have a strong community behind them, all working to raise awareness and seek answers. — Corinne Coakley '25 What message do you hope the teal lights send? My sister's situation does not have to be the norm. Patients who receive a diagnosis in a timely manner experi- ence better results from appropriate treatments. The longer a patient deals with nerve damage, the less effective their treatments will be. How does an illumination campaign spread awareness? It serves as a visual for pain that is invisible. Capturing attention on a single day allows us to tell our story and is a way for the ON community to feel close, even though they may be far from each other geographically. This year, we made an effort to encourage NFL stadiums to participate, given the high prevalence of concussions in the sport. The Philadelphia Eagles, New England Patriots, and Baltimore Ravens stadiums took part. City Hall, Tampa Trenton Hall Calgary Tower, Canada Sails Pavilion Why did you want to call attention to occipital neuralgia? When my sister was 13, she sustained a head injury while playing softball. She saw more than 50 specialists, but no one could pinpoint her debilitating pain. A year and a half later, she was diagnosed with ON. This delayed diagnosis is common for people deal- ing with ON, which is why she created the Occipital Neuralgia Foundation in 2020. I've created illumination campaigns, social media content, and apparel for fundraisers.

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