6th Edition of Neurology World Conference 2026

Abstract

Traumatic brain injury is often discussed through the lens of diagnosis, imaging, treatment, and measurable clinical outcomes. But for the individual living with the injury, recovery extends far beyond the clinical setting. It can affect identity, confidence, cognition, physical performance, relationships, communication, and the ability to participate in the activities that once defined everyday life. Kiana Imani-Davis brings a unique perspective to this conversation as both a TBI survivor and professional athlete competing at an elite level. Her experience illustrates the complex reality of navigating life and high-level sport after brain injury, where recovery is not always linear and where the person experiencing the symptoms must continue to navigate questions that cannot always be answered by a single test, scan, or clinical encounter. In this presentation, Kiana will share her lived experience of navigating traumatic brain injury, and going undiagnosed with a long-term CSF leak, while pursuing the physical and cognitive demands of elite athletics. She will discuss the challenges of returning to performance while simultaneously learning to understand a changed body and brain, communicating symptoms, adapting expectations, rebuilding confidence, and maintaining a sense of identity beyond injury. A central theme of the presentation will be the gap that can sometimes exist between what is clinically measurable and what a patient is actually experiencing. Through the perspective of an athlete who has had to advocate for herself throughout recovery, Kiana will explore how intentionality and listening with care are an essential component of neurological care. The presentation will also examine the importance of collaboration between teams; patients, family members, neurologists, neurosurgeons, therapists, coaches, athletic trainers, and other members of the healthcare team when supporting athletes with brain injuries. Rather than viewing recovery solely as a return to a previous baseline, Kiana will discuss the importance of individualized care, honest communication, adaptability, and understanding the person behind the diagnosis. Ultimately, this presentation invites clinicians/healthcare professionals to consider an important question: What might we understand differently about neurological recovery if we listened not only to the imaging, but to the person living with the diagnosis/symptoms? By bringing together the perspectives of patient, survivor, and elite athlete, this presentation aims to encourage deeper patient (or advocate)-provider communication, greater awareness of the long-term realities of TBI, and a more holistic understanding of recovery and return to meaningful purpose and performance.