According to "Broadway" Joe Namath, football players in his generation didn't know about the dangers of "getting their bell rung" - the word "concussion" was not part of the side-line vocabulary. They just took the smelling salts that the team trainers always had on hand and played on.

Then, a few years ago, after witnessing a number of his friends suffer from concussion-related issues, Joe Namath made a brave decision. He went to the Jupiter Medical Center in Jupiter, Florida, and asked the doctors there to look at his brain. He underwent a number of cognitive exams and brain scans which revealed that a number of cells and an area of his brain had ceased functioning.

The doctors at Jupiter Medical Center gave Joe a series of hyperbaric oxygen treatments to try to improve the blood flow in Joe's brain. He had 120 such treatments between August 2012 and March 2013, after which tests on his brain showed that blood flow had been restored to the non-functioning cells and his cognitive tests were improved. He also exercises and works to keep mentally active.

Joe's positive results have led to the creation of the Joe Namath Neurological Research Center in Jupiter, Fla., where the doctors there are now conducting an FDA-approved clinical trial of a hyperbaric oxygen treatment program like the one Joe had to study the effectiveness of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in treating football players, military veterans, car crash survivors and others suffering from traumatic brain injuries.

Unfortunately, as of today, insurance does not cover hyperbaric oxygen treatment. A course of 120 treatments and follow-up exams is estimated to cost approximately $75,000. To help with the costs of its research, Joe is working to help the center to raise $10 million dollars and is excited about the program's possibilities. "We can help people. There is help out there. It is a matter of proving it, and that's why we're doing this study."

Click here to hear more about Joe's efforts:

The injury attorneys at Heintz Law represent victims of accidents suffering from traumatic brain injuries. If you or a member of your family is a traumatic brain injury victim and needs help, your time to take action is limited. Please take the first step to seek recovery from the people responsible for your accident and call us today.