Ted Freeman and the Battle for the Injured Brain: A case history of professional prejudice

As its title implies, this book tells the story of an individual and his career commitment. It also describes the antagonistic response of some of his colleagues. The individual, Dr Ted Freeman, developed a compelling interest, which he pursued at considerable personal cost, in the potential for long-term rehabilitation of people who had sustained an acquired brain injury. The people whom he wished to assist had, invariably, been excluded from mainstream medicine on the grounds that they were ‘unsuitable for rehabilitation’. Freeman’s response to their exclusion followed a rather logical course—namely, designing rehabilitation programs that were predominantly dependent upon families, friends and volunteers. This involvement of non-medical personnel in rehabilitation undoubtedly fuelled some of the antagonism that he experienced.