Truckee, Calif. local Jeff Andrews receives Empowerment Grant from Tahoe-based non-profit for progressive treatments in Hawaii

Treatments will aid in recovery from his spinal cord injury sustained in a snowboarding injury

The High Fives Foundation is awarding Jeff Andrews two board-approved Empowerment Grants in the amount of $15,606 to provide access and funding towards Andrews recovery, through massage, acupuncture, and Neurokinetic Pilates services in Hawaii.

Andrews will work with Alejandra Monslave at Body Wellness Hawaii located on the island of Maui. Rather than looking at individual muscles, Neurokinetic Pilates focuses on muscular chains, the connections of muscles that are used as a group when completing an action. Because the nervous system controls emotional functions as well as physical functions, this process works on emotional connectivity through exercises as well by developing healthy neurological connections in the body to bring a healthy emotional state.

Jeff suffered a C6 burst fracture with associated spinal cord injury and transverse process fractures at L1, L2, and L3 resulting in quadriplegia C5-C7 in a snowboarding accident that occurred at Sugar Bowl on March 15, 2014.

“High Fives will help me reach my goal by continuing to support me with personal training, acupuncture, massage and the most amazing emotional support I receive when entering the CR Johnson Healing Center,” says Andrews. “My goal is complete recovery, and with High Fives continued support and hard work, I will get there,” said Andrews.

Jeff and his trainer are in the CR Johnson Healing Center every single day for 3-hours. “Jeff is a model High Fives Athlete,” says Roy Tuscany, High Fives Foundation Executive Director. “Jeff & other High Fives Athletes have proven to themselves that the time and effort they have put in pays off in their road to recovery.”

The High Fives Foundation supports injured mountain sports athletes through grant funding to be used towards reaching their recovery goals. Since the High Fives Foundation’s January 2009 inception, the Empowerment program service has assisted 104 athletes from 22 states in nine respective funding categories which include: living expenses, insurance, travel, health, healing network, adaptive equipment, winter equipment, programs and “stoke” (positive energy, outlook and attitude).

In Quarter 1 of 2016 the High Fives Foundation disbursed $91,509 in board-approved grants to 19 athletes in 9 states.

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About the High Fives Foundation: The High Fives Foundation is a Tahoe-based, national 501.c.3 non-profit organization. The High Fives Foundation supports the dreams of mountain action sports athletes by raising injury prevention awareness while providing resources and inspiration to those who suffer life-altering injuries. Formed as a way to “pay-it-forward” by the founder from his own recovery to help injured athletes, the Foundation has helped 104 athletes to date since its inception in 2009. For more information visit www.highfivesfoundation.org