Saving lives, beyond expectation: Atlantic Health’s inaugural symposium draws region’s experts in neurocritical care
PR contact: Rob Seman
973-660-3145EmailMORRISTOWN, NJ – OCTOBER 2026 – Experts in neuroscience recently gathered to highlight the advances that are saving lives throughout New Jersey and the region at the first Atlantic Health Neurological and Neurosurgical Emergency and Critical Care Symposium.
Held in-person at the Hyatt Regency Morristown on Oct. 8-9, the symposium is the inaugural continuing medical education (CME) conference by Atlantic Health, bringing together clinical experts in neuro-critical care, the makers of cutting-edge treatments and clinicians seeking to expand their understanding in the field.
The one-and-a-half-day CME course focused on how to resuscitate patients with a broad range of life-threatening neurological and neurosurgical emergencies through lectures, interactive workshops and presentations.
Developed by Kiwon Lee, MD, chair of neurology at Atlantic Health Morristown Medical Center and director of stroke and neurocritical care programs at Atlantic Health, the symposium was developed to promote advocacy and education for neurocritical care and advance cutting-edge treatments that save lives.
“Neurological and neurosurgical emergencies are life-threatening, time-sensitive illnesses that require clinicians to think and act quickly and use some of the most specialized, complex and advanced techniques and technology available,” said Dr. Lee. “This event was designed to bring together the foremost experts in this field to discuss, collaborate and celebrate these advances and the lives we save beyond expectation.”
The event included several highlights:
- Updates in neurovascular advances, including a late-breaking clinical trials report
- Special lectures by national leaders in the field of neurosurgery, stroke, neurocritical care
- A segment on applying critical care ultrasounds for decision making processes
- A hands-on workshop for brain oximetry catheter placement
- A brain code and neurocritical care refresher course
Dr. Lee also moderated a debate among a panel of several of the presenters on hot topics and case presentations.
In addition to presentations by experts, the event also featured the experiences of two families affected by neuro-critical events. Kevin and Jen Morra told the audience about the journey to recovery of their son, Jack Morra, who, in March 2025, experienced sudden stroke-like symptoms and was rushed to Atlantic Health Morristown Medical Center before being transferred to Atlantic Health Overlook Medical Center in Summit, NJ, where he was diagnosed with a massive brain bleed caused by an arteriovenous malformation (AVM). Jack, who was 18 at the time, spent more than three weeks in the Neuro ICU, requiring lifesaving interventions for severe brain swelling and brain injury. After transferring to inpatient rehabilitation, milestones that once seemed impossible – sitting up, standing and eventually speaking again – became hard-earned victories.
Following additional procedures, including a cranioplasty and shunt placement, Jack experienced significant gains with his personality, sense of humor and independence beginning to return, including taking community college courses, learning to drive with adaptive modifications, and pursuing new career goals inspired by the therapists who helped him recover.
Standing at the podium with his parents before the audience at the symposium, he thanked the stroke team for what they did to save him.
“I don’t really remember any of it, but I’m here because of all of you,” Morra said. “I want to thank all of you.”
Among those moved by Morra’s story was Brian Friedman, executive vice president and chief operating officer of the New York Jets. Friedman spoke at the symposium to advocate for neurological research as president and co-founder of the Matthew Friedman Memorial Foundation, an organization founded to honor his son, Matthew, who died after suffering a ruptured brain aneurysm while a pre-med student in college.
“If this could happen to Matthew, it could happen to anyone. The diagnosis gave our loss a name. It also gave our family a responsibility,” Friedman told the audience. “No parent should ever get that phone call.”
Friedman took the opportunity to highlight persistent obstacles to improving care for brain aneurysms. While 1 in 50 people will have an unruptured aneurysm, most are found accidentally while imaging for something else. Training for emergency responders is limited with regard to recognizing aneurysms, while funding for research also lags behind that for other conditions.
“With your expertise and partnership, we can help more people recognize the warning signs, find aneurysms earlier and avoid the phone call that changed our lives forever,” Friedman told the audience.
Atlantic Health is accredited by the Medical Society of New Jersey to provide continuing medical education credits for physicians.
A full list of the speakers, presentations and topics can be found here.
To learn more about advances in neuroscience care at Atlantic Health, visit Atlantic Health's latest clinical neuroscience resources.
About Atlantic Health
Atlantic Health is at the forefront of medicine, setting standards for quality health care in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and the New York metropolitan area. Powered by a workforce of 25,000 team members and more than 5,667 affiliated physicians dedicated to building healthier communities, Atlantic Health serves more than half of the state of New Jersey including 14 counties and 7.5 million people.
The not-for-profit system offers more than 550 sites of care, including its eight hospitals: Atlantic Health Morristown Medical Center in Morristown, NJ, Atlantic Health Overlook Medical Center in Summit, NJ, Atlantic Health Newton Medical Center in Newton, NJ, Atlantic Health Chilton Medical Center in Pompton Plains, NJ, Atlantic Health Hackettstown Medical Center in Hackettstown, NJ, Atlantic Health Goryeb Children’s Hospital in Morristown, NJ, Atlantic Rehabilitation Institute in Madison, NJ and Atlantic Health CentraState Medical Center in Freehold, NJ.
The system includes Atlantic Medical Group, part of a physician enterprise that makes up one of the largest multispecialty practices in New Jersey with almost 2,000 physicians and advance practice providers. Joined with Atlantic Accountable Care Organization and Optimus Healthcare Partners they form part of Atlantic Alliance, a Clinically Integrated Network of more than 4,000 health care providers throughout northern and central NJ.
Atlantic Health provides care for the full continuum of health care needs through 26 urgent care centers, Atlantic Visiting Nurse and Atlantic Health Virtual Visits. Facilitating the connection between these services on both land and air is the transportation fleet of Atlantic Mobile Health.
Founded by Atlantic Health, the Healthcare Transformation Consortium is a partnership of seven regional hospitals and health systems dedicated to improving access and affordability. Atlantic Health hosts Sidney Kimmel Medical College students for clinical rotations and is the official healthcare partner of the New York Jets.