That’s the message 13-year-old Beth Strange has taken to young people across the country since a 1997 sledding accident caused a number of serious injuries from which she is still recovering. A safety message delivered by a fellow kid seems to be all the more meaningful.

Beth was sledding on a very steep hill near her home in Farmington, Mo., on January 11 when her sled collided with a sled ridden by a friend.

Beth and her dog stand at the top of the hill where her accident happened.

"A child in front of her lost control. The sleds bumped together and made Beth lose control," said her mother, Betty Strange. "She ran into a mail box post -- a 4-by-4 set in concrete. "She fractured her hip bone and the head of her femur. She had a punctured lung and liver and kidney injuries. She was in a body cast for seven weeks and in a wheel chair for six months."

Beth, 11 years old at the time, was a very active girl who liked to ride bicycles and roller blades. Her life revolved around ballet lessons. "She was very athletic. She ran like the wind," mom said.

Beth was very good about wearing safety gear while biking and blading, but neither she nor her parents thought about wearing safety equipment for sledding. Her mother said Beth had practiced rolling off the sled to avoid a collision if she were to lose control. In her accident, however, Beth may have lost consciousness briefly after colliding with her friend’s sled, leaving her unable to avoid the mailbox.

Beth was taken to Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital after her accident. "I know that they took very good care of me and all the nurses were very nice," she remembered. Beth was hospitalized for a week and has been returning to Cardinal Glennon on a regular basis since her accident. Her activities have been restricted to walking and swimming, but she is eager to return to ballet and biking this summer.

Debbie Strange and Beth wait to address class.

Since her accident Beth has visited Washington, D.C., on behalf of the national SafeKids organization which strives to boost safety awareness. Beth was nominated for the trip by Diana Fendya, R.N., M.S.N., clinical nurse coordinator of the trauma center at Cardinal Glennon. While in Washington the Strange family toured the White House and met former U.S. Surgeon General C. Everett Koop. Beth was even interviewed by CNN.

Winter accidents suffered by Beth and other children thereby increased awareness of helmet safety for sledding and skiing as well as in bicycling and roller blading.

Beth talking to school children about SafeKids, a national organization that urges safety awareness.

Beth with former U.S. Surgeon General C.Everett Koop.

Beth, a very articulate young lady, also has visited schools across St. Francois County to tell other youngsters how important it is to wear the right safety gear. She talks about her accident and the accidents involving other children she met at the SafeKids event in Washington. "If it has wheels or blades and it goes fast, you have to wear your safety gear or one minute of fun can change your life," Beth said. "If I’d been wearing a helmet, maybe I wouldn’t have been unconscious and hit that post. I’ve always been good about wearing safety gear on bikes and roller blades, but I never thought I could really get hurt on a sled. I just dressed warm."

Mrs. Strange says the children in the audience listen to Beth very intently and ask very good follow-up questions. "Kids listen to kids more than they’ll ever listen to an adult."

As Beth nears the resumption of her athletic life, her mother says she and her husband, Dick, are grateful that their daughter received medical care that has made her recovery possible. "She is doing great. It has been a life-changing experience, but we are very fortunate to know that someday she will get back to the things she did before."

The Strange Family - her brother, Rob, Beth and her parents, Debbie and Dick.