Brothers died 11 months apart, sons of former Raiders star George Atkinson II

(Boston) – For the first time, twin brothers have been diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) after their deaths. Josh Atkinson and George Atkinson III both played football for the University of Notre Dame beginning in 2011. George III went on to play several seasons in the NFL. Boston University CTE Center researchers diagnosed both Josh and George III with stage 1 CTE after their deaths in 2018 and 2019, respectively.

“The Atkinson twins, and all sets of family members in our brain bank, are helping teach us about the genetic risk factors for CTE,” said Dr. Ann McKee, chief of neuropathology for the VA Boston Healthcare System and director of the Boston University CTE Center and UNITE Brain Bank. “These incredible families, which include multiple fathers and sons as well as brothers, give us special insights that could lead to future CTE treatments.”

Josh and George III are the sons of former Oakland Raiders All-Pro safety and Super Bowl XI champion George Atkinson II. In 2016, George II pledged to donate his brain to the Concussion Legacy Foundation for CTE research after his death and revealed he was suffering from suspected CTE symptoms.

Josh Atkinson took his own life at age 26 on Christmas Day in 2018, just two months after the death of his mother. He began playing tackle football at age 8 and was a star running back and defensive back for Granada High School in Livermore, Calif. before beginning his career as a cornerback at Notre Dame. He played three seasons at Notre Dame where he was also an All-Big East sprinter for the track and field team.

George Atkinson III played tackle football for 18 years beginning at age 8. He was the lead kickoff returner for the Irish, including for the team that played in the 2012 National Championship. After Notre Dame, he signed with the Oakland Raiders and later played for multiple teams in the NFL. In an open letter to The Unsealed published weeks before his death, George III detailed the suffering he endured after losing his brother.

George III revealed he had been diagnosed with depression and institutionalized for suicidal ideation, and that his mother had been diagnosed with schizophrenia. He took his own life in November 2019 at age 27.

“Suicide is complex and multifactorial, so CTE does not explain suicide.” said Dr. Chris Nowinski, Concussion Legacy Foundation CEO. “However, former athletes frequently struggle with mental health symptoms and need help, and the presence of CTE does not make it easier. Preventing CTE, as well as concussions, is a critical component of improving the mental health of contact sport athletes.”

According to a study published earlier this year in JAMA Neurology of 152 brain donors who died before the age of 30, including both Josh and George III, it was unclear whether clinical symptoms including depression, apathy, and behavior dysregulation were caused by CTE, concussions or were independent of brain trauma.

CTE can only be diagnosed after death. There is no known cure, but treatments are available for many symptoms of the disease. The CLF HelpLine is available to provide personalized support for any current or former athletes concerned about concussions or suspected CTE and looking for help. Patients and caregivers can submit a request here.

Josh and George III’s stories are included with several other athletes who died young and were later diagnosed with CTE in a feature report printed in today’s New York Times.

(Boston) – The family of a woman diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) caused by domestic violence is publicly sharing her story for the first time. María Pánfila, a California mother of seven, suffered decades of abuse by her husband and, by her mid-40s, experienced memory issues and other symptoms consistent with those caused by repeated brain trauma. She passed away at age 69, and following a post-mortem analysis, Dr. Ann McKee, chief of neuropathology for the VA Boston Healthcare System and director of the Boston University CTE Center and UNITE Brain Bank, diagnosed María Pánfila with severe CTE.

CTE is a progressive neurodegenerative disease caused by repeated hits to the head. Dr. McKee has confirmed hundreds of post-mortem diagnoses, often in contact sport athletes and military veterans. After studying Pánfila’s brain tissue in 2019, McKee concluded the extent of degeneration was more severe than that of any previously examined athlete or soldier.

“[Alzheimer’s and CTE] were both very severe by the time of death, and then compounding that is just this incredible loss of nerve cells and white matter fibers, the likes of which I’ve never seen in CTE or in Alzheimer’s disease,” said McKee.

The call between McKee and María Pánfila’s family, in which McKee disclosed her groundbreaking findings, is a key scene in the documentary film, “This Hits Home,” which also features Concussion Legacy Foundation co-founders Dr. Chris Nowinski and Dr. Robert Cantu. The film is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video. Click here to watch a trailer.

While María Pánfila’s diagnosis is the first public case of CTE linked to domestic violence, her daughter knows there are millions of women worldwide who suffer from similar brain trauma. Dr. María E. Garay-Serratos is the founder and CEO of the Pánfila Domestic Violence HOPE Foundation, and during Domestic Violence Awareness Month, she wants her mother’s story to open a lifesaving global conversation.

“At a minimum, we need governments, media, and the medical community to begin educating women and men about the health risks of domestic violence and the necessity of seeking treatment after a violent attack involving the head,” said Garay-Serratos.
Throughout “This Hits Home,” director Sydney Scotia features Garay-Serratos’s search for scientific answers to her mother’s neurological decline. The film also calls for more scientific and medical awareness for the estimated 75% of domestic violence survivors who suffer single or repeated traumatic brain injuries.

“We know domestic and intimate partner violence are tragically underreported, but this type of brain trauma is also under-researched,” said Scotia. “The link between these injuries and neurodegenerative diseases like CTE and dementia is an urgent research priority.”

The CLF HelpLine is here for domestic violence victims suffering with brain injury symptoms. The free service provides personalized support to individuals and families navigating the outcomes of concussion and suspected CTE.

AFLW (Australian football) star, Army medic Heather Anderson died by suspected suicide at 28

(Boston) – Researchers at the Australian Sports Brain Bank (ASBB), which was co-founded by the Concussion Legacy Foundation, have diagnosed the first female athlete with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a progressive degenerative brain disease caused by repeated head impacts. Dr. Michael Buckland identified low-stage CTE in the brain of former professional Australian rules footballer Heather Anderson, who died in November 2022 at the age of 28. Her death is subject to an ongoing coronial investigation. Due to the circumstances surrounding the death, it is suspected she died by suicide.

“There were multiple CTE lesions as well as abnormalities nearly everywhere I looked in her cortex. It was indistinguishable from the dozens of male cases I’ve seen,” said Buckland, director of the ASBB. “I want to thank the Anderson family for generously donating Heather’s brain and hope more families follow in their footsteps so we can advance the science to help future athletes.”

Anderson played both rugby league and Australian rules football during her contact sports career, which lasted 18 years, beginning at age 5. Her mother insisted that she wear a helmet during games due to the risk of concussions.

“She hated watching me get smashed,” Anderson told media outlet Mamamia in 2017.

A soft-shelled pink helmet became Anderson’s signature during her time as a key member of the 2017 premiership-winning Adelaide Crows. Off the pitch, she served as a medic in the Army for nine years. Her family says she did not exhibit any signs of depression or unusual behavior in the months leading up to her death, and she did not have a history of alcohol or drug use.

“The first case of CTE in a female athlete should be a wakeup call for women’s sports,” said CLF co-founder and CEO Dr. Chris Nowinski. “We can prevent CTE by preventing repeated impacts to the head, and we must begin a dialogue with leaders in women’s sports today so we can save future generations of female athletes from suffering.”

To date, there have only been a handful of CTE cases reported in women, and none have been former athletes. As women’s participation in contact sports grows, and as former contact sports athletes age, researchers anticipate more female athletes will be diagnosed with CTE.

“Research shows women have an equal or greater susceptibility to concussion in contact sports, but we don’t yet know what that means for their risk of developing CTE,” said CLF co-founder and medical director Dr. Robert Cantu. “We urgently need to accelerate research on CTE in women so we can prevent future cases, better understand how CTE impacts their behavior and cognition, and treat those who develop symptoms.”

Dr. Nowinski traveled to Australia in 2018 for the opening of the ASBB with the goal of accelerating CTE research in Australia to better understand, prevent, treat, and eventually cure CTE and other consequences of sports-related brain trauma. Since then, more than 60 brains have been donated for study.

CLF also launched a new chapter of the charity, CLF Australia, in 2022. Help is available in Australia and around the world for former and current athletes and veterans who may be struggling with suspected CTE symptoms. The Concussion Legacy Foundation HelpLine provides free, personalized support to patients and families battling concussion or suspected CTE symptoms. Anyone who needs assistance or support can reach out at CLFHelpline.org.

Female athletes interested in joining research efforts to prevent future cases of CTE are encouraged to join the CLF Research Registry to enroll in relevant studies and pledge to donate their brains. Learn more here.

Breakthrough study inspires a playbook with specific actions to prevent CTE

(Boston) Prevention of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) is now possible, experts say, but it will require sports to move beyond current concussion protocols. To help sports teams prevent CTE in current players, the Concussion Legacy Foundation (CLF) and the Boston University (BU) CTE Center have published the first CTE Prevention Protocol, which provides a simple playbook to prevent the degenerative brain disease diagnosed in nearly 1,000 athletes across more than a dozen contact sports.

The CTE Prevention Protocol was inspired by 15 years of BU CTE Center research investigating why some individuals exposed to head impacts develop CTE while others do not. A study published Tuesday in Nature Communications by researchers at Mass General Brigham, Harvard Medical School, and the Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine showed that in football players, CTE risk is closely correlated to the cumulative force of impacts to the head. Simple changes to how sports are played and practiced — to reduce both the number of hits to the head, as well as the strength of impacts — could prevent most future CTE cases.

“Over the last decade, every sport has created a concussion protocol to protect athletes,” said Chris Nowinski, PhD, CEO of the Concussion Legacy Foundation. “Concussion protocols do not prevent CTE. Every sport and team need a CTE Prevention Protocol based on the principles of fewer hits to the head and fewer hard hits to the head. CTE prevention is that simple.”

In the study of 631 deceased football players, the largest CTE study to date, scientists found the number of diagnosed concussions alone was not associated with CTE risk. Instead, football players’ odds of developing CTE were related to both how many head impacts they received and how hard those head impacts were.

“CTE is a preventable disease, and this new study suggests that we could lower the odds that athletes develop CTE if we reduce both the number of head impacts and the force of the impacts,” said Dr. Ann McKee, chief of neuropathology for the VA Boston Healthcare System and director of the Boston University CTE Center and UNITE Brain Bank. “Based on what I have learned from patients and their families, we should do everything in our power to prevent CTE.”

As an example, the CTE Prevention Protocol shows that for offensive linemen, reducing head impacts in practice by half during high school and college would be expected to reduce the odds of developing CTE by 50%. If the hardest 10% of impacts were prevented through safer drills and rule changes, CTE risk would decrease by another 50%.

“Although this study was limited to football players, it also provides insight into the impact characteristics most responsible for CTE pathology outside of football, because your brain doesn’t care what hits it,” said study lead author Dan Daneshvar, MD, PhD, Chief of Brain Injury Medicine for Spaulding Rehabilitation at Mass General Brigham, Assistant Professor at Harvard Medical School and advisor to CLF. “The finding that estimated lifetime force was related to CTE in football players likely holds true for other contact sports, military exposure, or domestic violence.”

You can read and download the CTE Prevention Protocol here.

OTTAWA – NHL legend Henri Richard has been diagnosed with stage 3 (of 4) chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) by Dr. Stephen Saikali at Université Laval in Québec City. Richard died in 2020 at the age of 84. Denis Richard, son of the Hockey Hall of Famer, is publicly releasing the findings of his father’s brain study through the Concussion Legacy Foundation (CLF) Canada to help raise awareness for the risks of repetitive head impacts in hockey.

“I hope my father’s brain donation and diagnosis will lead to more prevention efforts, research, and eventually a CTE treatment,” said Denis Richard. “I want people to understand this is a disease that impacts athletes far beyond football.”

16 of 17 NHL players studied have now been diagnosed with CTE, including Steve Montador, Ralph Backstrom, Bob Probert, and Richard’s fellow Hall of Famer Stan Mikita. CTE has also been diagnosed in amateur hockey players. Boston University researchers found that each additional year of playing hockey may increase a person’s odds of developing CTE by about 23%.

“Henri Richard was not an enforcer and CTE still ravaged his brain. It is far past time for all of us in the Canadian sports community to acknowledge the long-term effects of repetitive impacts on the brain,” said Tim Fleiszer, Executive Director of Concussion Legacy Foundation Canada and a four-time Grey Cup Champion. “We are grateful to the Richard family for their decision to share Henri’s diagnosis publicly to help others and are hopeful it will inspire change.”

Richard won more Stanley Cups as a player than anyone in NHL history in his 20-year career with the Canadiens. Richard’s former Montreal teammate, fellow Hockey Hall of Famer, and former Federal Cabinet Minister Ken Dryden has long called for the NHL and for hockey at all levels to severely penalize all hits to the head.

“I played with Henri. We won two Cups together. He fits none of the easy stereotypes, checks none of the easy boxes. Played in a different time, old-time hockey, all the fights? Not Henri. Big hitter? Not Henri. Like Stan Mikita and Ralph Backstrom, he was a great skater, and physical, but he had a playmaker’s mind, and played that way. But all those hits to the head,” said Dryden. “We have to understand, whatever the sport, a hit to the head is not a good thing.”

Help is available for former hockey players and their families struggling with suspected CTE symptoms. The CLF HelpLine provides free, personalized support to patients and families through doctor recommendations, peer support, and resources. Anyone who needs assistance can reach out at CLFHelpline.org.

(Boston) – The families of four former North American Soccer League (NASL) players are announcing today that Boston University CTE Center researchers diagnosed their loved ones with stage 4 (of 4) chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). The families of Jimmy Conway, Jim Fryatt, Jimmy Gabriel, and Franny Pantuosco are releasing the findings of their brain study through the Concussion Legacy Foundation (CLF) to raise awareness for the risks of heading in soccer in hopes that US Soccer and the North American soccer community will implement new safety protocols to prevent future CTE cases.

“Soccer poses a clear risk for the development of CTE,” said Dr. Ann McKee, chief of neuropathology for the VA Boston Healthcare System and director of the Boston University CTE Center and UNITE Brain Bank. “We’ve found CTE in soccer players, young and old, non-professional and professional. There needs to be greater emphasis on reducing or eliminating heading during soccer, as heading is a major source of concussions and the repetitive nonconcussive injuries that cause CTE.”

“I am frustrated that American soccer organizations have, so far, refused to acknowledge that repeated heading in soccer can cause CTE,” said CLF CEO Dr. Chris Nowinski. “CTE is entirely preventable, and every day they don’t confront it, we give soccer players new cases of CTE. Considering how many children play between the ages of 11 and 18, when heading is allowed, this is simply unacceptable.”

Dr. McKee’s research team diagnosed Jimmy Conway with stage 4 (of 4) CTE after his death in 2020 at age 73. Jimmy’s wife Noeleen noticed he began to struggle maintaining conversations starting in his mid-50s. At 63, Conway went public with his dementia diagnosis. Conway played for top-flight clubs in Ireland and England in the 1960s and 70s, including a 10-season run with Fulham FC. He also made 20 international appearances for Ireland. The midfielder moved to the US in 1978 and played three NASL seasons with the Portland Timbers before moving to the coaching ranks, where he became a pillar of the Oregon soccer community. Conway was the director of coaching for the Oregon Youth Soccer Association for 28 years. He spent five seasons as the men’s head coach at Pacific University and became Oregon State’s first head coach when the men’s program launched in 1988.

BU CTE Center researchers also diagnosed stage 4 CTE in the brain of Jim Fryatt after his death in 2020 at age 79. Fryatt started playing club football at age 12. He became a productive striker for eight lower division English Football League teams from the late 1950s to the mid-1970s. Fryatt entered football lore in 1964 when he scored just four seconds into a match, setting the fastest goal record which still stands today. The 5-foot-11 center forward earned a reputation for utilizing a powerful header in the opponent’s box, a skill that contributed to many of his 205 professional goals. Fryatt crossed the Atlantic to join the Philadelphia Atoms in 1973, helping the club win the NASL championship in its inaugural season. Fryatt moved to Las Vegas to manage the short-lived Quicksilvers franchise in 1977 and stayed in the area to raise his family. When he died, Jim’s wife Val donated his brain for study because she believed it was likely he had CTE.

Jimmy Gabriel was born in Dundee, Scotland and debuted for his hometown club as a 17-year-old in 1958. He moved to England after three seasons and helped lead Everton to a league title in 1963 and an FA Cup in 1966. He remained a fan favorite in the 1960s and 70s with Southampton and Bournemouth before joining the NASL’s Seattle franchise, where he was known as the original Mr. Sounder. Gabriel quickly became a staple of the local soccer scene, serving as the first captain for the Sounders franchise and becoming Seattle’s second head coach in 1977. Gabriel was also the first coaching director for Washington Youth Soccer, and later worked as an assistant coach for the University of Washington’s men’s and women’s soccer programs. In his late 60s, Gabriel began experiencing cognitive difficulties. After his death in 2021 at age 80, Gabriel’s family donated his brain tissue to the UNITE Brain Bank, where BU researchers diagnosed him with stage 4 CTE.

Franny Pantuosco passed away in September 2021 at age 64 with dementia after struggling with cognitive issues for the last decade of his life. Pantuosco started playing soccer in Springfield, MA at age 7, and went on to be a two time All-American and a key member of Babson’s 1975 NCAA National Championship team. He was selected by the New England Tea Men in the 1979 NASL draft where he played for one season. Pantuosco went on to earn his MBA from UConn in 1990 and coach youth soccer for 23 years. After his death, BU CTE Center researchers diagnosed him with stage 4 CTE.

Conway, Fryatt, Gabriel and Pantuosco are the first former NASL players to be diagnosed with CTE. BU CTE Center researchers diagnosed the first former MLS player, Scott Vermillion, with stage 2 CTE after his death at age 44 in 2020. Dozens of other soccer players at various levels have also been studied at the UNITE Brain Bank, including semi-professional player Patrick Grange, the first American soccer player diagnosed with the disease in 2014, and former high school player Curtis Baushke.

The National Institutes of Health, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), United Kingdom’s National Health Services (NHS), Football Association (England) and Professional Footballer’s Association (England & Wales) all state that CTE is caused by repeated traumatic brain injuries. Studies showing an elevated risk of dementia among field players, but not goalies, in soccer are among the research backing the conclusion that heading, and not rare concussions, are the cause.

Help is available for former soccer players who may be struggling with suspected CTE symptoms. The Concussion Legacy Foundation HelpLine provides free, personalized support to patients and families battling concussion or suspected CTE symptoms. Anyone who needs assistance or support can reach out at CLFHelpline.org.

Former soccer players interested in joining research efforts to prevent future cases of CTE are encouraged to join the CLF Research Registry to enroll in relevant studies and pledge to donate their brains. Learn more here.

(Toronto) The Concussion Legacy Foundation (CLF) is announcing today that the Canadian Concussion Centre (CCC) will become the sixth member of the CLF Global Brain Bank, an international collaboration of researchers studying chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in the United States, Australia, Brazil, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. The new partnership will accelerate the pace of CTE research in Canada and create new collaboration opportunities for Canadian researchers to understand how to diagnosis and treat CTE.

“As a former CFL player, I am at risk for CTE, as are my teammates,” said CLF Canada Executive Director Tim Fleiszer. “We appreciate the commitment of the CCC team to CTE research, and we look forward to collaborating to ensure they can continue to make breakthroughs in our understanding of CTE and other long-term consequences related to brain trauma.”

CTE has been diagnosed in several Canadian athletes including Ralph Backstrom, Steve Montador, and Carlton (Cookie) Gilchrist. The brain bank research at the CCC is led by internationally renowned neuropathologist Dr. Gabor Kovacs, Professor at the University of Toronto, and related clinical research is led by Dr. Carmela Tartaglia, associate professor at the University of Toronto. The CCC, led by Dr. Charles Tator, is based at the Krembil Brain Institute, which is located at the Toronto Western Hospital, part of University Health Network.

The CCC is excited to partner with the CLF to pursue a better understanding of the long-term consequences of concussion and find ways to diagnose and eventually treat concussions so as to prevent neurodegeneration.

The CLF Global Brain Bank model is built on CLF’s successful 15-year collaboration with the UNITE Brain Bank at the Boston University CTE Center, led by Dr. Ann McKee. Dr. McKee has now studied more than 1,350 brain donors and identified the first case of CTE in ice hockey, soccer, and Canadian football.

Other CLF Global Brain Bank collaborators include the Australian Sports Brain Bank, the Biobank for Aging Studies at the University of São Paulo, the New Zealand Sports Human Brain Bank at the University of Auckland’s Centre for Brain Research, and the Concussion Legacy Project at the Oxford Brain Bank.

CLF Canada will support the CCC’s research efforts. To date, 900 Canadian athletes and veterans have pledged to donate their brain to the CLF Brain Donation Registry. Anyone interested in contributing to research, with or without a history of concussion or repetitive head trauma, is encouraged to take the pledge at PledgeMyBrain.org.

The announcement coincides with the CCC’s 10th Annual Concussion Symposium on April 21, 2023, where Dr. Kovacs will be presenting his research and Dr. Ann McKee will present her research virtually.

(WILLOW, Alaska) – Iditarod legend DeeDee Jonrowe is sharing details for the first time about her struggles with concussions, hoping her story will motivate fellow Alaskans to seek help if they are struggling with the effects of brain injuries.

“Suffering a brain injury can be scary, isolating, and confusing, but it doesn’t have to be,” Jonrowe said in a new Public Service Announcement for the Concussion Legacy Foundation (CLF) HelpLine, which is funded in part by the Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority.

In 2022, Jonrowe experienced a concussion after falling backward from a counter and hitting her head on the kitchen floor. As she recovered, she learned more about her persistent symptoms, which included blurred vision, headaches, and trouble with concentration. Jonrowe understood not only were these symptoms connected to her brain injury, but this was not her first concussion.

Jonrowe realized her crash into a tree during the 2014 Iditarod, coming down the notorious Dalzell Gorge, likely resulted in a concussion. She rejoined her team on the trail, but later withdrew from the race due to the headaches and fatigue caused by her brain injury.

“I can be hard-headed, and I blew off medical attention,” Jonrowe said. “I didn’t know exactly what was wrong and didn’t feel like I was able to explain it to anyone.”

According to a state-by-state analysis by the Centers for Disease Control, Alaska had the highest rate of deaths related to traumatic brain injuries (TBI) from 2016-2018. Other studies have shown TBI survivors in rural areas are more likely to experience worse functional outcomes compared to their urban counterparts. Jonrowe said she does not want any Alaskan to feel lonely or lost like she did during her recovery process.

During Brain Injury Awareness Month in March, Jonrowe is encouraging anyone struggling with brain injury symptoms in Alaska to reach out to the Concussion Legacy Foundation HelpLine, a free service offering personalized recommendations for local providers, peer support connections, and resources and information about symptoms and treatments.

“Symptoms of concussions and TBIs are treatable and there are ways to feel better, with the appropriate care,” CLF CEO Dr. Chris Nowinski said. “We know finding resources on your own can be difficult. That’s why we created the CLF HelpLine. Nobody should have to navigate recovery on their own.”

To view the PSA featuring DeeDee Jonrowe, click here.

Concussion Legacy Foundation Media Project launches Irv Cross Fellowship in his honor

(Boston) – The family of Irv Cross is announcing today that Boston University CTE Center researchers diagnosed the former NFL cornerback and broadcasting legend with stage 4 (of 4) chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). Cross died exactly two years ago today at the age of 81. His family is releasing the findings of his brain study through the Concussion Legacy Foundation (CLF), with whom Irv worked with to raise awareness of the need for brain donation in 2018, while also promoting the Flag Football Under 14 program, part of CLF’s Stop Hitting Kids in the Head Campaign.

“For the last five years of his life Irv stopped being able to do the things he loved and his problems with his balance, memory, and delusions, were very embarrassing and depressing for him,” said Liz Cross, Irv’s wife. “His life became a constant struggle, and he suspected it was from CTE. Now that we know for sure, Irv would want others to learn about the disease and the risks of playing tackle football, especially for children.”

CTE is caused in part by repeated traumatic brain injuries, which include concussions and nonconcussive impacts. Stage 4 CTE is the most severe stage of CTE and is usually associated with dementia. Cross was diagnosed with mild cognitive dementia in 2018, which he shared publicly, along with his decision to donate his brain to the UNITE Brain Bank. He is one of the 345 former NFL players now diagnosed with CTE by the Brain Bank team, out of only 376 studied.

“We are honored by Irv Cross’s decision to donate his brain to our research, as we are by all our 1,330 donors and their families,” said Dr. Ann McKee, chief of neuropathology for the VA Boston Healthcare System and director of the Boston University CTE Center and UNITE Brain Bank. “Each donation brings us closer to understanding how to prevent, diagnose, and effectively treat CTE.”

Cross was drafted in the seventh round of the 1961 NFL draft and was later selected for the Pro-Bowl twice during his career with the Philadelphia Eagles. After his NFL career, he became an analyst and commentator for CBS Sports, making him the first Black person to work as a fulltime analyst on national TV. He later became the first Black person to co-anchor a network sports program during his time on The NFL Today. In 2009, Cross achieved another milestone, as the first Black person to receive the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award.

To honor Cross’ pioneering career in sports broadcasting, and dedication to our mission, the CLF Media Project is launching the Irv Cross Fellowship. The Fellowship aims to reduce the barriers that prevent young Black media members from entering the profession. The Fellowship will award $2,500 to an aspiring journalist under age 30 to help them advance their career. Award-winning sports media members J.A. Adande and A. Sherrod Blakely of the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) Sports Task Force will both serve on the selection committee for the award.

“Irv told me years ago that he felt very strongly sports broadcasters needed to report on concussions more accurately in their work, which is what the CLF Media Project teaches,” said Dr. Chris Nowinski, Concussion Legacy Foundation CEO. “We are honored Irv was such a vocal advocate for our cause during life, and through the Fellowship, we are proud to pay homage to his legacy for years to come.”

Qualified individuals can apply to the Irv Cross Fellowship at ConcussionFoundation.org/IrvCross.

Legendary Brazilian boxer’s brain taken to the Biobank for Aging Studies at University of São Paulo

SÃO PAULO, BRAZIL. (November 30th 2022) – Eder Jofre, who died October 2, 2022, chose to donate his brain to studies on Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), a pathology formerly known as dementia pugilistica. The decision was honored by his family, who announced the donation at a press conference held on Thursday October, 20th at the office of neurologist, Dr. Renato Anghinah, who managed Jofre’s treatment. The studies will be performed by Dr. Roberta Diehl Rodriguez from the Biobank for Aging Studies at University of São Paulo, the only lab in Brazil equipped to perform this exam. The study is funded in part by the Concussion Legacy Foundation.

“Donating his brain to research to advance CTE studies is one of the best things a fighter can do for the combat sports family,” said Rose Gracie, co-founder of Fighting Foundation and director of the Gracie Concussion Challenge, in collaboration with the Concussion Legacy Foundation. “He led an incredible life and furthers it with this incredible legacy.”

Jofre’s determination to contribute to research was motivated by fellow boxer Muhammed Ali’s decision not to donate his brain when he died. “Eder was very upset with Ali’s decision. That’s when he was sure he would do it differently,” said Dr. Anghinah.

Jofre first began experiencing symptoms of CTE in 2010. The symptoms intensified over the years, suffering from mood swings, tremors, and limited mobility. CTE is a progressive neurodegenerative disease caused by repetitive head impacts. It has been diagnosed in nearly 1,000 contact sports athletes and military veterans around the world. It was first seen in boxing, which is why it was first named “punch drunk”.

In October 2018, Gracie advised the Concussion Legacy Foundation on its Global Brain Bank partnership launch with the University of São Paulo (USP) in Brazil. She continues to serve as a liaison to support development, recruitment, and media efforts for the CLF Global Brain Bank and the Biobank for Aging Studies in Brazil. In January 2019, Gracie and the Concussion Legacy Foundation launched the Gracie Concussion Challenge to accelerate research and awareness for brain injury and CTE in the combat sport community. Gracie continues this important work through CLF and Fighting Foundation.

About The Concussion Legacy Foundation

The Concussion Legacy Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in the United States with chapters in Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia. It was founded by Robert Cantu, MD, and Chris Nowinski, PhD to support athletes, veterans, and all affected by concussions and CTE, to promote smarter sports and safer athletes through education and innovation, and end CTE through prevention and research. CLF is a proud supporter and collaborator with the Boston University CTE Center.

About Fighting Foundation

Fighting Foundation, a charitable organization launched in 2021, focuses on the well being of boxing, MMA, Jiu-Jitsu, and other combat sports’ participants. Co-founders Rose Gracie and Carla Duran, along with Lawyer Erik Magraken and with the guidance of Neurologist Dr. Renato Anghinah, were driven to action after recognizing a noticeable void in the combat sports space. Providing education, research, resources, and treatment around the world to those that need it within the combat sports community.