Concussion & CTE Foundation

Concussion & CTE Foundation The Concussion & CTE Foundation's mission is to support athletes, veterans & all affected by brain trauma.

04/20/2026

It’s a strange kind of heartbreak going from managing your own life to needing help with the simplest things. After a brain injury, the loss of independence can make you feel like you’ve been pushed backwards, relying on your parents in ways you thought you’d outgrown. It’s frustrating, humbling, and sometimes overwhelming. But it doesn’t erase who you are or the life you’re still rebuilding, step by step.

In 2018, professional parkour athlete, free-runner, and Hollywood stuntman suffered a traumatic brain injury that initially left him unable to walk and talk. He shared his journey with in a candid interview on Invisible Impact. Tune in as they unpack the mental and physical toll of a brain injury and how to reframe healing as a process of patience and self-trust.

➡️ Episode 7 of Invisible Impact: A Post-Concussion Podcast is available now.
📺 Watch on YouTube
🎧 Listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts

04/18/2026

❌ Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) isn’t just an NFL issue ❌

As Dr. Ann McKee, Chief of Neuropathology at explains, any activity involving repetitive head impacts can put a person at risk. That includes sports like tackle football, rugby, soccer, wrestling, and ice hockey. Members of the military, law enforcement officers, and domestic violence survivors are also at risk.

CTE has been diagnosed in athletes from youth leagues to college, to semi pros, showing the disease goes far beyond the pros.

The bottom line? Repetitive head impacts children receive playing contact sports can cause CTE. It’s time to rethink the risks and take action to better protect young athletes.

Learn more and support our prevention efforts at EndCTE.org

04/16/2026

A concussion can seep into every part of your life. Your energy, your emotions, your focus, your relationships… all of it feels the impact. The hardest part? From the outside, you often look completely fine.

has been living with daily headaches & post-concussion syndrome (PCS) since 2019, but you’d never know it just from looking at her. In this episode, she joins to share an honest look at the challenges and realities of navigating life after a brain injury.

Check it out on Episode 12 of Invisible Impact: A Post-Concussion Podcast!
📺 Watch on YouTube
🎧 Listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts

04/16/2026

Max Tuerk’s NFL dreams came true just as his struggles with CTE symptoms were intensifying. Paranoia. Delusions. Personality changes. After Max passed away suddenly during a hike at age 26, his parents donated his brain to the UNITE Brain Bank, where researchers later diagnosed Max with stage 2 CTE.

The Tuerk family honors Max and all families affected by CTE with Max’s March, a community hike on his favorite hometown trails. Now in its fifth year, this event and its supporters around the world have raised over $80,000 in the Race to End CTE, and Greg and Val Tuerk continue to educate families about CTE prevention in contact sports.

Visit the link in our stories to support their efforts and learn how you can participate in Max’s March right where you are.

04/10/2026

Pat Sullivan knew something was wrong. He knew his brain. And he didn’t want his loved ones to be left in the dark.

As Pat's son Patrick and his wife Jean honor the Heisman Trophy winner and beloved coach, they shared with us the promise Pat made: donate his brain if it could help someone, and make sure others don’t have to go through what he did.

Since 2024, the Pat Sullivan Family Race to End CTE has raised more than $200,000 to support our HelpLine and ongoing research aimed at diagnosing and treating CTE during life. Their annual 5K walk in Birmingham unites Pat’s former teammates, players he coached, community advocates, and five generations of the Sullivan family.

An anonymous donor has pledged $100 per each of the first 500 registrants for this year’s event on April 25. Whether you’ll join us in Birmingham or be with us in spirit, use the link below to register, make your impact, and support the Pat Sullivan Family Race to End CTE.

https://give.concussionandcte.org/event/2026-pat-sullivan-race-to-end-cte/e770804

04/09/2026

When you have post-concussion syndrome you realize how many tasks require brain power! Even something as simple as having a conversation with friends for an hour can flare up symptoms for days. It can be so hard trying to decide when to use your cognitive energy, and that can oftentimes leave you feeling isolated and lonely. If you’re feeling that way right now, we get it! It’s HARD. And you’re not alone.

and share their experiences with PCS on Episode 11 of Invisible Impact: a Post-Concussion Podcast. 🎙️
📺 Watch on YouTube
🎧 Listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts

04/07/2026

Research shows NFL players are nearly 4x more likely to die of ALS than the general male population. We sat down with Dr. Dan Daneshvar, Chair of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Mass General Brigham and Harvard Medical School to understand why. He explains that while the exact cause isn’t fully understood, repetitive head impacts, like those suffered playing years & years of tackle football, are known to produce brain changes associated with both CTE and ALS.

The family of Chicago Bears legend Steve "Mongo" McMichael has announced through the Concussion & CTE Foundation that he...
04/07/2026

The family of Chicago Bears legend Steve "Mongo" McMichael has announced through the Concussion & CTE Foundation that he was diagnosed with stage 3 CTE by researchers at the Boston University CTE Center. He was a key member of the Bears’ 1985 Super Bowl championship team and a Pro Football Hall of Famer. Mongo died in April 2025 after a nearly 5-year public battle with ALS.

A 2021 study led by researchers at Harvard Medical School and the Boston University CTE Center study found NFL players are more than four times more likely to develop ALS compared to the general male population. McMichael pledged to donate his brain while he was alive, saying it was important to him to contribute in any way he could.

Mongo will be honored at our Race to End CTE event later this month in Chicago. More information on the event and how to make a donation in his name can be found at https://give.concussionandcte.org/event/3rd-annual-chicago-race-to-end-cte-reception/e776435

04/05/2026

Liz Nicholson Sullivan doesn’t sugarcoat it.

She talks about the fear. The violence. The years she had to leave. And the reality that CTE can show up in ways many families find hard to share.

Her husband Gerry was a Cleveland Browns offensive lineman. He was diagnosed with dementia at 52. He’s 74 now, and Liz has been a fierce advocate for him and for other former players and family members navigating suspected CTE.

On April 23, Liz is hosting our 3rd Annual Race to End CTE Chicago Reception. It’s a night to honor those we’ve lost and stand with families impacted by CTE and push research forward.

Learn more and support our Chicago event at https://give.concussionandcte.org/event/3rd-annual-chicago-race-to-end-cte-reception/e776435

We join the global rugby community in mourning the loss of former New Zealand professional rugby player Shane Christie, ...
04/04/2026

We join the global rugby community in mourning the loss of former New Zealand professional rugby player Shane Christie, following the confirmation of advanced-stage CTE at just 39 years old. He is the third New Zealand rugby player to be publicly confirmed with the disease, following his close friend and teammate Billy Guyton, and Justin Jennings.

Shane represented the Highlanders, the Māori All Blacks, and the All Blacks Sevens during his career, before retiring in 2017 after repeated concussions. In retirement, he became a powerful advocate, sharing the reality of living with suspected CTE. In 2023, he co-founded the Billy Guyton Foundation to support players living with brain injury and to raise awareness of the long-term consequences of repeated head trauma. He also worked closely with our organization’s chapter in Australia, serving on its advisory committee and advocating for meaningful, systemic change in how rugby approaches player welfare.

Shane died by su***de in 2025. His loved ones hope that his final act of generosity, donating his brain to research, will help advance understanding of CTE and continue the mission he so passionately championed.

We stand with our colleagues in Australia in calling on all sporting codes and governing bodies to acknowledge the causal relationship between repetitive head impacts and CTE, implement CTE prevention protocols, and increase funding for research and athlete support services.

140.6 miles is a long way to go, but Matt Manahan says it’s nothing compared to the isolation he faced with an “invisibl...
04/03/2026

140.6 miles is a long way to go, but Matt Manahan says it’s nothing compared to the isolation he faced with an “invisible injury.”

As a high school hockey player, Matt faced a grueling six-month battle with PCS after multiple concussions in the same season. Adding to the physical pain, he says the hardest part was feeling unheard by doctors and frozen out by teammates who didn’t believe he was still suffering from persistent symptoms.

It’s why Matt and the MCY Foundation are going the distance for the Concussion & CTE Foundation — dedicating every mile they swim, bike, and run to our HelpLine.

As Matt and four friends train for this month’s IronMan Texas, they’ve already raised over $10,000 to keep our HelpLine free and make sure athletes know where to run for support during concussion recovery.

Head to the link on our stories to read more about Matt’s PCS journey and help Miles for a Cause reach its fundraising goal for our HelpLine.

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