Regarding John Steigerwald’s insensible and disheartening piece on chronic traumatic encephalopathy (“It might be time to show skepticism about CTE research.”): To date, we have come to realize that 1) the world is not flat, 2) asbestos is bad, 3) cigarettes cause cancer and 4) lead will poison you. Humanity has taken many once-popular notions and, when proof is irrefutable, turned them upside down for the good of mankind. This kind of seismic change never comes easily or quickly. Such is the case with CTE.

CTE is very real. We lost our son Patrick Risha to CTE and we created an awareness foundation in his name. CTE sufferers, desperate for help, contact us every day. Patrick only played football through college. Yet that set the stage for CTE in his otherwise brilliant brain.

Mr. Steigerwald, it’s not just football: it’s boxing, rodeo, hockey, motor sports, stunt work, military training and combat, domestic abuse — and the list goes on. It’s anything with repetitive impact that inflames and weakens the brain for the onset of CTE.

Another thing that destroys brains are uninformed or frivolous arguments by those who want to pick apart the science to keep things the way they are; delay the inevitable conclusion. Attack the science and maybe we can keep bashing our heads for another decade for our entertainment and otherwise.

Steigerwald can pretend he didn’t hear the warnings. We urge you to listen to the other side.

Learn and share the truth about CTE, and in doing so save lives. Visit StopCTE.org.

Karen and Doug Zegel

Doylestown

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