Former star athletes will donate brains after death for concussion research
Cassie Campbell-Pascall, Jen Kish and Kerrin Lee-Gartner make pledge to Canadian research centre
Three Olympians and a hockey pioneer have agreed to donate their brains to the Canadian Concussion Centre after their death to advance research on the effects of concussion in women.
Two-time Olympic champion hockey player Cassie Campbell-Pascall, Olympic bronze medallist rugby sevens star Jen Kish, Olympic gold medallist skier Kerrin Lee-Gartner and hockey pioneer Fran Rider are believed to be the first female Canadian athletes to publicly pledge their brains to a Canadian research centre.
All four are retired from their respective sports.
Retired hockey star Hayley Wickenheiser announced in February that she — along will American bobsledder Elana Meyers Taylor and Hockey Hall of Famer Angela Ruggiero — will donate her brain after death to the Boston-based Concussion Legacy Foundation.
The Canadian Concussion Centre, based out of the Krembil Neuroscience Centre at Toronto Western Hospital, is tasked with examining the possible correlation between repeated concussions and late deterioration of brain function.