• Nigerian-American doctor Bennet Omalu will be remembered for a long time

  • 51-year-old Omalu was the first physician to discover and publish findings of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in American football players

  • A movie was released in his honour, in 2015, in which Will Smith played the lead role.

Nigerian-American physician, forensic pathologist, and neuropathologist, Dr Bennet Omalu was the first to discover and publish findings of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in American football players while working at the Allegheny County coroner’s office in Pittsburgh. His work has been praised all over the United States and a movie in which Will Smith played the role of Omalu was also released in 2015 in his honour.

Omalu was born in Nnokwa, Idemili South, Anambra in southeastern Nigeria on September 30, 1968, the sixth of seven siblings. The renowned physician moved to the United States in pursuit of better education and Master’s degree.

His journey and work led him to discover a disease that was found in athletes and war veterans. The disease called Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a neurodegenerative disease caused by repeated head injuries. Symptoms may include behavioral problems, mood problems, and problems with thinking. Symptoms typically do not begin until years after the injuries. CTE often gets worse over time and can result in dementia.

Source:Legit

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