- Wally Lewis has urged the Australian Government to fund chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) support and education services.
- Lewis, a rugby player in the 1980s, appealed on behalf of the Concussion and CTE Coalition for millions of dollars in funding.
- Lewis revealed he lives with probable CTE, a type of dementia linked to repeated concussion and subconcussive hits to the head.
A legendary rugby player has cited the fear and anxiety that entered his life among the reasons he urged the Australian government to fund support services and education around chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).
Wally Lewis, nicknamed “The King” when he played rugby league for Queensland and Australia in the 1980s, has launched an appeal on behalf of the Concussion and CTE Coalition for millions of dollars of funding during a speech Tuesday at the National Press Club.
Lewis, 64, said he was likely living with CTE, which he described as a type of dementia associated with repeated concussion and subconcussive hits to the head.
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Lewis, who worked for decades as a television sports presenter after retiring as a player in the early 1990s, relayed his own experience to get his message across.
Former Australian rugby league player Wally Lewis speaks at the National Press Club in Canberra, Australia, April 23, 2024. Lewis, a legendary rugby player from the 1980s, cited fear and anxiety that came into his life among the reasons he urged the Australian government to fund chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) support and education services. (Image by Lucas Coch/AAP via AP)
“The fear is real. I don’t want anyone to have to live with the fear and anxiety that I live with every day, worrying about what I’ve forgotten… fear of what my future will look like.” , Lewis said. “And living with the constant fear and anxiety of letting people down – people who all my life have been able to count on me and who have looked to me for strength and leadership.”
Lewis led the Australian Kangaroos in 24 international matches, was among the first players to popularize the annual State-of-Origin series and was included in the Australian rugby union team of the century in 2008.
The National Rugby League honored him as a so-called “Immortal” of the game.
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However, his memories are unclear. He began playing rugby league as a youngster and also played rugby at an elite level before embarking on a professional rugby league career.
“It is a journey marked by the twin shadows of fear and embarrassment, a journey through the fog of dementia and the erosion of my memory,” he said. “I used to have confidence in myself to succeed, to lead a team to victory, to be captain of my country, to remember the strengths and weaknesses of opposing teams, to organize myself every day and to feel good and…
