What "Concussion" Taught Me About Resilience and the Brain

When I first came across the movie Concussion (2015), I didn’t necessarily focus on the story about football (even though I love the sport)! I saw a story about the brain and the lengths that science can cross.

This film follows Dr. Bennet Omalu, who discovered chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in NFL players. His work revealed that repeated head injuries could lead to long-term brain disease — and his determination forced an entire industry to confront truths it wanted to ignore. 

Why It Resonates With Me

I’m a high school student deeply interested in cognitive biology, especially the connections between the gut and the brain. Living with ulcerative colitis (IBD), I’ve learned firsthand how invisible diseases can shape not just the body, but how people feel, think, and live. In my own review of research papers, I’m exploring how the gut microbiome and inflammation might be linked to neurological conditions like Parkinson’s Disease.

Omalu’s story fought a battle to raise awareness. I am not sure what battle I will fight but for now, I’m raising awareness of IBD through a podcast I co-host with a school friend, giving voice to stories often left unheard.

Through my IBD podcast, sharing my journey and inviting others to share theirs has shown me that stories matter as much as science. 

In Concussion, Dr. Omalu first identified CTE in Mike Webster, a former Pittsburgh Steeler. Webster’s memory loss and erratic behavior were invisible to the world until it was too late, when the damage could no longer be ignored.

That invisibility reminded me of what we tried to highlight in our podcast through and interview with a young woman named Poppy, who lives with IBD. For years, her disease was largely unseen — until it reached the point where she needed a stoma bag. Like Webster’s CTE, Poppy’s IBD became “visible” only after it had already transformed her life.

Both stories remind me that whether it’s a professional athlete or a teenager, invisible diseases can carry immense weight. And unless we talk about them openly — through science, storytelling, or platforms like my podcast — they remain hidden until it’s too late.

So, Concussion isn’t just a movie about the NFL; It’s a reminder that science can connect with all aspects of life, and that storytelling together can shift perspectives and empower people. That’s what I hope to do — talk about invisible thoughts and battles, researching the gut–brain axis, and give voices to future patients and scientists (like myself!).