Christie is the second professional rugby player in New Zealand, after Billy Guyton, to have been diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).
A pathologist has found that Christie died with “high stage” CTE, a neurodegenerative disease linked to repeated blows to the head. CTE can only be diagnosed after death during an autopsy of the brain.
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Christie had made it public that he wanted his brain investigated upon his death and with the consent of family it was donated to the National Brain Bank at the University of Auckland, where it was examined by pathologist Dr Clinton Turner. A non-publication order was lifted by coroner Ian Telford today, regarding a key section of the pathologist’s report, which states: “Dr Turner confirms the diagnosis of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), which he characterised as ‘high stage’.”
The pathologist’s opinion has elicited mixed emotions among those closest to Christie. Former partner Holly Parkes says she traverses the same feelings of grief, anger and guilt every day. “We didn’t listen to Bill and Shane when they were alive,” she says. “They were put through a course of misdiagnosis and mistreatment by people who chose not to consider that their brains were damaged by the sport they loved.
“No one paid any attention to Shane when he stood up and shouted that there was something biologically, not psychologically, wrong with his brain. Now he’s dead and thanks to his last act of giving — donating his brain — his life is vindicated. He died with CTE, a serious brain disease, and it’s time we listen and change.”
