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ARE HOCKEY AND FOOTBALL PLAYERS RISKING BRAIN DAMAGE FROM REPEATED BLOWS TO THE HEAD? CBC NEWS NETWORK'S THE PASSIONATE EYE BROADCASTS THE WORLD PREMIERE OF HEAD GAMES

Head Games airs Sunday, Dec. 16 at 10 p.m. ET/PT; Last Chance to See Castro’s Cuba airs Saturday, Dec. 15 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on CBC News Network
 
Told through the personal stories of professional and amateur athletes, and medical experts who want to reduce the risks to young players, CBC News Network’s THE PASSIONATE EYE broadcasts the world premiere of Head Games, a revealing documentary about the concussion crisis in contact sports. In the wake of a startling report by Boston University researchers, the documentary is a wake-up call for parents and athletes who think concussions are just part of the game.
 
Athletes, including Canadian former National Hockey League player Keith Primeau, share their struggles in dealing with the devastating and long-term effects of concussions. And former Olympian and professional soccer player Cindy Parlow Cone describes her life in the aftermath of concussion, an example of the risk to young female players. Roger Ebert of The Chicago Sun-Times calls the documentary “a devastating picture of the long-term consequences of head injuries among pro NFL players”. Head Games is directed by Steve James (Hoop Dreams, The Interrupters), who is available for interviews, as are other participants in the film.
 
 
The world premiere of Head Games airs on THE PASSIONATE EYE, Sunday, Dec. 16 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on CBC News Network. It repeats Saturday, Dec. 22 at 7 p.m. ET
 
Also this weekend, THE PASSIONATE EYE airs Last Chance to See Castro’s Cuba, Saturday, Dec. 15 at 10 p.m. ET/PT.
 
BBC reporter Simon Reeve meets ordinary Cubans…the new winners and losers of Raul Castro’s reforms. From the emergency room doctor who sells hardware on the side to real estate agents selling properties worth up to 1.2 million dollars and the restaurant owner dreaming of being the next McDonalds of Cuba, all are embracing the economic change sweeping the island. Could a country known for its vibrant culture and beautiful beaches also be headed for political liberalization? Travel to Cuba, as the iconic island undergoes sweeping economic changes in preparation for life after Fidel Castro and a new relationship with the U.S.
 
Will Cuba be able to maintain the aspects of its long isolation under socialism—such as low crime, top-notch education and one of the best health systems in the world—while embracing what certainly looks like capitalism?
 
Last Chance to See Castro’s Cuba airs on THE PASSIONATE EYE, Saturday, Dec. 15 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on CBC News Network.
 
For more information on THE PASSIONATE EYE, visit our website at cbc.ca/passionateeye, join us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/cbcdocs.
 
To view past episodes and other CBC programming, visit CBC Player, download the CBC App for your mobile devices, and download CBC podcasts.
 
 
About CBC/Radio-Canada
CBC/Radio-Canada is Canada’s national public broadcaster and one of its largest cultural institutions. The Corporation is a leader in reaching Canadians on new platforms and delivers a comprehensive range of radio, television, Internet, and satellite-based services. Deeply rooted in the regions, CBC/Radio-Canada is the only domestic broadcaster to offer diverse regional and cultural perspectives in English, French and eight Aboriginal languages, plus five languages for international audiences. In 2011, CBC/Radio-Canada celebrated 75 years of serving Canadians and being at the centre of the democratic, social and cultural life of Canada.
 
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About CBC’s Brand New In-House Publicity Team
CBC’s brand new team of in-house publicists are delivering a comprehensive publicity service for all CBC programming and events. For a complete list of publicity contacts and for more information including series synopses, press releases, hi-res images, video clips and bios, please visit the new CBC Media Centre at cbc.ca/mediacentre.
 
For further information, or to request interviews, contact:
 
Corey Black, News and Current Affairs Publicist, CBC
o) 416-205-8710
c) 647-221-4133
 
 

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