About Dr. Cade Carlson
Cade was a father, a dentist, an athlete, and a man who loved deeply and lived fully. He spent his life in motion — drawn to contact sports, the mountains, and the outdoors, the kind of person who never did anything halfway. Whether he was on a bike, on skis, or on the water, he brought the same intensity and joy to everything he touched.
That same spirit made him the husband, father, son, brother, and friend so many of us loved. Within the Carlson family and our practice, Cade carried forward a tradition of compassionate, relationship-based care that began with his father, Dr. Vance Carlson, more than 30 years ago. Patients remember him for his calm presence, his genuine kindness, and the trust he built with every family who sat in his chair. His legacy remains woven into the way we care for this community today.
Cade’s Story & CTE Awareness
After Cade passed, his family learned something that changed how they understood the final years of his life. His brain was generously donated to Boston University’s CTE Center, where he was diagnosed with Stage II (of IV) Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, or CTE. For a grieving family, the diagnosis offered something they had not had before: an answer.
CTE is a degenerative brain disease caused by repeated head impacts. It progresses over time — often continuing to worsen even years after the injuries themselves have stopped. Doctors believe Cade had been living with CTE for five to ten years before his death, quietly carrying far more than anyone around him realized.
Understanding this did not erase the family’s grief, but it gave their loss new meaning. They came to see how much Cade had endured long before anyone knew why — and they found a calling in it: to help other families receive answers sooner, and ideally to spare them from ever having to ask the question at all. You can learn more about CTE and the research behind it through the Concussion & CTE Foundation.
Cade’s Cause
Out of that calling came Cade’s Cause. Created in Cade’s honor, it exists to:
- Honor the life and legacy of Dr. Cade Carlson.
- Raise awareness about concussions and repetitive head impacts.
- Support the research that makes diagnoses like Cade’s possible.
- Connect families who are walking a similar road.
- Turn one family’s loss and grief into meaningful, lasting purpose.
Every dollar raised through Cade’s Cause benefits the Concussion & CTE Foundation, funding the research and education that help catch this disease before it takes more than it already has.
Learn More About Cade’s Cause
We Trot for Cader Tot
[Image: “We Trot for Cader Tot” graphic (the Cader Tot ski mascot) — client to provide via Google Drive. Place prominently as part of the tribute; do not recreate or alter the artwork.]
On June 28, 2026, friends, family, and the Littleton community gathered for Cade’s Celebration of Life and the inaugural Cade’s Cause Run/Walk — a day to remember Cade, walk in his memory, and stand together behind a cause so close to his family’s heart. Together, the community raised more than $40,000 to advance research, expand support, and protect the future of brain health.
The playful “We Trot for Cader Tot” mascot — the little Cader Tot on skis — captures Cade’s spirit perfectly: his love of the mountains, his sense of humor, and the warmth he brought to everyone around him. It has become a joyful emblem of the event and a reminder to celebrate his life even as we honor his memory. The family hopes to gather the community again for future walks in Cade’s honor.
Get Involved & Support Cade’s Cause
There are many meaningful ways to honor Cade and support the mission he inspired:
- Donate in Cade’s name through the Race to End CTE to directly support brain health research.
- Learn more about CTE and help spread awareness about concussions and repetitive head impacts.
- Explore ways to get involved with Cade’s Cause — from participating in events to sharing the story with others.
- If your family is navigating a concussion, ongoing symptoms, or concerns about CTE, the Concussion & CTE Foundation HelpLine connects you with specialists who understand what you’re going through.
A Lasting Legacy
Cade is deeply missed — by his family, by our team, and by the countless patients and friends whose lives he touched. Yet his legacy lives on: in his family, in the continued care provided at Carlson Family Dentistry, in the Littleton community he loved, and in the awareness and research being advanced every day through Cade’s Cause. We are honored to carry his memory forward, and grateful for a life that continues to inspire so much good.
