OTTAWA, July 30, 2020 — Research Canada: An Alliance for Health Discovery is pleased to welcome five new Members into its Alliance dedicated to advancing health research and health innovation in Canada: Canadian Cancer Society, Canadian Frailty Network, Canadian Institute for Military and Veteran Health Research, Institute for Advancements in Mental Health and Kids Brain Health Network.
“Our influence as an organization is rooted in the diversity of our membership,” says Dr. Rosie Goldstein, Chair of Research Canada and Professor of Medicine at McGill University. “These exceptional organizations will bring a unique and diverse perspective to Research Canada’s national advocacy efforts,” says Deborah Gordon-El-Bihbety, President and CEO of Research Canada.
Research Canada engages all sectors – including government – to build support for health research and innovation. The addition of these new Members into the Alliance strengthens the organization’s ability to represent the interests of the health innovation ecosystem as a whole.
“We are delighted to welcome these new Members into the fold,” adds Dr. Ann Russell, Co-Chair of Research Canada’s Membership Development and Programs Committee and Senior Director of Learning, Innovation and Research at the Michener Institute of Education at UHN. “These organizations represent an enormous amount of research knowledge and practice, and their contributions to the health of Canadians greatly inspire our advocacy efforts,” adds Lori Spadorcia, Committee Co-Chair and Senior Vice-President of Public Affairs and Partnerships, Chief Strategy Officer at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.
About Research Canada
Research Canada is a national alliance dedicated to increasing investments in health research through collaborative advocacy and engaging government, academia, industry and non-profit sectors to build support for long-term health research funding. For more information, visit rc-rc.ca.
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For inquiries:
Danielle Flieler
Manager of Membership and Development
613-234-5129
dflieler@rc-rc.ca
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Research Canada advocates for the prioritization of health research and health innovation in the government to improve the health of Canadians. These new Members provide a breadth of knowledge and expertise across many stages of the research continuum.
The Canadian Cancer Society (CCS) is the only national charity that supports Canadians with all cancers in communities across the country. No other organization does what we do; we are the voice for Canadians who care about cancer. We fund groundbreaking research, provide a support system for all those affected by cancer and shape health policies to prevent cancer and support those living with the disease.
“As the largest national charitable funder of cancer research, we look forward to working with Research Canada to advocate for support for health research that will improve the lives of all Canadians.”
Dr. Judy Bray, Vice President of Research, CCS
The Canadian Frailty Network (CFN) is funded by the Networks of Centres of Excellence (NCE) program. CFN is Canada’s sole network devoted to improving care for older Canadians living with frailty and supporting their families and caregivers, including preventative health. CFN increases frailty recognition and assessment by advancing evidence-based changes to care and policy development, training the next generation of care professionals and scientists, and mobilizing knowledge to catalyze improvements in Canada’s health and social care systems.
“Together, with the visionary investment by the NCE and the strength of this community, we will improve the care and quality of life for our older citizens living with frailty.”
Dr. John Muscedere, Scientific Director, CFN
The Canadian Institute for Military and Veteran Health Research (CIMVHR) is the hub for military, Veteran and family health research with a network of 46 Canadian university members and 13 global affiliates. CIMVHR provides the infrastructure to enable more of Canada’s military, Veteran and family health research requirements to be met, enhances the accessibility of research in these fields, and engages with stakeholders to foster collaborations, enabling increased research and improving knowledge translation activities.
“Becoming a member of Research Canada will increase meaningful knowledge translation activities for CIMVHR as we endeavour to improve the health of Canada’s military members, Veterans and their families.”
Dr. David Pedlar, Scientific Director, CIMVHR
The Institute for Advancements in Mental Health (IAM) is a charitable organization that is innovating, supporting and driving change with people and communities impacted by mental illness. Through its commitment to connecting, collaborating and social inclusion, IAM works with diverse partners in driving solutions to the most pressing mental health needs across Canada.
“We are pleased to be joining Research Canada, and we look forward to working with other members in furthering health research and innovation. Our bold organizational vision of redesigning society for better mental health can only be reached through collaboration, shared learnings and partnerships. We thank Research Canada for this opportunity.”
Mary Alberti, Chief Executive Officer, IAM
Kids Brain Health Network (KBHN) is a large-scale research network formed under the Networks of Centres of Excellence (NCE) Program. KBHN researchers collaborate with families, governments, not-for-profit and community partners to develop solutions with the potential to improve the lives of children with neurodevelopmental disabilities and their families. This collaborative effort provides tools and solutions to promote earlier identification, better treatment, and integrative family support.
“KBHN works to ensure optimal care and better outcomes for children with neurodevelopmental disabilities and their families. We are excited to join Research Canada to support their mandate of improving the health and prosperity of all Canadians through the innovative research being undertaken by KBHN investigators.”
Nicky Lewis, Chief Executive Officer, KBHN