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CanChild is grateful to the key partners for their financial and resource support: McMaster University, the Faculty of Health Sciences, the School of Rehabilitation Science, and the Department of Pediatrics.

Video message from CanChild’s Directors

“Since becoming co-directors of CanChild we are humbled and proud of the dedication and commitment that our staff, scientists and community partners have demonstrated to make a difference in the lives of children with disabilities and their families.”

  • Dr. Briano Di Rezze, PhD, OT Reg(Ont.)

    Co-Director of CanChild, Associate Professor, School of Rehabilitation Science, McMaster University

  • Dr. Olaf Kraus de Camargo, MD

    Co-Director of CanChild, Associate Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at McMaster University and Developmental Paediatrician at the McMaster Children’s Hospital – Ron Joyce Children’s Health Centre




Strategic Plan

The CanChild Strategic Plan was formally launched in January 2021. This plan reflects our hopes for the future state of CanChild: a centre with a shared purpose, where innovative and impactful child health research is at the heart of what we do, and a centre that is recognized internationally for an environment that cultivates diversity and inclusion, collaboration and partnerships. In 2021, three areas were prioritized to move forward: Develop, implement and evaluate strategies to promote the impact of CanChild; Develop and implement a clear partnership strategy; and Embed knowledge translation strategies into research using KT science.

Click below to see what has been happening in each of these areas!

Read more
Partnership
Read more
Download CanChild's Strategic Plan
Knowledge translation
Read more
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Research Highlights

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By the Numbers

In 2022, CanChild has consistently been successful in securing funding, publishing papers, and disseminating findings. Click on each button to learn more!

136

Publications

155

Presentations

6 700

Engagement

50

Grants

$598,000

Revenue

11

Awards

The Centre

Founded in 1989 at McMaster University, CanChild is a world leader in the field of childhood disability. Below we have highlighted our team and partners who contributed to our success in 2022!

CanChild Scientists

DIRECTOR

Dina Brooks (Acting Director – July 1st 2022)
Briano DiRezze (McMaster University)
Olaf Kraus de Camargo (McMaster University)

CO-FOUNDERS

Mary Law (McMaster University)
Peter Rosenbaum (McMaster University)

SCIENTISTS

Dana Anaby (McGill University)
Laura Brunton (Western University)
Chantel Camden (University of Sherbrooke)
Wenonah Campbell (McMaster University)
Eyal Cohen (University of Toronto)
BJ Cunningham (Western University)
Carol DeMatteo (McMaster University)
Jan Willem Gorter (McMaster University)
Marjolijn Ketelaar (University Medical Center Utrecht)
Mary Khetani (University of Illinois at Chicago)
Anne Klassen (McMaster University)
Danielle Levac (University of Montreal)
Robert Palisano (Drexel University)
Michelle Phoenix (McMaster University)
Gabriel Ronen (McMaster University)
Brian Timmons (McMaster University)
Sandra VanderKaay (McMaster University)

SCIENTIST EMERITUS

Doreen Bartlett (Western University)
Johanna Darrah (University of Alberta)
Marilyn Kertoy (Western University)
Cheryl Missiuna (McMaster University)
Dianne Russell (McMaster University)
Debra Stewart (McMaster University)
Nancy Thomas-Stonell (Bloorview Research Institute)
Stephen Walter (McMaster University)

ASSOCIATE MEMBERS

Gary Bedell (Tufts University)
Sheila Bennett (Brock University)
Jan Burke-Gaffney (McMaster University)
John Cairney (The University of Queensland)
Lisa Chiarello (Drexel University)
Wendy Coster (Boston University)
Nora Fayed (Queen’s University)
Darcy Fehlings (University of Toronto)
Mark Ferro (University of Waterloo)
Robin Gaines (Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario)
Barbara Gibson (University of Toronto)
Adrienne Harvey (Royal Children’s Hospital)
Sandy Hodgetts (University of Alberta)
Christine Imms (Australian Catholic University)
Lynn Jeffries (University of Oklahoma)
Marian Jongmans (Utrecht University)

ASSOCIATE MEMBERS CONTINUED

Gillian King (Bloorview Research Institute)
Dafna Kohen (Statistics Canada)
Niina Kolehmainen (Newcastle University)
Lena Krumlinde-Sundholm (Karolinska Institutet)
Matthew Kwan (McMaster University)
Lucyna Lach (McGill University)
Alyssa LaForme Fiss (Mercer University)
Sanjay Mahant (Hospital for Sick Kids)
Lívia Magalhães (Federal University of Minas Gerais)
Ronit Mesterman (McMaster University)
Chris Morris (University of Exeter)
Eva Nordmark (Lund University)
Iona Novak (University Notre Dame)
Barbara Piskur (Zuyd University)
Christelle Pons (Université de Bretagne Occidentale)
Keiko Shikako-Thomas (McGill University)
Olaf Verschuren (Rehabilitation Centre de Hoogstraat)
Jonathan Weiss (York University)
Sarah Westcott McCoy (University of Washington)
Virginia Wright (Bloorview Research Institute)
Lonnie Zwaigenbaum (University of Alberta)
Jill Zwicker (University of British Columbia)

Research & KT Support

CANCHILD STAFF

Geil Astorga, Marketing and Communications Associate – to February 2022
Samantha Dong, Website and Communications Assistant
Jessica Geboers, Website and Communications Assistant
Danijela Grahovac, Technical Support Specialist
Anne MacLeod, Administrative Assistant
Dayle McCauley, Research Development Officer
Rachel Teplicky, Business & Engagement Officer
Laura Turner, Clinician Consultant
Marilyn Wright, Clinician Consultant

RESEARCH STAFF/ASSISTANTS

Leah Dix, P4C Project
Sarah Earl, MPOC 2.0 Project
Barb Galuppi, CHILD-BRIGHT & COVID and Transition Projects
Brittany Harding, F-words Project
Sarah Hopmans, CP-NET, C-BiLLT and Hip Surveillance Projects
Debbie Hughes, ENVISAGE & F-words Projects
Annie Jiang, P4C Project
Rachel Martens, Family Engagement in Research Project
Samantha Perrotta, Back to Play Project
Sarah Randall, Back to Play Project – maternity leave
Sandra Sahagian Whalen, P4C Project
Alice Soper, Family Engagement in Research, CP-NET KT and Transition Hub Projects
Kathy Stazyk, Back to Play Project
Sonya Strohm, CHILD-BRIGHT Project
Anya Swain, COVID Time Capsule and GrowDMD Projects
Sarah Terreberry, Christiana Okyere, P4C Projects
Vanessa Tomas, F-Words Project

STUDENT RESEARCH ASSISTANTS

Jathushika Ilangkumaran
Christine Lee
Nethmi Rajapaske
Michelle Roque
Evonne Syed
Beverly Tran
Rebecca Yakubov

Trainees (McMaster University)

POST-DOCTORAL FELLOWS

Christina Belza (Supervised by Eyal Cohen)
Zachary Boychuck (Supervised by Peter Rosenbaum) – until Aug 2022
Paula Chagas (Supervised by Peter Rosenbaum)
Eda Cinar (Supervised by Dana Anaby & Chantal Camden) – until May 2022
Carly Cermak (Supervised by BJ Cunningham)
Andrea Cross (Supervised by Jan Willem Gorter)
Samory Houzangbe (Supervised by Danielle Levac)
Karen Hurtubise (Supervised by Michelle Phoenix)
Zoey Leyland (Supervised by BJ Cunningham)
Patrick McPhee (Supervised by Brain Timmons & Jan Willem Gorter) – until Mar 2022
Samantha Micsinszki (Supervised by Michelle Phoenix)
Monika Novak Pavlic (Supervised by Michelle Phoenix & Gillian King)
Linda Nguyen (Supervised by Keiko Shikako Thomas, Jan Willem Gorter & Marjolijn Ketelaar)
Annie Pouliot (Supervised by Danielle Levac)
Kinga Pozniak (Supervised by Jan Willem Gorter)
Enid Selkirk (Supervised by Wenonah Campbell)
Bhanu Sharma (Supervised by Brian Timmons)
Michal Waisman-Nitzan (Supervised by Dana Anaby)

PHD STUDENTS
Sandra Abdel Malek (Supervised by Jan Willem Gorter)
*Jael Bootsma (Supervised by Jan Willem Gorter)
Maddy Byra (Supervised by Brian Timmons)
Peter Cahill (Supervised by Wenonah Campbell)
June Coan-Brill (Supervised by BJ Cunningham)
Dinesh Ghatamaneni (Supervised by Laura Brunton)
Caroline Hui (Supervised by Dana Anaby)
Lina Ianni (Supervised by Dana Anaby & Chantal Camden)
Meaghan Lewcock (Supervised by BJ Cunningham)
Jia Lu Lin (Supervised by Eyal Cohen)
Inge Klatte (Supervised by Marjolijn Ketelaar)
Dorinde Korteling (Supervised by Marjolijn Ketelaar)
*Linda Nguyen (Supervised by Jan Willem Gorter)
*Monika Novak Pavlic (Supervised by Peter Rosenbaum)
Basiliki Passaretti (Supervised by Wenonah Campbell)
Nathalie Patty (Supervised by Marjolijn Ketelaar)
Diane Peterson (Supervised by Michelle Phoenix)
Meaghan Reitzel (Supervised by Michelle Phoenix)
Lineke Rehorst (Supervised by Marjolijn Ketelaar)
Kari Renahan (Supervised by Wenonah Campbell)
Kathryn Rollins (Supervised by BJ Cunningham)
Mallory Ryan (Supervised by Dana Anaby)
Liesbeth Segers (Supervised by Marjolijn Ketelaar)
Sureka Selvakumaran (Supervised by Briano DiRezze)
Saeideh Shahin (Supervised by Dana Anaby)
Alice Soper (Supervised by Peter Rosenbaum)
Stephanie Tremblay (Supervised by Dana Anaby)
Nathalie Trottier (Supervised by Chantal Camden)
Jet van der Kemp (Supervised by Marjolijn Ketelaar)
*Graduated in 2022
PHD STUDENTS CONTINUED

Meaghan Reitzel (Supervised by Michelle Phoenix)
Kathryn Rollins (Supervised by BJ Cunningham)
Mallory Ryan (Supervised by Dana Anaby)
Eline Scholten (Supervised by Marjolijn Ketelaar)
Liesbeth Segers (Supervised by Marjolijn Ketelaar)
Enid Selkirk (Supervised by Cheryl Missiuna)
Sureka Selvakumaran (Supervised by Briano DiRezze)
Saeideh Shahin (Supervised by Dana Anaby)
Ingrid Singer (Supervised by Jan Willem Gorter)
Stephanie Tremblay (Supervised by Dana Anaby)
Nathalie Trottier (Supervised by Chantal Camden)
Maren van Rijssen (Supervised by Marjolijn Ketelaar)

Advisory Board Members

Our advisory board consists of families, individuals with lived experience, and professionals with social work, business, finance, technology and research backgrounds.

ADVISORY BOARD

Ian Buchanan
Jennifer Crowson
Andrey Feldman
Susanne Flett
Jonathan Lu
David Mosher
Frank Naus
Peter Rosenbaum

SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY BOARD

Olaf Kraus de Camargo, Co-Director
Briano Di Rezze, Co-Director
Peter Rosenbaum, Co-founder
Wenonah Campbell, Scientist
Mary Khetani, Scientist
Dayle McCauley, Research Development Officer
Brian Timmons, Scientist
Robert Palisano, Scientist

Governance

SCHOOL OF REHABILITATION SCIENCE

Dina Brooks, Vice Dean
Zrinka Granic, Director of Administration

DEPARTMENT OF PEDIATRICS

Angelo Mikrogianakis, Chair
Gunjan Srivistava, Director of Administration

Family & Youth Advisors/Co-Investigators

     
Brenda Agnew, F-words & C-BiLLT Project, & CP-NET Program
Elizabeth Chambers, MPOC 2.0 Project
Crystal Chin, CP-NET Program
Rosarie Coughlan, CP-NET Program
Genevieve Currie, COVID Time Capsule & Family Engagement in Research Projects
Amanda Doherty-Kirby, COVID Time Capsule & Youth Engagement in Research Projects
Kathy Fruck, CP-NET Program
Jessica Geboers, COVID & Transition, Youth Engagement in Research, & CP-NET Projects
Danijela Grahovac, F-words, COVID and Transition, COVID Time Capsule, & C-BiLLT Projects
Vasilije Grahovac, COVID Time Capsule Youth Advisor
Dilshad Kassam-Lallani, COVID and Transition Project & Transition Hub Family Steering Committee Advisor
Zach Kirby, COVID Time Capsule Youth Advisor
Manda Krpan Mesic, CP-NET Program
Callum LaCour, COVID Time Capsule Youth Advisor
Jeanine Lebsack, COVID Time Capsule Project
Maddox Lebsack, COVID Time Capsule Youth Advisor
CONTINUED
Stephanie LeClerc, F-words Project
Ali Martens, MPOC 2.0 Project
Rachel Martens, MPOC 2.0 & ENVISAGE Projects
Susan McCoy, CP-NET Program
Lynda Moore, F-words Project
JoAnne Mosel, F-words Project
Sara Pot, F-words & Family Engagement in Research Projects
Kinga Pozniak, CP-NET Program
Connie Putterman, Family Engagement in Research & MPOC 2.0 Projects
Heather Shearer, CP-NET Program
Amanda St. Dennis, CP-NET & Youth Engagement in Research Projects, Transition Hub Youth Steering Committee Member
Danny Steeves, CP-NET & Youth Engagement in Research Projects
Carina Stumpf, CP-NET Program
Kasia Swieczkowska, F-words Project
Donna Thomson, Family Engagement in Research & CHILD-BRIGHT Projects
Natasha Trehan, Youth Engagement in Research Project
Jaime Winkler, ENVISAGE-SP Project

 

Collaborators

CanChild proudly collaborates with the following key organizations to generate knowledge and transform lives:

     
   
   
   

CanChild at Work and Play!

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Produced & Designed by Samantha Dong, Danijela Grahovac, Dayle McCauley and Beverly Tran.

Special thank you to all CanChild members and staff who contributed to this report!