|
|
ThinkFirst News
ThinkFirst Pensez d'Abord Canada to become part of new voice in injury prevention
July 2012
ThinkFirst Pensez d'Abord Canada, a long time leader in the promotion of safety and injury prevention in Canada, is pleased to announce it is merging with Safe Communities Canada, Safe Kids Canada and SMARTRISK. Together, we are creating a new single organization with a national mandate to address injury prevention among Canadians. This organization should become operational in the summer of 2012.
As a single organization, we can provide a strengthened voice, sustainable programs and national reach for injury prevention awareness and expertise appropriate to Canadians of all ages. Our new organization will be the strategic injury prevention partner for government, the health system, researchers, business, communities and families, with a mandate to encompass all ages as well as intentional and unintentional injuries.
This decision is the result of collaborative efforts between ThinkFirst and its partners, and involved consultation at the community, provincial and national levels.
Thank you for all of your support over the last 20 years. We are looking forward to bringing our expertise to our partners and playing a strong role in the establishment and ongoing governance of this new organization.
We will provide updates on this transition in this space. Stay tuned!
Pensez d'Abord Canada devient une partie importante d'une nouvelle voix dans la prévention des blessures
Juillet 2012
ThinkFirst Pensez d'Abord Canada, déjà un leader dans la promotion de la sécurite et la prévention des blessures aux Canada est fier d'annoncer sa fusion avec Communautés sécuritaires Canada, SécuriJeunes Canada et Sauve-Qui-Pense. Tous ensemble, nous sommes en train de créer une seule organisation avec un mandat canadien qui vise la prévention des blessures chez les canadiennes et canadiens. Les opérations de cette organisation devront commencer durant l'été de 2012.
En tant qu'une seule organisation, nous nous trouvons dans la possibilité d'offrir une voix plus forte et des programmes durables partout au Canada qui ont le but de disseminer la connaissance et l'expertise accorde aux canadiennes et canadiens de toutes âges. Notre nouvelle organisation sera le partenaire stratégique du gouvernement, le système de santé, les chercheurs, le milieu des affaires, les communautés et les familles. Elle sera aussi l'organisation qui maintendra le mandat de traiter toutes les âges ainsi que les blessures intentionnelles et les blessures non intentionnelles.
Cette décision arrive suite à la collaboration entre Pensez d'Abord Canada et ses partenaires, aussi que à la consultation aux niveaux communautaire, provincial et national.
Nous vous remercions pour votre appui pendent les dernières vingt ans. Nous recevons aussi avec gratitude l'opportunité d'offrir notre expertise aux nos partenaires et de jouer un rôle central dans la fondation et la géstion de cette organisation.
Veuillez visiter souvent cet éspace pour vous tenir au courant à propos de cette transition.
Please find attached our TD ThinkFirst For Kids Brainwaves 2012 Edition!
Injury is the leading cause of preventable death for Canadian children and youth. Traumatic brain and spinal injuries are among the most devastating, with 50% of fatal injuries occurring as brain injuries.
The tragedy is that most injuries are predictable and preventable. The good news is that protection can be as easy as wearing a properly fitted helmet and buckling up in cars.
ThinkFirst / Pensez d’Abord Canada’s mission is to prevent brain and spinal cord injuries among children and youth. Our award-winning programming includes education about staying safe and thinking first. The TD ThinkFirst for Kids (TDTFFK) program is available to schools across Canada: http://thinkfirst.ca/programs/tdthinkfirst.aspx
Thank you for your help and support as we continue to spread the word of Injury Prevention!
THINKFIRST ANNOUNCES ACTIVE AND SAFE INITIATIVE WITH THE CANADIAN GOVERMENT AND THEIR COLLABORATIVE PARTNERS
On January 19th, 2012, ThinkFirst Pensez d’Abord Canada announced their collaboration with The Canadian Centre for Ethics and Sport (CCES), Coaching Association of Canada (CAC), Hockey Canada on a national project aimed at reducing brain injuries in team sports in Canada as part of the federal government’s Active and Safe Initiative.
Click here to view the full news release.
THINKFIRST CONCUSSION EDUCATION ONLINE LAUNCHED
ThinkFirst Canada, in collaboration with Safe Communities Canada, launched their new online concussion education program. To learn more about the program and sign up, you can visit http://concussioneducation.ca. For more information about our concussion resources and programs, check out our Concussion tab.
Click here to view the full news release.
THE 2010 ANNUAL REPORT IS AVAILBLE FOR DOWNLOAD
ThinkFirst Pensez d'Abord Canada is thrilled with all the hard work accomplished in 2010. Our Chapters, injury prevention champions and Board Members have been hard at work reducing preventable injury in Canada. Download our 2010 Annual Report for more information regarding the our achievements to date.
ANNOUNCEMENT OF NEW THINKFIRST PENSEZ D'ABORD CANADA PRESIDENT AND CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD
We are pleased to announce that Mr. Paul Montador has been elected as the next President of ThinkFirst Canada in June 2011.
Paul takes on this new role with 14 years of service on the ThinkFirst Board providing strategic and steadfast advice and assistance to our programs, communications and committees.
His efforts and achievements have been recognized with the ThinkFirst Pensez d’Abord Canada Award of Excellence in 2004, an award presented annually to our volunteers in recognition of their outstanding dedication to our injury prevention efforts.
In 2009 ThinkFirst Pensez d’Abord Canada awarded Paul with our Distinguished Service Award. This award is presented to individuals in recognition of service distinguished by consistent and outstanding commitment and contributions over time.
Mr. Montador has been with ThinkFirst Canada since 1997 as a Board Member. He was unanimously elected to serve as President / Chairman of the ThinkFirst Pensez d’Abord Canada on June 14th, 2011.
He has held numerous senior executive leadership positions in the medical device industry, served as voluntary Chair of the Medical Devices Association of Canada (Medec) and served on a variety of private and public corporate Boards.
OuCH! - Outcomes following Concussion in Hockey Half-Day Conference
The Canadian Brain Injury and Violence Research Team invites you to attend an upcoming half-day conference at St. Michael's Hospital on Saturday, September 17th, 2011, titled "OuCh - Outcomes following Concussion in Hockey". Join current and former hockey players, coaches, scientists, and doctors as they share our understanding of the impact of hockey-related brain injuries. For more information and to register- click here.
TOP FIVE REASONS TO REGISTER NOW FOR THE 2011 CANADIAN INJURY PREVENTION AND SAFETY PROMOTION CONFERENCE.
Click here to find out why you should register before July 1st for the conference.
A landmark event on concussions, injury and attitude in Canadian sport is set for November at a major injury prevention conference in November
The issue of head injuries in sport has exploded onto the Canadian scene in a big way in 2011. The media blitz of stories was spurred on by the National Hockey League's biggest star, Sidney Crosby, falling victim to a serious concussion during a stellar season. Further fuelling the discussions, scientists concluded after the death of former NHL enforcer Bob Probert at age 45, that he had chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a degenerative brain disease linked to repeated blows to the head. Whether sports fans or not, Canadians have clearly heard the message that it's time to address the serious issue of head injury in sports.
To continue reading this story click here.
NEW 2V1 Helmet Fitting Card!
New look same rules. Click here to download the file (it's bilingual too!)
!
Dr. Charles Tator speaks with WhereParentsTalk.com on concussions and head injuries
CIPSPC Update: Share your work with Canada by submitting an abstract - Deadline extended!
The April 15th APRIL 30th abstract deadline is fast approaching. Share your successes with your colleadues across Canada by submitting an abstract. Submissions are welcome from all areas across the intentional and unintentional injury prevention spectrum.
Click here to continue reading this post.
Click here to be directed to the site.
ThinkFirst Launches THINKFIRST SMART HOCKEY - March 29, 2011
ThinkFirst is proud to launch our new THINKFIRST SMART HOCKEY Video, presented by Scotiabank and Reebok CCM Hockey. The 25-minute THINKFIRST SMART HOCKEY video encourages 'respect' as a team-building attitude that can help current and future generations of players avoid injury and provides information on concussions and return to play. The video was developed and reviewed in consultation with a team of multidisciplinary experts including members of ThinkFirst Canada's Concussion Education and Awareness Committee, sports medicine doctors, neurosurgeons, physiotherapists, researchers and concussion experts in Canada. This video is available for online under the ThinkFirst Hockey programs tab.
Click here to view the full news release.
Dr. Charles Tator on TVO's The Agenda
Putting heads together on our National child and youth injury problem
Today the Harper Government announced funding to support injury prevention in sports and recreation among children and youth. Please see below to read the release.
ThinkFirst Canada / Pensez d'Abord Canada believes it is a child's right to engage in active and safe play which is why the charity is a strong advocate for health promotion and head protection in sports and recreation. ThinkFirst Canada is delighted with the Federal Government dedication of resources for injury prevention for Canadian children and youth. Injury is the leading cause of death for young Canadians. Traumatic Brain and spinal cord incidents are preventable injuries that can lead to death and disability.
Click here to continue reading ThinkFirst's release.
Harper Government announces $5 million over two years to support child and youth in sports and recreation injury prevention - Initiative to tackle head injury risks to children and youth in sports
The Honourable Gary Lunn, Minister of State (Sport), and Senator Larry Smith today announced funding to support injury prevention in sports and recreation among children and youth. With head injuries in professional sports in the news as of late, the Government of Canada is acting on a prevention strategy with a focus on young people involved in amateur sport. The announcement was made on behalf of the Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health.
Click here to continue reading.
ThinkFirst Canada and Safer Hockey
ThinkFirst Canada believes that concussion in ice hockey represents a serious health risk to participants at all levels. Helmets (with appropriate face protection) are protective against various head and face injuries and should be worn at all times by all players while participating; however, it is our position that only a combination of measures, including concussion identification and management education, targeted prevention efforts emphasizing respect for opponents and fair play, and strict rule enforcement, can effectively address the risks associated with concussions in hockey.
Careful surveillance of injury incidence, prevention efforts, and rule enforcement are also necessary to track and evaluate progress.
Click here to continue reading this article.
SAVE THE DATE! - Canadian Injury Prevention and Safety Promotion Conference: November 16-18, 2011.
Mark you calenders and start planning your trip to Vancouver. This year's safety promotion conference put on by ThinkFirst, SMARTRISK, Safe Kids, Safe communities and the Red Cross is focusing on the theme 'be visible' connecting evidence to action in injury, violence and suicide prevention.
ThinkFirst has put together an outstanding panel of speakers for the opening plenary session 'Shedding Light.' Moderated by multi-award winning Stephen Quinn, host of CBC radio show On the Coast, the panel boasts experts in the fields of injury prevention in sport, specifically with respect to hockey and concussion. The Shedding Light panel includes: Dr. Carolyn Emery, Dr. Jamie Kissick, Dahna Sanderson, Dr. Paul Dennis, Dr. Jason Mihalik, and Dr. Alison Macpherson.
For more information about the conference, to register, and abstract submission please visit injurypreventionconference.ca.
National Day of Remembrance For Road Crash Victims - November 17, 2010
Hockey Concussion Education Project - An Indepent Physicians' Study
On Monday November 1st, 2010 a conference was held to present the Hockey Concussion Educations Project's findings on the incidence, identification, and treatment of concussion in junior level hockey. The study's authors include Dr. Paul Echlin, Dr. Charles Tator, ThinkFirst Founder, and Dr. Michael Cusimano, ThinkFirst Director of Research.
Paul Echlin, MD, CCFP, Dip Sports Med, Dip ABFM, CAQSM, and lead author on the study says:
Concussion is a serious brain injury that can cause short and long term disability among our athletes. We can no longer turn our collective heads when a concussion occurs, and for the best as has happened in the past. Concussion is a social issue, as well as a serious and complicated medical diagnosis, and should be respected as one.
The important difference of this study is that the concussions were identified and diagnosed by independed (not affiliated with the involved teams) sports medicine physicians at the game, and these injured platers followed-up with the study physcician for serial office visits, evaluations and testing until they were medically cleared to return to play. This is our national game which we all love, and it is time to consider a cultural shift to address the prevention and treatment of this serious brain injury that is occuring at epidemic proportions.
To learn more about concussion please read this summary on concussion or read our series of FAQs regarding concussion.
To read the Hockey Concussion Education Project's study, please click here.
ThinkFirst Hockey Video - Coming Soon!
We all agree that Canadians are passionate about hockey. Many kids grow up idolizing favourite players and trying to emulate them on ice. This fast-paced, physical, and high intensity sport can get emotions running high for players and fans alike, but it's also a sport that can carry the risk of serious injury. Even when wearing protective gear, players can suffer serious head and spinal injuries, which is why it's important to play a smart game. That's why ThinkFirst Canada created the Smart Hockey: More Safety, More Fun! DVD, our most requested Sport Smart program to date. The full program is available here with the Smart Hockey: Digital booklet a supplement to the program for players and their families.
This year, ThinkFirst Canada teamed up with Reebok CCM and Scotiabank to create a new addition to the Smart Hockey Family. This new video encourages 'respect' as an attitude that can help us to avoid injury, and also focuses on concussion diagnosis, management and return-to-play guidelines. This video is a must for hockey players of all ages and can be considered required viewing for coaches and their teams.
THE HOCKEY CANADA CONCUSSION SEMINAR
Hockey Canada and The Dr. Tom Pashby Sports Safety Fund in association with ThinkFirst Canada invites coaches, trainers, safety people, therapists, team managers, parents, players (over the age of 16), physicians and medical professionals, to the Hockey Canada Concussion Seminar on Saturday November 13th, 2010. Please click here for the brochure or alternatively visit the 2010 Concussion Seminar webpage.
Blow by Blow: Sport Concussion Management
Gain important knowledge about concussion management from the School of Kinesiology and Health Science at York University. Blow by Blow: Sport Concussion Management, the Donald Sanderson Memorial Symposium on Sport Concussion will be held on Tuesday August 31st from 6:30 - 8:30pm at York Keele Campus. To read more about this important event and to register please follow the link: Blow by Blow: Sport Concussion Management.
2009 Annual Report
The 2009 Annual Report is now available for download. Please read through to have a look at all of ThinkFirst's success for 2009. Thank you for your continuing support.
One Voice Safer Canada - Collaborative study to advance the injury cause in Canada
As co-sponsors of the collaborative study to advance the injury cause in Canada, we want to express our collective support for One Voice - Safer Canada. We are proud of the excellent work being done across Canada both within our own organizations and by others. However, we believe that efforts to reduce the devastating burden of injury on individuals, families and society must be taken to a new level. We are grateful to the participants of study groups and embrace the Study's broad key findings and recommendations for change. First and foremost, we unanimously agree with the Study's conclusion that the status quo for injury in Canada is simply not an option. We endorse the view that a new national unifying entity is needed to mobilize support and gain momentum for injury prevention, elevate Canada's international ranking in the field and deepen and broaden access to the resources required to affect significant change. We agree that a new national entity would support the creation of injury as a distinct new health category in Canada. Injury today, in all its forms among all Canadians, is a seriously under-recognized public health issue. The Study calls for us to speak with one voice. While further clarification of the Study content is needed and further discussion is warranted to explore and refine the options and elements to achieve the outcomes envisioned, we are already taking some of the next steps on the path toward unifying efforts to generate support of our shared cause. We are mindful that this discussion extends well beyond the orbits of our four organizations. In fact, the success of this vision depends directly on the collaboration and participation of a broad range of people and organizations within the injury prevention sector. We are continuing on hearing your voice as we proceed with the next phase of this work. While the burden of injury is staggering, the possibilities for change are inspiring.
To read the study please follow the link: One Voice Safer Canada.
THE DR. CHARLES TATOR THINKFIRST CANADA LECTURESHIP 2010
On May 11th 2010, celebrated athlete and Order of Canada recipient, Rick Hansen delivered the inaugural ThinkFirst Canada lectureship alongside fellow Order of Canada recipient, neurosurgeon, and founder of ThinkFirst Canada, Dr. Charles Tator. Hansen and Tator addressed the significance of spinal cord injury in Canada and the need for prevention. The event was a great success and ThinkFirst looks forward to planning next year's lecture.
The event would not have been possible with out the generous help of our supporters. Special thanks to TD Financial Group for hosting the event and their continued support of ThinkFirst. As well, thank you to Beverly Thomson, co-host of Canada AM, for moderating the lecture.
ThinkFirst also congratulates all of the award winners from the evening: Sally Lockhart, Chris Parker, Fred Roberts, Robert Lewocz, Alan Convery and TD Bank Financial Group. We are grateful for your continued work in injury prevention.
Pictured above: Dr. Charles Tator, Rick Hanse, Beverly Thomson
Pictured below: Rick Hansen
Head injuries the most serious injury risk when kids are on wheels
Safe Kids Canada has just released an article on helmet use and safety just in time for the summer. The release includes quotes from ThinkFirst Founder Dr. Charles Tator. Click here to read the release in English or French.
Think about all that goes into a helmet - The ThinkFirst ThinkTank
Thought leaders in sports-related brain and head injury prevention programming, health legislation, advocacy, and helmet design are coming together on May 11th to showcase the latest research and strategies in injury prevention and helmet protection.
The ThinkTank will explore current debates surrounding helmet use for injury prevention.
Follow ThinkFirst on twitter!!
ThinkFirst is now on twitter. Stay up to date with injury prevention tips and resources, news, events and updates. Follow us by clicking below:
ThinkFirst about injury prevention
Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.
City of Ottawa Launches a New Program to Encourage Helmet Use
Thanks to the leadership and involvement of Dr. Michael Vassilyadi and ThinkFirst Ottawa, the City of Ottawa has launched a new program to encourage helmet use. To read more on the initiative click here. Congratulations to ThinkFirst Ottawa, Ottawa Public Health, Parks and Recreation and Cultural Services, for thinking first about Canadian Children and Youth.
In the news
!!!!TODAY MARCH 25, 2010 -Dr. Charles Tator, ThinkFirst Founder and concussion expert, will be answering questions on the NHL, headshots and concussions, live on-line for the Globe and Mail. Click here to follow the discussion or to submit your own questions.
The Winnipeg Free Press has just released a four part series on concussions. Part One: Heading for trouble: a concussion can mean it's safest to hang up the skates
Injury Alliance News Release
On March 4th, 2010 the Injury Alliance, comprised of Safe Communities Canada, Safe Kids Canada, SmartRisk and ThinkFirst, issued a news release congratulating the Federal Government on its commitment to a national injury prevention strategy for children. Click here to read the full article. Click here to read the article in French.
Goings-On
If we were to choose a word to describe our local chapters it would be busy. From training new volunteers in Saskatoon to preparing for Brain Day in Kingston to gearing up for Operation Headway in PEI, our chapters continue to help prevent injury across Canada. To see what's going on in your community and to learn about ThinkFirst's work at the local level click on the "Chapters" tab at the top of the page.
ThinkFirst congratulates the International Ice Hockey Federation for Thinking First
The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) has created a video with a simple, but important message: there are no clean hits to the head in hockey. ThinkFirst Canada couldn't agree more with IIHF President Rene Fasel when he says "there is no such thing as a clean hit to the head." To read more and to view the video Preventing Hits to the Head and Concussions, click here.
News Release
ThinkFirst Canada / Pensez d'Abord Canada congratulates Minister of Finance Jim Flaherty, Quebec Minister of Education, Recreation and Sports Michelle Courchesne, MP and former NHL legend Ken Dryden, and Former NHL player Paul Miller for Thinking First.
Click here to read the full release.
ThinkFirst Brain Day 2010!
ThinkFirst Brain Day, the fun and interactive half-day neuroanatomy program for grade 5 and 6 students, was a massive success in 2009 and is gearing up for the 2010 program. Last year ThinkFirst made Brain Day history by expanding the program to more than 386 classrooms in 11 cities across Canada. ThinkFirst educated more than 10,000 elementary students, almost doubling the number of students reached in 2008. ThinkFirst wants to keep the 2009 Brain Day momentum going for 2010, to get Brain Day into your classroom, please click here. To read a report on the effectiveness of the program, please click here. If you have any questions please contact the National Injury Prevention Program Manager, Sandy Wells, at sandyw[at]thinkfirst.ca.
Brain Day is featured in our latest issue of BrainWaves, ThinkFirst Canada's newsletter. To download a copy click on BrainWaves.
Op-Ed: Let's put our heads together to stop concussions
ThinkFirst Canada founder, Dr. Charles H. Tator, recently wrote an opinion piece entitled "Let's put our heads together to stop concussions" in response to remarks made at the December 2009 Regina conference on concussions in hockey. The article was published in the Toronto Star on Tuesday December 29, 2009. Click here to read the full article. (Francais)
BCIRPU 2010 Teleconference Series
BC Injury Research and Prevention Unit has a new teleconference series ready for 2010. All sessions take place on the third Thursday of the month at 10am Pacific Time. The first session will be held on January 21st, 2010. For topic descriptions and speaker biographies click here. You may register for individual sessions or a whole bunch at once.
Ontario Trillium Foundation Funds Collaboration Study by the Four National Injury Prevention Organizations
The Ontario Trillium Foundation, an agency of the Government of Ontario, has announced that it will fund a study into new ways and means for collaborating among Canada's four national injury prevention organizations.
Safe Communities Canada, Safe Kids Canada, SMARTRISK Foundation, and ThinkFirst Canada, the study's co-sponsors, seek 'a game changer' that will build their capacity as individual organizations to promote what works in preventing life altering injuries and injury-related deaths. To read more click here for English or here for French.
Concussion Education and Awareness Program
Joe Boland and the St. John's Minor Hockey Association in Newfoundland in participation with ThinkFirst Canada and ThinkFirst Newfoundland put together a Concussion Education and Awareness program that took place on December 15, 2009. Coaches, trainers, parents, and sports organizations received valuable information on the prevention, recognition, and treatment of concussion in sport. A big thank you goes out to Sgt. Joe Boland, Jack Casey, Nancy King, Dr. Fallah Maroun, Dr. Charles Tator, Andrew McKim, and Fran Kirby. For more information click here.
Consensus Statement on Concussion in Sport
The Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine recently published the Consensus Statement on Concussion in Sport following the 3rd international Conference on Concussion in Sport held November 2008 in Zurich. Please click below to download the PDF version of the article as well as the accompanying slides. For more information, please visit the Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine's website at www.cjsportmed.com
Consensus Statement on Concussion in Sport
Concussion in Sport PowerPoint Presentation
Announcing ThinkFirst Canada's New President, Mr. Jay A. Lefton
ThinkFirst is delighted to announce the election of Mr. Jay A. Lefton as President of ThinkFirst Canada. Jay, a senior partner in the Toronto office of Ogilvy Renault LLP, has been a longtime champion of ThinkFirst and child and youth injury prevention as a board and executive committee member. Jay is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Ontario Neurotrauma Foundation.
Jay’s vision for ThinkFirst includes growing brand recognition at the grassroots level by standardizing our programs, messaging, and look as well as drawing on new technologies to broaden our audience, most notably to include younger more tech-savvy generations. Jay wants to draw favourable attention towards those enterprises which are incorporating injury prevention guidelines into their corporate strategy, and will be calling upon governments at the municipal, provincial and federal levels to lead by example and enact policies and legislative reform which will underscore and implement key elements of a strategy focussed on the importance of injury prevention.
“I am very excited to lead an organization with such an important mission and one that’s close to my heart.” says Lefton. “I’m proud to be associated with Dr. Charles Tator and his vision for a future free of preventable injuries. I look forward to the work ahead.”
Jay also believes ThinkFirst should take an active lead in encouraging helmet use, advocating for helmet use and encouraging public debate and awareness. Given ThinkFirst’s expertise, and mandate, we are natural leaders in the sector on this important and growing issue.Waterloo Concussion Workshop October 31, 2009
ThinkFirst Canada was in Waterloo on Saturday October 31, 2009 from 9AM-1PM at the Forbes Room at RIM Park for a concussion workshop. Leading experts shared the latest information about concussion recognition, prevention and return to play strategies. This important workshop reached out to trainers, coaches, teachers, therapists, players and parents. By all accounts, it was a great success.
Welcome to our New Site Not Just a Pretty New Face
If you were a frequent visitor to the old ThinkFirst site, you'll notice a few changes. In addition to the fresh new look, information is now easier to access, more interactive, and we've added videos to enhance your experience. Were very excited not only by our cleaner, leaner appearance, but we are confident this new website will improve our ability to reach more people with our injury prevention work. We look forward to hearing your feedback, so please click here to drop us a line with your comments.Thank you to the fantastic team at Cundari in Toronto for their work on our new site!
Which Helmet for Which Activity
Special thanks to SmartCentres for making these important advertisements possible!
ThinkFirst - Ontario Ministry of Health Promotion Safe Sport Helmet Initiative
In 2007, the Ontario Ministry of Health Promotion selected ThinkFirst to administer a two-year, $400 000 province-wide helmet give-away program. ThinkFirst Canada is proud to announce that the third and final phase of the initiative has been successfully completed. During this final phase coupons with a $25 value were distributed to individual children and families identified as facing financial constraints to purchase a sport helmet. As of December 2008, 2216 coupons had been redeemed. Further, over 5400 helmets had been distributed for 8 different sports in the second phase of the MHP-ThinkFirst Ontario Safe Sport Helmet Initiative. From Thunder Bay to Windsor, community recreation programs are now equipped to keep their kids safe with this important protective gear. Thank you to the 36 Public Health Units who partnered with ThinkFirst to distribute the coupons and to the retailers who accepted the coupons from the public. The Safe Sport Helmet Initiative was launched in August 2007 in concert with the Provincial Injury Prevention Strategy. To learn more, please click here.
Testimonials:
Thank you very much!!!!!! We received the helmets yesterday. Great timing as we are in the midst of putting together an event for the public in April and they will be put to good use!
- Joanne Somlai, Sport for the Disabled Lambton
Please accept this note as a measure of our appreciation for the 28 youth and pre-school helmets that arrived today!... Our YMCA child care and recreation programs serve hundreds of children each year and we will all feel much safer knowing that we are doing our part to protect children who are participating in our activities.
- Linda Hunter, General Manager, Children's YMCA Northumberland
Award Winners Announced at 2009 AGM
At ThinkFirst’s June Annual General Meeting, we were pleased to present six awards to exceptional volunteers who are celebrated for their immense contributions to promoting child and youth injury prevention across Canada throughout 2008. ThinkFirst presented three Awards of Excellence, with gratitude to Michelle Gregory-Brooks, Tyler Keith, and Normand Newberry, one Public Education and Awareness Award to Sally Turney and Aviva Canada, and two Howard Perlmutter Awards for Distinguished Service to Dr. Karen Johnston and Paul Montador.
Michelle Gregory-Brooks the hardworking coordinator for ThinkFirst’s Hamilton Chapter is celebrated for her vision, hard work, and enthusiasm that has helped grow the Hamilton Chapter in 2008 with lots planned for 2009. Though new to the ThinkFirst family, she has already made a real impact in the Hamilton region through local initiatives and partnerships as well as bringing national programs like Brain Day to her community.
Normand Newberry has been a long time ThinkFirst board member and is currently the President of Pensez d’Abord Quebec. We celebrate and thank him for his many years of service.
Tyler Keith is has been the sole VIP for ThinkFirst Manitoba since its development in 1995. He has spoken to tens of thousands of children and youth throughout the province about the importance of injury prevention by sharing his personal story. ThinkFirst extends our heartfelt thanks to Tyler for his integral role in disseminating our life-saving message through schools and the broader community in the province of Manitoba.
Thank you to Sally Turney, together with the hundreds of Aviva volunteers who have rolled up their sleeves to help with our important cause in numerous ways from fundraising to marketing, to staffing booths at community events. We are grateful for Aviva’s tremendous work which has allowed us to reach thousands more Canadians.
Dr. Karen Johnston’s vision, leadership and focus helped ThinkFirst Canada grow and thrive as the first president to follow founder Dr. Charles Tator. Karen’s leadership helped elevate ThinkFirst’s prominence in Canada and internationally and we are ever grateful for her expert guidance during her two year tenure as President.
Paul Montador has provided ThinkFirst Canada with steadfast advice as one our longest standing board and executive committee members. His dedication to the cause of injury prevention and his leadership as chair of many ThinkFirst committees over the years has been vital to the growth and success of the organization.
Dr. Charles Tator Annual Lecture Series on Injury Prevention
To mark 15 years of brain and spinal cord injury prevention, and in particular to honour the immense contribution to the field made by our Founding President Dr. Charles Tator, ThinkFirst Canada has established the Dr. Charles Tator Annual Lecture Series on Injury Prevention. This lectureship series will tackle important issues in the field, similar to the valuable Summit on Head Protection ThinkFirst presented at the 2007 CIPSPC on the state of head injury and protection in Canada. During this full-day symposium, a distinguished panel of 10 experts took 130 participants through issues from incidence reporting and research to legislation and risk behaviours. We look forward to many more years of notable topics and speakers in what it sure to become a renowned lecture series