With more than 60,000 serving members in the Canadian Armed Forces, 20,000 members in the Primary Reserve Forces, and three-quarters of a million living veterans, the number of Canadians who have faced unique risks, exposures and experiences in the service of our country is awe-inspiring. In return, they deserve the highest standards of health protection, prevention and care.
To address this compelling need, the Queen’s-based Canadian Institute for Military and Veterans’ Health Research (CIMVHR) is harnessing our national research capacity through a growing network of academic researchers from more than 30 universities across the country.
Thanks to three grants announced in November 2014 – $5-million from the federal government, a matching $5-million grant from the True Patriot Love Foundation, and a $500,000 gift from General Dynamics Canada – that quest is moving closer to completion.
“We are honoured to be entrusted as the organization to maximize health research that will serve those who serve us,” says Dr. Alice Aiken, CIMVHR Director and Professor of Rehabilitation Therapy at Queen’s.
Jointly launched in 2010 by Queen’s University and the Royal Military College of Canada, CIMVHR is built on a strong foundation of committed partnerships with military, veterans, government, academia, industry and groups of caring Canadians who provide much-needed financial support. Over the past four years, CIMVHR has worked to engage existing academic research resources, facilitate new research, increase research capacity and foster knowledge translation.
Today, more than 1,000 experts in this field dedicate their time to researching the mental, physical and social health needs of Canadian military personnel, veterans and their families. The impact of their work is apparent in the breadth of evidence-based programs and treatments now available across Canada to people with post-traumatic stress disorder and other debilitating conditions related to their military service. In addition, the Institute is frequently consulted when new health-related government policies are being formulated.
This important work is showcased each November at the CIMVHR annual forum, where thought leaders exchange ideas, share insights, learn and collaborate: it has become the premier event for stakeholders and beneficiaries around the world. CIMVHR is also the facilitator for an international consortium of researchers from the US, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Israel and a number of other countries.
One of Queen’s most ardent proponents of the Institute is our new Chancellor, Jim Leech, MBA’73. A former officer in the Canadian military, he was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2012 for his involvement with the True Patriot Love Foundation, which supports Canadian military families and is a CIMVHR benefactor.
Key findings of CIMVHR researchers go directly into the hands of clinicians, program developers, researchers and policy makers, who can and do have a direct impact on the lives of our military personnel, veterans and their families. By addressing the unique needs of these Canadians, CIMVHR is helping increase the level of health support for to those who have served their country, and who need it most.
