NHCC 2022 Change-Maker Award recipient has passion for helping dystonia community self-advocate
Toronto ON – May 24, 2023: Neurological Health Charities Canada has awarded its Change-Maker Award to a young woman whose journey as a disability activist began with her birth.
Sarah Anderson of Winnipeg received the 2022 NHCC Change-Maker Award for her advocacy as a University of Winnipeg student for increased accessibility for people with disabilities. She spearheaded the More Than a Door Campaign at the university as accessibility director of the Students’ Association Board of Directors.
The campaign focused on increasing the number of automatic doors on campus. So far, the campaign has successfully installed more than 70 automatic doors in 18 campus buildings, enabling students and staff living with mobility issues more independence as they navigate the campus
For more details, go to NHCC Change-Maker Awards
About the Change-Maker Awards
Since 2011, NHCC has recognized outstanding contributions and leadership in inclusion, innovation and integration for the benefit of Canadians living with neurological conditions. The initial awards presented in 2011 were focussed at organizations. In 2013, NHCC expanded the criteria to recognize individuals who have made outstanding contributions to benefit people living with neurological conditions in Canada. In 2022, the award criteria were further updated to ensure that individuals living with neurological conditions and caregivers can be honoured equally. Another update was the inclusion of individual health care and research professionals as potential honourees as well as organizations.
Change-Maker Awards have been presented to:
2011
- Baycrest Health Sciences – organization award
- Bell Canada Mental Health Initiative – organization award
- Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital – organization award
- The Globe and Mail – organization award (special mention to André Picard)
2013
- Jim Mann, Surrey, BC – individual award
- Ontario Brain Institute – organization award
2017
- Casey Kidson, Kingston, ON – individual award
2018
- Enrico Quilico, Montreal, QC – individual award
- Jenna , Toronto – caregiver award
- Shaunacy De Jong, Sauble Beach, ON – caregiver, Future Champion
2019
- Shirley Lee, Toronto, ON – individual award
- Sprague Plato, Ottawa, ON – individual award
2020
- Chantale Boivin, Longueuil, QC – individual award
- Halina (Lin) Haag, Kitchener, ON – individual award
2021
- Samira Omar, Toronto, ON – caregiver award
2022
- Sarah Anderson, Winnipeg, MB- individual award
Award categories
Individuals: Up to two awards in total may be given to individuals in any given year drawn from two categories :
- Change-Maker Award | Individual) – individual living with a neurological condition
- Change-Maker Award | Caregiver – caregiver of an individual living with neurological condition
Health care and/or research professionals or supportive organizations: One award may be given to a health care and/or research professional or to an organization in any given year The recipients cannot be members of NHCC since this is an opportunity to recognize and encourage external health care and/or research professionals organizations that have demonstrated principles and actions exemplified in the NHCC mandate, mission and vision.
For more information about the Change-Maker Awards contact info@mybrainmatters.ca.