Dr. Charles Tator, our founder, and his committed colleagues, understood then and now that prevention is the only cure for serious brain and spinal cord injuries in this country.
ThinkFirst Canada is a national organization, and we have chapters in every province. We work with our chapters and partners to increase literacy and safety promotion through schools, sports and recreation-based programming, concussion education awareness, and helmet promotion. We develop our programming with an evidence base and with multi-disciplinary committees, and we deliver our message with VIPs, voices of injury prevention, who are injury survivors.
I am delighted and honoured to have Tyler here with me today. He is a VIP with ThinkFirst Ottawa, our chapter here. Tyler is one of our local heroes. He just this week was awarded for being a child activist in the region, and he has spoken to over 8,000 people in the past two years, sharing his story and his life-saving message.
I'm also delighted to have here with me today Dr. Alison Macpherson, who is a leader in the injury research sector in Canada, and a professor at York University. She will share with us some information about the status of injury in Canada.