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Research Canada has announced its Leadership in Advocacy Awardees who will be honoured on November 21, 2023 at a reception hosted by Senator Mohamed-Iqbal Ravalia at the Senate of Canada.

The 2023 Individual Leadership in Advocacy Awardee is Dalhousie researcher and professor Dr. Marsha Campbell-Yeo.

The Research Canada Leadership in Advocacy Award recognizes outstanding champions of health research and health innovation advocacy. Annually, Research Canada names an Individual Leadership in Advocacy awardee and Organization Leadership in Advocacy awardee.

A certified neonatal nurse practitioner, Dr. Campbell-Yeo a is a professor with the Dalhousie School of Nursing cross-appointed to the departments of Pediatrics, Psychology & Neuroscience. She is also a clinician scientist at the IWK Health Centre in Nova Scotia.

Dr. Marsha Campbell-Yeo leads research examining maternal and parent led interventions to improve outcomes of medically at-risk newborns and their families specifically related to pain, stress and neurodevelopment. Her research findings and their real-world impacts have inspired a number of practice changes and initiatives to improve preterm infant health nationally and internationally.

According to Research Canada, recognition of Canadian health research—the kind that attracts the necessary public and political support—often comes from the dedicated and tireless efforts of health research advocates who educate policymakers, the media and the public about the social and economic benefits of health research and its promise of future cures and, importantly, a better quality of life for all Canadians.

“This year’s Awardees have gone above and beyond what is expected of health research advocates,” says Dr. Tarik Möröy, Chair of Research Canada and Director of the Hematopoiesis and Cancer Research Unit at the Montréal Clinical Research Institute. “Dr. Campbell-Yeo is a fierce advocate and dedicated scientist who has been nationally and internationally instrumental in improving the outcomes of medically at-risk newborns and their families. She has changed the lives of patients for generations to come by successfully advocating for increased parent engagement in clinical research, premature newborn research and so much more.”

Research Canada has also announced that the 2023 Organization Leadership in Advocacy Awardee is the Schlegel-UW Research Institute for Aging (RIA), a charitable, non-profit organization at the University of Waterloo that enhances the quality of life and care for older adults through research, education, and practice.

“Our sector is fortunate to have many highly skilled and dedicated individuals and organizations working tirelessly to ensure that health research and innovation are supported by Canadians and their leaders,” says Ms. Deborah Gordon-El-Bihbety, President and CEO of Research Canada. “It is the life-changing nature of our work that makes this activity so special and our champions so cherished.”

“Dr. Marsha Campbell-Yeo advocates for the health of our most vulnerable – medically at-risk newborns – and the wellbeing of the families who love them,” said Dr. Alice Aiken, Vice President Research and Innovation at Dalhousie University. “It is noble work that is having significant real-world impacts for infants in Canada and around the world.”

About Research Canada
Research Canada is a national alliance dedicated to increasing investments in health research through collaborative advocacy and engaging government, academia, industry and non-profit sectors to build support for long-term health research funding. For more information, visit rc-rc.ca.