Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital

Meet Calvin Ngan, our research manager, PROPEL Lab From an early age, Calvin was inspired by a deep desire to serve others—a purpose that would shape his career. His passion for engineering, design and research led him to Holland Bloorview, where he and his team are designing prosthetic and orthotic solutions for children with disabilities. Calvin and his team are integrating digital tools into clinical practice and developing solutions like a gait training mobile app to advance prosthetic and orthotic technologies. But beyond the technology, what drives him most is seeing the lasting impact of their innovations—whether it’s a child running with a new prosthetic knee or the joy of someone seeing their full arm for the first time. Read more https://bit.ly/3YdVcuO #TeamHB #WorkingatHollandBloorview #FacesofTransformation

April is “celebrating diversity month”! As we acknowledge diversity month at Holland Bloorview, we are reminded of the incredible strength and beauty that comes not only from embracing our differences but learning about the experiences of others. This month is an opportunity for us to reflect on the values that unite us and to honor the diverse voices that enrich our community. We are proud to support our clients and families and staff in meaningful ways, whether by accommodating different cultural practices, acknowledging dates of faith-based significance, or creating opportunities to participate in events - Lorraine Thomas, manager, IDEAA Learn more about our work of building an inclusive, diverse, equitable, accessible and anti-racist environment https://bit.ly/4c85Iso #DiversityMonth

After more than 10 years of exceptional leadership, Julia Hanigsberg will be retiring from her role as president and CEO of Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, effective December 31, 2025. Julia’s leadership has been transformative – forging strong partnerships to expand system capacity, while driving advocacy and change for vulnerable children and youth. Her decade-long tenure guided Holland Bloorview through the development of two strategic plans; brought unprecedented awareness to ableism through anti-stigma campaigns; led the hospital through the COVID-19 pandemic; and oversaw the largest research expansion in our 125-year history. We express our deepest gratitude to Julia for the compassion, resilience and dedication she has shown the Holland Bloorview community over the years, and we wish her all the best on this next chapter. Her impact will be felt for generations to come. Read the announcement: https://lnkd.in/gdiZjuNC #Leadership #Healthcare #Pediatrics #EDI #disability

On this #WorldAutismAwarenessDay, new research from the Bloorview Research Institute (BRI) highlights how virtual cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) can effectively reduce anxiety in autistic children — and improve access to care for families across Ontario. The study, led by Dr. Jessica Brian (lead author), psychologist and senior clinician scientist at the BRI, and Dr. Evdokia Anagnostou (principal investigator), vice-president of research and director of the BRI, found that virtual delivery of the Facing Your Fears (FYF) program resulted in significant improvements in anxiety symptoms, strong caregiver satisfaction and broad reach to underserved communities. This work demonstrates the potential of virtual care — and shows how this model can be scaled across Canada using existing infrastructure. 👉 Dr. Jessica Brian answers key questions about the study and its impact: https://lnkd.in/g5jm8Jpk #AutismAcceptanceMonth #PediatricResearch Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital

As part of Holland Bloorview’s strategic plan, we’re committed to leading with a lens on environmental sustainability. Toronto Academic Health Science Network recently released its inaugural climate & sustainability report, which highlights the efforts of 13 academic hospitals affiliated with the University of Toronto to prioritize sustainability and climate action. Standout areas for us include proactive risk management via sustainable procurement strategies and management of resources, as well as preparation for extreme weather events that may affect supply chains. “We are early in our journey of implementing a focused and impactful environmental sustainability strategy,” said Stewart Wong, vice president, communications, strategy and sustainability at Holland Bloorview. “Under the leadership of our environmental sustainability task force, we have already begun implementing plans to reduce waste, use less energy and lower water usage across the organization.” https://bit.ly/4hBRLFa #EarthMonth #sustainabilty

We look forward to this crucial debate

This National Engineering Month, we’re reflecting on our commitment to training the next generation of researchers in childhood disability and developmental differences—researchers like Ammara Faiyaz, whose work in biomedical engineering and neuromodulation at the PROPEL Lab is helping kids with disabilities gain independence. “More than anything, being at Holland Bloorview has shown me that the best ideas come from proximity to the people they serve. It’s one thing to test assistive technologies in a lab. It’s another to witness firsthand what independence looks like for a child learning to walk, or what mobility means for a family,” says Ammara. “Being surrounded by this environment is a daily reminder that science and engineering are, at their core, about people. And that’s a privilege I don’t take for granted.”

Excited to share this new animated series by TVOKids launch today, which features client ambassador Jackie Palmer-McPherson! She plays five-year-old Polly in Polly Can Do, a new series that follows the everyday playtime adventures of a fun and engaging girl living with cerebral palsy. Read more about how Jackie is helping to bring authentic representation of disability in the media:

Congratulations goes to the residents and fellows at our developmental pediatrics subspecialty program for sharing their impactful scholarly research projects at the 19th annual Roszel Research Day! The program, funded by the province and donors, is the largest of its kind in Canada. It’s training the next generation of academic developmental pediatricians – and addressing the acute shortage of developmental pediatricians who specialize in treating children with disabilities. In Canada, there are 850,000 children living with disabilities or developmental differences, yet there are only 150 developmental pediatricians who specialize in this area, with a number set to retire over the next few years. Here are this year’s trainees, who have come from across Canada as well as Kuwait and Kenya to train as academic developmental pediatricians in the two-year program: • Dr. Jillian McCarthy, first-year subspecialty resident in developmental pediatrics • Dr. Courtney Larsen, a first-year subspecialty resident in developmental pediatrics • Dr. Lilian Kerubo Agufana, is a first year developmental pediatrics clinical fellow • Dr. Ayedh Alhajri, a second-year subspecialty resident in developmental pediatrics • Dr. Madison Links, a second-year subspecialty resident in developmental pediatrics Congratulations, everyone! Read more: https://bit.ly/4kUyx0r

The Bloorview Research Institute is pleased to co-host a community event with CIHR Institute of Human Development, Child and Youth Health (IHDCYH) on April 7. As part of this event, we are organizing a panel discussion featuring BRI scientists, IHDCYH Institute Advisory Board members, and a Youth Advisory Council member. This panel will explore: - the role of learning health systems (LHS) in advancing health equity - how data can be leveraged to promote equitable outcomes - the challenges and opportunities in integrating health equity within LHS frameworks - the role of partnerships and patient engagement in co-designing more inclusive research and healthcare systems - lessons from global LHS applications and real-world case studies Scan the QR code to learn more and register. #healthequity #learninghealthsystems Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital