Congratulations to our 2021 Volunteer Award Winners!
The entire team at Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada would like to applaud the immense contribution that our volunteers provide coast to coast to the brain tumour community. Our volunteers are connected by a common goal, to end brain tumours. This goal creates a caring, compassionate, and collaborative community that we are so proud to be a part of. Congratulations to our 2021 Volunteer Award Winners!
David Kelly Award
The David Kelly Award for Community Service is awarded annually to one individual who exemplifies the spirit of community service in support of the brain tumour community in Canada. This award, previously the Chair’s award for Community Service, has been renamed in honour of brain tumour advocate and fundraising leader David Kelly, from Fredericton, New Brunswick, who passed away in October 2014.
Congratulations to our 2021 David Kelly Award Recipient, Danielle Froio/King!
Danielle Froio/King
Being a brain tumour patient herself, Danielle first shared her own personal story of HOPE with the foundation in 2015 after her first brain surgery. Her neurosurgeon encouraged her to share her story with the hope it might help even just ONE person. She can proudly say that 10 years and 3 brain surgeries later, not only has her story helped many others find treatment or an earlier diagnosis, but also to no longer feel alone. Danielle has become an active member of the brain tumour community through various fundraisers, walk initiatives, the SUPERKIDS program and webinars. Read more about Danielle Froio/King here.
Volunteer of Distinction Awards
Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada’s Volunteer of Distinction Award is given every year to volunteers who embody the spirit of volunteerism. They are leaders and ambassadors who give freely of their time and energy to help reach every Canadian affected by a brain tumour through support, education, information and research.
Congratulations to the recipients of the 2021 Volunteer of Distinction Awards: Alicia Grace, Jaclyn Cross, Cindy Wilson and Kathy Gélinas!
Alicia Grace
Alicia first started becoming involved in the Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada and meetings in 2019, and did her first in-person walk in Sudbury. In 2020, she met Danielle, another volunteer award winner who introduced her to Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada’s staff member Janic.
Jaclyn Cross
This year marks Jaclyn’s 7th year as a Volunteer Coordinator for the Brain Tumour Walk. Five of those years were on the Victoria Brain Tumour Walk Committee on the west coast. This year is her second year on the Halifax Brain Tumour Walk Committee on the east coast of Canada.
Cindy Wilson
A good friend of Cindy, Lesley Ann Senior, was diagnosed with a brain tumour. She had undergone many surgeries and had been a long-time member of the Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada’s Ajax Support Group. That is how Cindy became involved with our Ajax Support Group.
Kathy Gélinas
Kathy started volunteering for the Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada when the GOcervo program was launched in Quebec. Her fondest memory is the first meeting with the GOcervo families at the Quebec Aquarium.
Health Care Professional Award
The Health Care Professional Award was created in 2020 to recognize individuals in the healthcare field that have shown exemplary and compassionate care to the brain tumour community. As an organization, we rely on healthcare professionals to help guide our supports, reach those who are in need, and collaborate on important resources and programs.
Congratulations to our 2021 Health Care Professional Award recipients!
Dr. Valérie Larouche
From the first meetings with our Foundation, Dr. Larouche understood how we could make a difference to help support patients with brain tumours and their families. That is why she takes the time to present our organization’s information and send the documentation to each new family she meets in pediatric neuro-oncology.
Read more about Dr. Larouche.
Dr. Adrianna Ranger
Dr. Ranger has long been a friend of Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada. A past board member, past Chair of Research, current Research Committee member and well respected pediatric neurosurgeon, Adrianna not only cares for our pediatric patients and their families, she attends our research symposiums, judges our student competitions and provides guidance to under graduate students.
Read more about Dr. Ranger.
