Our vision is: To find the cause of and a cure for brain tumours while improving the quality of life for those affected. Research is the key to achieving our vision.
Trevor Harrison was a lifelong political volunteer and staffer. He was policy-driven and pragmatic, and a beacon of optimism in an often cynical profession. His legacy is one of inclusivity, kindness and respect.
At 24 years old, Trevor had a grand mal seizure and collapsed while playing football. He was diagnosed with an astrocytoma brain tumour. Trevor lived with his tumour for another 12 years. This time was spent contributing to Canadian public policy, working for candidates he believed in, and making lifelong friends, including his wife.
To honour Trevor’s legacy, his family has created this Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada student scholarship in his name. The scholarship aims to provide financial support to politically engaged students, who have also been impacted by a brain tumour and who want to make positive contributions to public policy and/or politics through civic engagement, in their pursuit of post-secondary education. Throughout his life and the health challenges he faced, Trevor carried himself with dignity, grace, thoughtfulness, and professionalism. Trevor was always thinking of others; this scholarship seeks to embody his spirit and vision for a better Canada.
It awards $2,000 to the successful candidate.
2025 Applications are now closed.
“I have written and re-written this statement several times, because words fail to convey what receiving the Trevor Harrison Civic Engagement scholarship means to me. I am truly honoured to be this year’s recipient. I am accepting this award not only on my behalf, but in memory of my mother, Phyllis Simon. She was a friend to many, a lifelong disabilities advocate, and a middle-aged college graduate, whose glioblastoma journey ended in December of 2022.
To receive this scholarship not only eases my financial burden, but helps me carry on the legacies of Trevor Harrison and my mother, Phyllis Simon, two advocates that held that same genuine desire to kindly create change in a less-than-kind world. Though I miss her more than I can say, I know that somewhere out there, she’s cheering me on!”
“I am most grateful to be the recipient of the 2024 Trevor Harrison Civic Engagement Scholarship. This award is not only a significant source of assistance but also represents the opportunity to fulfill my aspirations. My mother passed away after her surgery for a medulloblastoma when I was 18. She was my greatest supporter and was always eager to see me graduate. It is deeply painful that she only saw me make it to my second semester of post-secondary. Her memory motivates me to complete my degree and this award will support me in doing so.
I aim to honour Mr. Trevor Harrison’s legacy and promote civic engagement amongst Canadians. My goal is to continue writing my story until I find its happy ending – one that my mother would have been proud of. I sincerely thank the Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada and the Harrison Family for helping me unfold its chapters with this scholarship.”
“Receiving the Trevor Harrison Civic Engagement Scholarship from the Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada is an immense honour and deeply meaningful to me. This scholarship not only provides financial support for my pursuit of higher education but also serves as a profound recognition of the challenges my family and I have faced due to my father’s battle with a brain tumour. It reinforces my commitment to making a positive impact on public policy and politics, just as Mr. Trevor Harrison did throughout his life. This award empowers me to be a voice for those affected by brain tumours, advocating for their needs and raising awareness of their struggles. I am truly grateful for this opportunity and honoured to be the inaugural recipient of this award. I am determined to honour Mr. Trevor’s legacy by working tirelessly towards a better Canada for all.”
