Donna Thomson

Parent Advocate, Author

Donna Thomson is a caregiver, author and educator.  She is the mother of two grown children, one of whom has cerebral palsy and medical complexity. Donna is the co-author (with Dr. Zachary White) of The Unexpected Journey of Caring: The Transformation of Loved One to Caregiver and author of The Four Walls of My Freedom: Lessons I’ve Learned From a Life of Caregiving. Donna has served as a Board Member and Vice-Chair of Kids Brain Health Network. She is a co-founder and co-director of The Family Engagement in Research Course (CanChild) and the facilitator of the Caregiving Essentials Course, both at McMaster University. Donna holds the Vickie Cammack Trailblazer Award from the Canadian Centre for Caregiving Excellence and the inaugural Frank Gavin Patient Engagement Leadership Award from Child-Bright.