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Dear Kids Brain Health Champions,
In this month’s edition, we’re excited to share stories and important updates:
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Network News and Highlights
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Canadian network invests in solutions for children and adolescents’ brain health
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Kids Brain Health Network (KBHN) and Brain Canada, in partnership with other Canadian organizations, are investing nearly $6.5 million to advance solutions that improve the lives of children and youth with neurodevelopmental disabilities.
Approximately 10% of children and youth in Canada live with a neurodevelopmental disability such as autism spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy or fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. While early identification approaches, interventions and supports for families are being developed at a rapid pace, many do not reach those who need them most. KBHN exists to catalyze the implementation of tangible solutions for children and families.
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Game on for Dino Island: Therapeutic ‘brain exercise’ for children with neurodevelopmental disabilities gets a $100,000 funding boost
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Kids Brain Health Foundation has received a grant from The Molson Foundation to expand the innovative video game to more age groups and communities.
Like a lot of kids, Noah loves playing video games. In one, he gets to enter a world of dinosaurs, where he can earn tokens while encountering a series of cognitive exercises designed to improve attention, memory and self-regulation. After he started playing, Noah’s teachers noticed that he paid more attention in school, and his grades improved. Beyond the classroom, Noah also has better control of his emotions and credits the same strategies he learned in the game.
Those are significant achievements for Noah, who was diagnosed with ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder). He’s among the 1,000-plus children who’ve already benefitted from Dino Island, a therapeutic tablet-based game delivered with the support of an adult within his circle of care, that improves common executive functioning and attention.
Now, a $100,000 grant from The Molson Foundation to the Kids Brain Health Foundation (KBHF) will help the Dino Island team to expand the program.
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KBHN advisor earns leadership award for driving change
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Navigating neurodevelopmental services is complex, KBHN-Mitacs awardee aims to implement a program for families
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KBHN and Mitacs have awarded Dr. Samantha Noyek funding to study the impact of a program designed to support families of children with neurodevelopmental concerns who are early on in their experience with receiving services.
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KBHN at Children’s Healthcare Canada 2025 Annual Conference
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From left to right: KBHN CEO Geoff Pradella, COO Kim van der Hoek, Advisor Dr. James Reynolds, Chief Scientist Dr. Jennifer Zwicker, and Implementation and Programs Director Corey Fortier.
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KBHN attended the Children’s Healthcare Canada 2025 Annual Conference held April 14-15 in Ottawa.
Dr. Jennifer Zwicker, KBHN Chief Scientist, co-led a session with Brittany Finlay on “Right-sizing Childhood Disability Services,” highlighting critical gaps and opportunities across Canada. They presented the Disability Policy in Canada: Provincial and Territorial Report, developed with Dr. Lucyna Lach and Samuel Ragot, and shaped by input from families, caregivers, and partners nationwide. The report maps Canadian policies against key articles of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, offering a powerful framework to assess how well current systems uphold the rights of children with disabilities.
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Dr. Jessica Brian receives Empowered Kids Ontario Award of Excellence
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From left to right: KBHN COO Kim van der Hoek, Dr. Jessica Brian, and KBHN CEO Geoff Pradella
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KBHN proudly congratulates Dr. Jessica Brian, who was recently awarded the Empowered Kids Ontario Award of Excellence—the association’s highest honour recognizing exceptional contributions to the child development sector in Ontario and across Canada.
A Senior Clinician Scientist at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital and Associate Professor at the University of Toronto, Dr. Brian has long been a trailblazer in early autism detection and intervention. With support from KBHN, she has led the national expansion of Social ABCs, an evidence-based program that empowers families to support young children showing early signs of developmental differences—even before formal diagnosis.
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Dr. Grant Bruno honoured with National Reconciliation Award for Indigenous Health Leadership
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KBHN proudly celebrates Program Advisory Committee member Dr. Grant Bruno, who has received the 2025 Truth and Reconciliation Advancement Award from Children’s Healthcare Canada. The award recognizes his groundbreaking work advancing Indigenous children’s health and well-being.
A nêhiyaw (Plains Cree) from Samson Cree Nation, Dr. Bruno is an Assistant Professor of pediatrics and academic lead in Indigenous health research at WCHRI. He leads the Ispimihk Awâsisak (Sky Children) program, a community-led initiative addressing health disparities among First Nations children in Treaty 6 Territory.
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Empowering complex families keynote with Dr. Maude Champagne
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KBHN-funded researcher Dr. Maude Champagne delivered a Breakfast Keynote at the 2025 EKO Spring Symposium in Toronto on April 17. Drawing from her research, clinical experience, and personal journey, Dr. Champagne emphasized the importance of trauma-informed care, caregiver well-being, and community support for families raising children with neurodevelopmental disabilities. She highlighted the urgent need to address trauma in marginalized communities—particularly those affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD)—as central to building inclusive and responsive care systems. Dr. Champagne is currently the Clinical Lead for Aggression toward Family/Caregivers in Childhood & Adolescence (AFCCA) at Interwoven Connections.
Dr. Champagne was introduced by KBHN CEO Geoff Pradella, with the Network serving as the Program Partner sponsor for the Breakfast Keynote.
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Disability support reform needed
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Children with disabilities and their families in Manitoba are facing critical gaps in accessing support. In this opinion piece, researchers Brittany Finlay and Dr. Jennifer D. Zwicker (Chief Scientist of KBHN) shed light on systemic barriers within Manitoba’s Children’s disABILITY Services program — and call for meaningful reform. With new budget investments announced, this is a pivotal moment to demand real change.
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Opinion: B.C. must put rights of kids at the centre of its disability policies
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KBHN Chief Scientist Dr. Jennifer Zwicker and DiPo’s Brittany Finlay published an opinion piece on The Province about how British Columbia must put rights of kids at the centre of its disability policies. One parent in a new report likened trying to access support for their child to “floating around in the dark, trying to figure out what’s next” in a system rife with hurdles.
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Learn about KidsAction Coaching with Dr. Stephanie Glegg
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Join us for a free online presentation on May 20 (12–1 PM PST) to learn how KidsAction Coaching is helping children with exceptionalities thrive in community-based physical activity programs.
Presentation Title: KidsAction Coaching: Community Physical Activity Programs Tailored for You
Presented by Dr. Stephanie Glegg, pediatric occupational therapist, implementation scientist, and parent of a neurodivergent child, this session will introduce a set of practical, evidence-based tools for families and program leaders—including over 140 adaptable activities, training resources, and strategies for inclusion and cultural safety.
Dr. Glegg will also present at the ConnectTra Society’s Abilities Expo on June 9—don’t miss these opportunities to get involved!
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Kids Brain Health Network, situated at Simon Fraser University (SFU) Burnaby, respectfully acknowledges the unceded traditional territories of the Coast Salish peoples, including the səl̓ilw̓ətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh), kʷikʷəƛ̓əm (Kwikwetlem), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish) and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) Nations.
Le Réseau pour la santé du cerveau des enfants, situé au sein de l’Université Simon Fraser (SFU) de Burnaby, reconnaît respectueusement les territoires traditionnels non cédés des peuples Salish de la Côte, notamment les nations səl̓ilw̓ ətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh), kʷikʷəƛ̓ əm (Kwikwetlem), Sḵwx̱ wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish) et xʷməθkʷəy̓ əm (Musqueam).
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