Project Description

Challenge

While cerebral palsy (CP) researchers continue to make meaningful scientific discoveries, there have been barriers to communicating those findings to other scientists, clinicians, families and the public.

Project Summary

The Cerebral Palsy Demonstration Project has been helping to address this issue with the Knowledge Translation and Exchange (KT) Strategy. The KT team has worked to bridge the knowledge gap between discoveries and their use by practitioners, policymakers, communities, and families.

Result

In Cycle II, the Knowledge Translation team continued to disseminate information by launching new social media campaigns and targeted newsletters and holding the CP in Motion conference.

They also built on the Cerebral Palsy Canada Network, a national network of cerebral palsy associations, clinicians, and researchers. Network funding supported the creation of the CP Canada Network website. The Network is also actively working on the development of a policy strategy at the federal level. This strategy would help increase research funding and resources for children with CP and other neurodevelopmental disabilities.

The KT team also focused on supporting active living for youth with disabilities and helping to address the problem of finding appropriate fitness and leisure activities in their communities. Dr. Annette Majnemer and Dr. Keiko Shikako-Thomas at McGill University developed “Jooay.” Jooay is a mobile and web-based app. The app helps inform families of sport, arts, camps and other activities adapted to children and youth with disabilities available in their area.

The app now includes more than 1,500 activities in Quebec, Ontario, BC, Saskatchewan, Alberta and Nova Scotia. Jooay is conducting a national survey seeking input on ways to improve the user experience of the app. A new version of the app (2.0) with more interactive components is currently underway.

Funding

This subproject was part of the larger “Cerebral Palsy Discovery Program.” The CP program was funded a total of $1,281,909 from the Kids Brain Health Network and $2,296,662 from participating partners.

Team

Dr. Annette Majnemer, McGill University
Dr. Keiko Shikako-Thomas, McGill University