Project 466239

Stroke affects Canadians of every age, sex, and ethnicity from all over Canada. Stroke is a disruption of blood flow to the brain, which can result in physical and cognitive impairments and is the leading cause of disability in adults. Importantly, people in certain ethnic communities (ie. Indigenous communities), people in rural communities and women are at highest risk for stroke, but are also least likely to benefit from advancements in care made from clinical trials. Ther is an urgent need for more stroke experts to expand our ability to conduct high quality clinical trials in places outside of major cities and with people from different ethnic backgrounds, to improve stroke rehabilitation and recovery for all Canadians affected by stroke. This platform will bring together doctors, scientists and companies to create new training programs and career opportunities for the next generation of stroke clinical trials experts. We will offer fellowships, mentoring programs, virtual courses, and internships with businesses, with a particular focus on developing expertise in new technologies to assist survivors with independent living and engaging trainees from many backgrounds and cultural groups to strengthen our clinical community with diverse perspectives. This platform will be governed by a highly dedicated and diverse group of doctors and researchers from across Canada and led by Dr. Jodi Edwards, an Early Career Researcher with a track record of leadership for other large-scale platform, collaborations with people from multiple different disciplines, and a strong commitment to equity and diversity. The Training Advisory Committee includes two champions of equity, diversity and inclusion, trainees, two stroke patients, and an Indigenous representative. Together, they will transform stroke training in Canada to create a new generation of clinical trial leaders that will better serve the diverse needs of Canadians living with the effects of stroke.