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AHKC partners with CHEO-Research Institute and ParticipACTION
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Toronto (ONTARIO) February 21, 2008 - Active Healthy Kids Canada is pleased to announce it has entered into strategic alliances with the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute - Healthy Active Living and Obesity Research Group (CHEO-HALO) and ParticipACTION.
Active Healthy Kids Canada is focused on national leadership and advocacy to increase physical activity for children and youth where they live, learn and play. Through the annual publication of Canada’s Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth, the organization seeks to advance knowledge and use evidence-informed communications to influence decision-makers who can impact physical activity opportunities for Canadian children and youth. The strategic alliances with CHEO-HALO and ParticipACTION will allow Active Healthy Kids Canada to build and enhance its foundation as a credible knowledge source and to effectively disseminate evidence-informed communications across the sector.
CHEO-HALO will serve as the Strategic Research/Knowledge Partner. Working with Active Healthy Kids Canada’s research group, CHEO-HALO will lead the coordination, data collection and data analysis necessary to develop the Report Card. In addition, CHEO-HALO will provide access to the latest research findings and act as Active Healthy Kids Canada’s representative at international/national conferences and key events that will help inform the development of the Report Card.
Dr. Mark Tremblay, who currently leads the CHEO Research Institute’s Healthy Active Living and Obesity Research Group, will serve as Chief Scientific Officer of Active Healthy Kids Canada. "I am very excited to be able to combine my experiences with both CHEO-HALO and Active Healthy Kids Canada - two organizations who are doing outstanding work to get our children and youth active," says Mark Tremblay.
As Strategic Communications partner, ParticipACTION, the national voice for physical activity and sport participation in Canada, will provide communications support for the Report Card and other communications initiatives, as required.
"ParticipACTION is proud to be a part of this strategic alliance,
as each party brings its unique strength. This is an excellent example of how organizations can work together to promote getting Canadians physically active," says Kelly Murumets, President and CEO of ParticipACTION.
To support its next phase of growth, Active Healthy Kids Canada has appointed Dr. Art Quinney as Chair of the Board and Michelle Brownrigg as CEO.
Dr. Quinney is Senior Advisor to the Provost and Professor Emeritus in the Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation at the University of Alberta. He is an exercise physiologist, a consultant to professional and national sports teams, and serves on several national and provincial sport and fitness-related boards.
Ms. Brownrigg brings over 15 years experience in physical activity and health promotion. She has held senior management positions with Ophea and Active Healthy Kids Canada, where she was responsible for strategic /operational planning and public affairs. She joins the team having been an independent consultant supporting the Laidlaw Foundation and Concerned Children’s Advertisers, and will continue as faculty member with the York University, Faculty of Health. Michelle holds a Master of Science in Community Health and Exercise Science from the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Medicine
and a Bachelor of Science from the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Physical Education and Health.
Active Healthy Kids Canada will share office space with ParticipACTION. Effective immediately, the organization is located at 2 Bloor Street East, Suite 1804, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 1A8; 416-913-0238.
ABOUT ACTIVE HEALTHY KIDS CANADA
Active Healthy Kids Canada was established as a charitable organization in 1994 to advocate the importance of physical activity for children and youth where they live, learn, and play. As a national leader in this area, Active Healthy Kids Canada advances knowledge to influence decision-makers at all levels, from policy-makers to parents, in order to increase the attention given to, investment in, and effective implementation of physical activity opportunities for all Canadian children and youth.
ABOUT CHEO RESEARCH INSTITUTE
Established in 1984, the CHEO Research Institute coordinates the research activities of the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario and is one of the institutes associated with the University of Ottawa. The Research Institute brings together over 200 health professionals to share their efforts in solving pediatric health problems.
ABOUT PARTICIPACTION
ParticipACTION is the national voice for physical activity and sport participation in Canada. Originally established in 1971, ParticipACTION was relaunched in 2007 to help prevent the looming inactivity and obesity crisis that faces Canada. As a national not-for-profit organization solely dedicated to inspiring and supporting healthy and active living for Canadians, it will work with its partners, which include sport, physical activity, recreation organizations, government and corporate sponsors, to inspire and support Canadians to move more. ParticipACTION is generously supported by Sport Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada. For more information visit www.participACTION.com .
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For more information, to schedule an interview or speak to a spokesperson, please contact:
Jennifer Salo
Communications Specialist
416-913-1471
[email protected]
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