We are pleased to announce the recipients of the 2025 Frank Gavin Patient Engagement Leadership Awards, established in honour of CHILD-BRIGHT's first Director of the Engagement Program.
This year, we are thrilled to recognize two partners with lived and living experience (PWLEs) for their leadership in engagement in research related to brain-based developmental disabilities in children and youth:
Gunjan Seth
Henry Stewart
Learn more about them:
Parent research partner recipient: Gunjan Seth
Gunjan Seth has been involved with CHILD-BRIGHT's Engagement Council since 2022 and is also a member of the Training & Capacity Building team, the Knowledge Mobilization Family Hub, and the CHILD-BRIGHT VR-EF research project. She is actively engaged with multiple institutions and organizations, including ECHO Autism Ontario, Autism Speaks Autism Care Network, IMPaCT Trials, and Ontario Health.
In addition to Gunjan readily sharing her own experiences as a parent of a child with autism and attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder in order to steer innovation and action, she advocates for all families who are navigating similar complex journeys. She is a passionate advocate for equity, diversity, and the meaningful inclusion of patients in their own care. She is the co-author of a chapter titled “The Power of Compassion and Gratitude” in the book Coaching for Person-Centred Healthcare: A Solution-Focused Approach to Collaborative Care.
The CHILD-BRIGHT Network is pleased to recognize her dedication to health care outcomes for families and championing equity, diversity, and inclusion.
Youth research partner recipient: Henry Stewart
A Grade 12 student, Henry Stewart has already made important contributions to patient-oriented research despite his young age! Henry’s commitment to amplifying youth voices in health care decisions is clear: he is a member of the CIHR-IDHCYH’s Youth Advisory Council, as well as a long-standing youth advisory council member and youth panelist for the Sport Injury Prevention Research Centre at the University of Calgary; a co-chair of the Alberta Children’s Hospital Youth Council; and co-chair of the Child and Youth Advisory Council.
Henry has championed a patient-centered approach to engagement in research at the Pediatric Onset of Neuromotor Impairments (PONI) lab. He has also volunteered with the AHS Teens Talk Transition program, supporting other youths in transitioning from pediatric to adult health care.
The CHILD-BRIGHT Network is proud to recognize Henry’s leadership as a youth research partner.
Gunjan will receive a registration and travel allowance of up to $800 for a conference of her choice in Canada or the United States. As the youth recipient, Henry will receive up to $800 to either attend a patient-oriented research training event, or to support a patient-oriented research project of his choice.
Congratulations, Gunjan and Henry, and thank you to all who took the time to submit nominations and applications for consideration. It is heartening to see the strength and breadth of leadership in engagement across the patient-oriented research community.