November 14, 2012

Dr. Sarah de Leeuw, a UNBC graduate and professor in the Northern Medical Program and research associate with the National Collaborating Centre for Aboriginal Health (NCCAH), both hosted at the University, will be the first-ever northern BC-based recipient of a partnered scholar award from the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research (MSFHR) and the NCCAH.

The award will be presented to Dr. Sarah de Leeuw at an event at the Ramada Hotel in Prince George on Thursday afternoon. Members of the media are encouraged to attend.

MSFHR scholar awards provide up to eight years of salary support to researchers. This allows them to focus on their research programs, make significant contributions to their field of research, and attract additional funding to advance knowledge on a range of critical health issues.

RELEASE FROM MICHAEL SMITH FOUNDATION FOR HEALTH RESEARCH:

Dr. Sarah de Leeuw first Northern recipient of an MSFHR/NCCAH scholar award

In partnership with the National Collaborating Centre for Aboriginal Health (NCCAH), the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research (MSFHR) has awarded its first scholar award to a researcher based in northern British Columbia. Dr. Sarah de Leeuw is also one of the first recipients of a partnered scholar award in the province. 

“I’m thrilled that the National Collaborating Centre for Aboriginal Health has shown such a commitment to help build research capacity in northern BC by partnering with us to fund Dr. de Leeuw,” said Dr. Diane Finegood, MSFHR president and CEO. “This funding will help her investigate and respond to health challenges facing residents of the region.”

Dr. de Leeuw is an assistant professor in the Northern Medical Program at the University of Northern BC and a research associate with the NCCAH. Her research seeks to address health inequalities lived by Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people in northern BC, especially compared to people in urban areas in southern BC. She is examining how creative arts and the humanities can resolve health inequities and attend to social determinants of health, particularly as they manifest in specific geographies.

“Good health is really quite a fine art,” said Dr. de Leeuw, “and there is an untapped and unexplored link between creative arts, humanities and health and wellbeing. The arts and humanities can teach us about good health practices, they can be modes of exploring and researching different expressions of health and wellbeing, they can be used in the training of health care professionals, and they can also be used in individual lives and in community contexts to make people feel better or to address new ways of figuring out why people don’t feel well.”

Dr. Margo Greenwood, academic leader of the NCCAH said, “The NCCAH, with its national platform and commitment to creativity, collaboration, and innovation, is ideally positioned to support MSFHR-partnered health awards to share research findings beyond BC’s borders to all Canadians. Dr. de Leeuw is worthy of this honour and we hold great promise in her ability to reveal unexplored terrains that can be used to support the optimal health and well-being of the people of the north and beyond.”

MSFHR scholar awards provide up to eight years of salary support to researchers. This allows them to focus on their research programs, make significant contributions to their field of research, and attract additional funding to advance knowledge on a range of critical health issues.

Media Advisory

Dr. de Leeuw is available for interviews on Nov 14 and 15.

Media are invited to attend the formal announcement of this award:

Thursday, Nov 15, 4:10-4:30 pm.  Skylight Room, Ramada Hotel, 444 George Street, Prince George 

Images are available by request.