Director of the Chronic Disease Research Centre at The University of the West Indies (The UWI), Cave Hill Campus Professor Simon Anderson has been awarded a major research grant from the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CAIHR). This generous grant will support his ongoing work on chronic diseases.
Professor Anderson is one of the grant recipients from the organisations as part of the 8th Global Alliance for Chronic Diseases (GACD) funding competition. Professor Sonia Anand, Associate Vice-President of Global Health at McMaster University is a co-recipient of the grant that provides for up to CAD$2 million over five years to support their research aimed at preventing chronic diseases while simultaneously promoting environmental sustainability.
Anderson expressed his gratitude, stating, “On behalf of CAIHR, I am delighted and honoured to receive IDRC/GACD funding with my esteemed colleagues from McMaster University. Our community-centred, collaborative project seeks to reduce the burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Kingston, Jamaica; Hamilton and Calgary, Canada, by promoting environmental sustainability via our Sustainability Healthy Active Living project. My colleagues Dr. Georgiana Gordon-Strachan, Dr. Thera Edwards, and Dr. Joanne Smith-Burke at The UWI and I look forward to co-designing and implementing this project with Dr. Sonia Anand and her excellent team. This is undoubtedly the start of many opportunities to collaborate with colleagues at McMaster, and importantly, to partner with communities at risk in these cities to create a sustainable lifestyle.”
The project aims to build healthy communities with a dual focus on chronic disease prevention and environmental sustainability. Professor Anderson’s leadership and vision will guide the collaborative efforts to create lasting, positive impacts in the targeted communities.
Professor Anand shared her enthusiasm, stating, “We are excited to work within Hamilton neighbourhoods on sustainable healthy active living (SHAL) for newcomer youth and their families and to create new knowledge with our partners in Jamaica and Calgary.”
Numerous esteemed partners and collaborators are involved in this ambitious project, including Dr. Juliet Daniel, Co-Chair of the McMaster Canada-Caribbean Institute Working Group. Dr. Sujane Kandasamy and Dr. Russell de Souza from McMaster will co-lead the Hamilton site, and Dr. Matthew Kwan from Brock University will lead the Calgary site.
Dr. Kwan emphasised the importance of community involvement, saying, “The Infant Child and Youth Health (INCH) Research Group at Brock University along with our community partners in Calgary are very pleased to be a part of this CAIHR/GACD grant. The proposed work that involves community stakeholders throughout the research process is vitally important, as we aim to fully understand how we can better promote healthy, active living and environmental stewardship as preventative medicine among youth in marginalised communities within Canada and Jamaica.”
Professor Anderson’s leadership and the collaborative efforts of this project represent a significant step forward in addressing the global challenge of chronic diseases through sustainable and community-focused approaches.
