Celebrating 25 years: CanChild a global leader in childhood disability research

It’s hard to pull 11-year-old Kyle Chambers off a sports field.

He’s an avid baseball, basketball and sledge hockey player, holds a green belt in karate and is his school’s male athlete of the year. He’s not a big fan of soccer, but will be watching the World Cup.

“Without sports, I don’t know what I’d do with my life, ” says the eighth-grader. As a kid growing up with cerebral palsy — a disorder than can impair the brain and nervous system — he’s also a role model for the families and scientists at McMaster’s CanChild Centre for Childhood Disability Research.

“Kyle’s attitude and lifestyle reflect so much of what our research is all about, which is promoting participation,” said McMaster professor Jan Willem Gorter, director of CanChild.

For the past six years, Chambers has taken part in studies and accessed resources at CanChild that give children with chronic conditions opportunities to succeed in their communities.

According to Chambers, with the right work ethic people can do anything with a disability. “[Children may] have a disability that’s holding them back but that doesn’t mean they can’t do it, it just means they have to do it in a different way,” he said.

He’s also interested in the research studies he’s participated in at McMaster.

“I learned that my blood flow is actually higher than other kids. I have to work hard to do my athletic activities – even waking up in the morning — I have to overcome that.”

Founded in 1989, CanChild is a pioneer and global leader in childhood disability research. This month, the centre’s multi-disciplinary team of health scientists is celebrating 25 years of helping kids like Chambers.

To recognize the milestone, on June 23 CanChild is hosting a private celebration for the families, researchers and campus leaders who have helped make the program a success. The centre will also be re-launching a user-friendly website, premiering a special anniversary video and transitioning some of their resources to a pay-for-service model.

Chambers and his family will be on hand to mark the occasion. He will take part in a Q&A session addressing his experiences as a young person growing up with a disability.

“I’m thankful for the work CanChild does,” said Christine Chambers, Kyle’s mom. “It has helped our family have better care. And the research they’ve asked us to be involved in through the studies Kyle’s been a part of have been great. We want to be a part of helping other families. No one wants to go through this alone.”