Calgary, Alberta – 

The Honourable Rona Ambrose, Minister of Health, today at a youth hockey practice with Brian Burke, President of Hockey Operations for the Calgary Flames and former NHL player Jamie Macoun announced funding for new research on concussions with a focus on improving the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of these injuries in children and youth.

"Injuries are the number one cause of death for Canadians aged one to 44. It is clear that acting to prevent injuries will make a difference when most injuries are predictable and preventable. Whether it's a hockey concussion, a senior's fall or violence in the home, injuries take a huge emotional toll on families and communities. Our Government is committed to promoting injury prevention by supporting research aimed at improving the health of Canadians who are facing challenges due to traumatic brain injury," said Minister Ambrose. "We are pleased to collaborate with partners to fund research that will assist health care professionals provide the best care to those who sustain these types of injuries."

Today's announcement includes funding for 19 new research projects. They include a major project at the University of Calgary on developing best practices for the prevention, early diagnosis and management of sport-related concussion in youth ice hockey.

"I am pleased to support Minister Ambrose's announcement today and proud to recognize the contribution that researchers in Calgary will make in this effort to better understand concussions and their impact on health," said Mr. Burke.

"For hockey players, concussion is something that we worry about a lot and discuss in the dressing room. We just don't know how much damage is done by these injuries and what kind of lasting effects we will be dealing with later in life," said former professional hockey player and Flames Alumnus Jamie Macoun. "This research is a great step forward for athletes across the country."

The projects were funded through a partnership between the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Defence Research and Development Canada, Fonds de recherche du Québec – Santé, Ontario Neurotrauma Foundation and Ontario Brain Institute.

"Traumatic brain injury, especially in children and adolescents, can have major long-term consequences for health, including mental health," said Dr. Anthony Phillips, Scientific Director of the CIHR Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction. "By supporting early diagnosis with new biomarkers and brain imaging techniques, these projects will improve clinical research and produce more effective intervention strategies."

"Preventing and treating concussion and brain injury is a research priority, under the University of Calgary's Brain and Mental Health initiative. Our researchers are building on their respective expertise and collaborating across faculties to advance knowledge in the prediction, prevention and early intervention of concussion in children and youth," said Dr. Samuel Weiss, Director of the Hotchkiss Brain Institute and leader of the University's Brain and Mental Health Strategic Research Theme. "This funding partnership enables important research that will contribute to better health outcomes for children across Canada.

By:IANS