By teaming up with the Government of Canada to support an exciting Queen’s-based research initiative, the private fundraising organization True Patriot Love Foundation(TPL) is making a difference in the lives of hundreds of thousands of Canadian military personnel, veterans and their families.
In a joint announcement last November, TPL Vice-Chair Michael Burns and federal Minister of Health Rona Ambrose each pledged $5 million to the Canadian Institute for Military and Veterans’ Health Research (CIMVHR).
CIMVHR Director Dr. Alice Aiken, Professor of Rehabilitation Therapy at Queen’s and a veteran herself, greeted the news with delight. She noted that the important work of the Institute in researching the mental, physical and social health needs of this key sector of our population would not be possible without external support from groups like True Patriot Love.
With a network of more than 1000 research experts at 37 university partners across Canada, CIMVHR is putting useful knowledge into the hands of those who work closely with serving military, veterans and their families, leading to improved awareness and understanding of their unique healthcare needs and the best ways to meet them.
According to TPL President Bronwen Evans, that’s exactly the kind of activity her organization has committed to support. “Our vision is that all Canadians appreciate that the freedom we enjoy comes at a cost to the men and women who serve us, as well as to their families,” she says. “The work of CIMVHR will have an immediate and far-reaching effect on their health and well-being.”
Founded in 2009, True Patriot Love has raised more than $20 million to date from private donations. Rather than granting funds to individuals or families, it is an umbrella organization that directs funds to military charities with the infrastructure and expertise to deliver the kind of programming required by military families.
The Foundation focuses on four streams: mental health, physical rehabilitation, family supports and veteran transition. It funds programs that address unique challenges related to the impact of service; research to discover new treatments that are accessible to those who need them; and national and international symposia to discover solutions to systemic challenges faced by military families and veterans.
Raising public awareness of the sacrifice, service and ongoing needs of our military and veterans is another key objective of the Foundation. This message was underscored in spring 2013 with the TPL-sponsored North Pole Expedition: a 125-km ski trek to the magnetic North Pole. The grueling initiative brought together soldiers and veterans who had been injured during service with Canadian business leaders, including Queen’s Chancellor Jim Leech.
“Pairing up injured soldiers with Canadian business leaders on expeditions is integral to advancing True Patriot Love’s mission of bridging the disconnect between Canada’s military and civilian worlds,” says Ms Evans. “Most Canadians are far removed from the everyday realities of military life, including the impact of operational stress injuries like Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder on families. We have an obligation to do what we can to support those who have been physically and mentally injured.”
