We are proud to announce that Dr. Scott Ramsay has received a $1.5 M Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Project Grant for his co-leadership in the You-CAN SHRed Concussions Program—a national initiative based at the University of Calgary, which is aimed at reducing sport-related concussions (SRC) and their long-term consequences among Canadian youth.
September 2, 2025
Project Title:
You-CAN (Youth Concussion Awareness Network) SHRed Concussions (Surveillance in High School and Community Sport to Reduce Concussions and their Consequences): Canadian Youth Informing Best Practice and Policy in the Prevention of Sport-related Concussions
Principal Investigators:
Emery, Carolyn A; Fuselli, Pamela A; Paulgaard, Julia R; Babul, Shelina; Belton, Kathy L; Macpherson, Alison; Mchugh, Tara-Leigh; Moore, Sarah A; Ramsay, Scott; Reed, Nicholas; Russell, Kelly F; Schneider, Kathryn J
Project Summary:
Each year, 1 in 9 youth aged 14–24 sustain a concussion, with 60% of these injuries being sport-related. Many experience multiple concussions, and up to 30% suffer symptoms that persist for months. The You-CAN SHRed Concussions Program brings together two successful Canadian concussion initiatives to address this urgent public health issue.
The program focuses on:
- Engaging equity-deserving youth—including Indigenous, racialized, rural, 2SLGBTQIA+, girls, and Parasport communities.
- Co-designing and evaluating concussion prevention strategies and peer-led education tailored to diverse youth populations.
- Empowering youth to lead awareness campaigns and provide peer support post-concussion.
- Identifying sustainable solutions for long-term concussion prevention and management.
This innovative, youth-driven approach will inform best practices and policy development to reduce SRC rates and improve outcomes for underrepresented youth across Canada.
We congratulate Assistant Professor Ramsay and his team on this impactful work and look forward to the positive change it will bring to youth sport safety nationwide.