Canada’s centre of excellence for veterans & first responders focusing on PTSD and mental health.
10/26/2024
These findings from the latest Veterans’ Well-being Community Health Needs Assessment summarize the health and well-being priorities for Veterans and provide recommendations for veterans, policy makers, VAC, Canadian Armed Forces, service providers, healthcare professionals and researchers. See pages 16-22 of the summary. We will ensure these recommendations are implemented in the work we do for our heroes.
Board Chair, Debbie Greene, had the incredible opportunity to attend the CIMVHR Forum 2024 in Winnipeg this week. What an amazing event! So inspiring to connect with thought leaders and organizations dedicated to improving the health and well-being of Veterans and public safety personnel.
A heartfelt thank you to CIMVHR, the University of Manitoba, and The University of Winnipeg for hosting this wonderful event. We are proud to be part of this mission, and we look forward to building on the connections and insights gained at the forum!
10/25/2024
The tradition of wearing a poppy on Remembrance Day dates back 100 years to when Moina Michael, a member of the American Overseas YMCA, was stirred by Lieutenant-Colonel John Macrae’s iconic poem “In Flanders Fields” to pin a silk poppy on her collar. Dr. McCrae was on duty at a field hospital in Flanders, Belgium when he was inspired to write the poem as he looked out at the poppies growing in the shell-torn ground. Poppy seeds can lie dormant in the earth for years until they are churned up. As McRae looked out over the red poppies thriving in the shell-torn nightmare of no man’s land, he might have reflected on the resilience of the poppy to grow against all odds. We see this reflected in the journeys of our veterans and first responders fighting to emerge from the nightmare of PTSD and physical trauma. As you pin the poppy on between Oct 25th and Nov 11th, take a moment to honour the sacrifice of the fallen and the struggle of living.
10/22/2024
Dr. Lindsay Goulet, co-developer of the Brain Fog program for the Legion Veterans Village Research Foundation and Director of Education & Programming for the Centre of Clinical Excellence VFRH , has been transforming lives, leading five cohorts through this powerful 12-week program. Lindsay holds a PhD in exercise physiology and serves as Lead Program Director for the brain fog program. As a researcher and mental health advocate, she’s committed to helping veterans and first responders improve mental health and manage mental illness through physical movement. Her most important role - “mama to two of the coolest and most awesome people on this planet”.
“Being part of the development of the Brain Fog Program and leading over 70 participants through their journey has been one of the most fulfilling experiences of my 30-year career,” she says. Veterans and first responders have reported improved focus, mental clarity, and energy, with many experiencing profound changes in their overall well-being. “The positive feedback has been overwhelming.” I’m so proud of what this program has achieved.”
Thank you Linsday and the Centre of Clinical Excellence for your commitment to this program!
CAF Veterans and retired RCMP can access this program for free under a VAC grant for veterans and their families.
10/20/2024
Exciting News: Cohort 6 of the Brain Fog Program Has Begun!
We are thrilled to announce that Cohort 6 of our Brain Fog Program has officially started! This program is designed to help 100 veterans and first family members improve focus, mental clarity, and overall well-being over the course of 12 transformative weeks.
A huge thank you to our amazing partners, the Centre of Clinical Excellence VFRH and the Centre for Neurology Studies, the for their expertise, dedication, and continued support and to VAC Veteran and Family Well-being Fund. Together, we’re making a meaningful impact in the lives of our veterans, retired RCMP, and their family members.
Stay tuned for more updates, and thank you to everyone involved for helping us make this program a success!
10/19/2024
Scientists are investigating the use of Virtual Reality as a tool for veterans with PTSD, offering a non-pharmaceutical way to manage anxiety, trauma, and related sleep disorders. With over 30% of adults reporting symptoms of insomnia and many veterans facing PTSD-related sleep issues, this innovative approach could offer new pathways to relief. Check out the full story here: https://tinyurl. com/3wubcezm
10/10/2024
On World Mental Health Day, we reflect on the sad reality that too many of our heroes face challenges such as PTSD, anxiety, and depression. At the Legion Veterans Village Research Foundation, we are dedicated to the mental well-being of those who have who have sacrificed so much in doing their duty to all of us—our veterans, first responders, and their families. We leverage innovative mental health research to conceive cutting edge therapies to help our veterans and first responders live healthy, fulfilling lives. Together we can break the stigma surrounding mental health and ensure that no one has to struggle in silence. Let’s keep the conversation going and stay committed to finding solutions for mental health trauma.
You are never alone.
10/08/2024
Welcome Howard Tran to the LVVRF Board!
We are very pleased to announce that Vancouver Police Department Superintendent Howard Tran will be joining us on the board. A 27-year policing veteran, Howard is passionate about mental health and youth crime prevention. As VPD’s subject matter expert on mental health, Howard established the department’s Mental Health Unit and chairs the BC Association of Chiefs of Police (BCACP) Mental Health and Addictions Committee. We are excited to welcome such a dedicated leader, and we look forward to the valuable expertise and perspective Howard will bring to advancing our mission.
10/05/2024
We are excited to welcome Steve Farina to the board of the Legion Veterans Village Research Foundation!
With over 30 years of experience as a firefighter, leader, and mental health advocate, Steve has been a champion for mental wellness among first responders. As Executive VP of the BC Professional Fire Fighters’ Association and Vice Chair of both the Health and Safety and Mental Health Committees, Steve has spearheaded numerous initiatives to support firefighters and their families.
His work as a peer supporter and his dedication to organizing mental health awareness events for firefighter spouses and partners reflects his deep commitment to mental health.
Steve’s passion for safety, mental health, and peer support aligns perfectly with our mission to serve veterans, first responders, and their families. We’re excited to have his leadership as we continue our efforts in advancing mental health research and care.
Welcome Steve!
09/30/2024
On this third national day for truth and reconciliation, we honour the bravery and sacrifice of our First Nations veterans, like Francis Pegahmagabow, an Ojibwa of Ontario’s Wasauksing First Nation who was the deadliest sniper of the World War One, with 378 confirmed kills. Tommy Prince is one of the most decorated First Nations war veterans in Canada, having been awarded a total of 11 medals for his service in World War II and the Korean War. Both men faced systemic racism when they returned home, denied the right to vote despite their war service. But they fought back by becoming vocal advocates for Indigenous rights and self-determination.
09/29/2024
On this last Sunday of September, pause a moment to remember the hundreds of brave men and women police officers who have fallen in the line of duty and their families. The memorial was established on Parliament Hill after the murder of Ottawa Police Service rookie constable David Kirkwood. Kirkwood was just a 21-year-old rookie constable with four months on the job when, on July 11, 1977, he was shot and killed while assisting officers execute a warrant, for assault causing bodily harm. His daughter, Tricia, was born eight months later.
09/28/2024
New Atlas has has shared findings from a fascinating study from one of Europe’s oldest universities. This study reveals that playing video games—especially Tetris— helped military veterans and frontline healthcare workers reduce symptoms of PTSD. This innovative approach offers a fresh perspective on mental health support for those on the frontlines. . Read the full article here: https://tinyurl.com/2x2s52b4
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The $312-million two-phase Legion Veterans Village project will be Canada’s first Centre of Excellence for Veterans and First Responders focusing on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and mental health. Phase one includes a twenty-storey centrepiece, mixed-use building inspired by the forms of the Canadian National Vimy Memorial in France. This building will feature the Centre of Excellence and the Innovation Centre for Rehabilitation, offering clinical rehabilitation services, research and the delivery of health care programs, services and trauma counseling for PTSD and mental health.
It will also house a new 10,500 square-foot, state-of-the-art facility for the Whalley Legion Branch 229, as well as 148 market housing units, and 48 affordable housing units for veterans and their families. The second phase, and complement to the Veterans building, is a new twenty-six storey building that consists of 325 market housing units.
Led by the BC/Yukon Command of the Royal Canadian Legion, together with our Whalley Legion Branch 229 and the Lark Group in Surrey B.C., this unique multi-purpose facility is envisioned to be the first of many such projects across Canada. This innovative project is positioned to change the current standards of care for veterans, first responders and citizens in the Canadian communities it serves. Our goal is to meet the critical needs of our valuable veterans and first-responders, providing them with the programs and services that will help them heal and recover.
The Legion Veterans Village will be a major step forward in providing:
Centre of Excellence in PTSD and Mental Health: The project includes integrated support facilities and services with core clinical and research components, including mixed medical services and an Innovation Centre for Rehabilitation;
Transitional housing and crisis support facilities for veterans and first responders;
Affordable and Rental Housing: 48 units of social and affordable housing through BC Housing to serve the local community as well as veterans, first responders, and their families;
Legion & Multi-Cultural Community Spaces: A new 10,500 sq. ft. Whalley Legion facility, cadet training hall, coffee shop/restaurant and multi-cultural community space – creating a true village and community of care.
A key priority will be the integrated delivery of a continuum of programs and services for veterans and first responders, and will also contribute training and research towards new practices, interventions and technologies in engineering, robotics, exoskeletons, and advancements in neuroscience, etc.
The construction for the Legion Veterans Village will commence this summer, following our groundbreaking event, with completion slated for spring 2022.
The Whalley legion has been serving the community at this location since 1960. We are excited to see this monumental project as a legacy for our branch, as well as a symbol of what a future, modern Legion can mean to veterans, first responders and our communities.
