WE-Spark Health Institute

11/28/2025

🎗️ Big news in cancer research at !

Dr. Munir Rahim is the first recipient of a national grant from the Cancer Research Society, in collaboration with Play For A Cure and WE-Spark Health Institute.

His team has been awarded $135,000 to explore how our immune system responds to cancer, paving the way for new therapies to fight cancer.

A huge thank you to our community, youth leaders, donors, and the incredible U11 Lakeshore Lightning Girls hockey team, who donated their $100,000 Chevrolet Good Deeds Cup prize to CRCF, for making this possible. 💙

Together, we’re building the next generation of scientists and bringing hope to cancer patients everywhere.

🔗 Read more about the project: https://brnw.ch/21wXSU5

11/24/2025

✨ The 2026 Health Research Conference is happening March 28, 2026! ✨
Join researchers, clinicians, learners, and community partners as we share, learn, and spark new collaborations in health research.

We’re excited to announce our 2026 Plenary Speakers:
🧠 Dr. Sunit Das
Neurosurgeon & scientist advancing understanding of tumour evolution and treatment resistance in glioblastoma.
📚 Dr. Nikki Woods
Leader in health professions education, applying cognitive psychology to transform how we teach and learn in healthcare.
🌍 Dr. Ross Upshur
Clinical public health expert exploring ethics, climate change, pandemics, and AI in modern healthcare.

🎟 Registration is NOW OPEN! Even if your abstract isn’t ready, you can still register and lock in early-bird pricing:
• Students: $55 early bird | $85 regular
• General attendees: $185 early bird | $225 regular
You may submit your abstract closer to the deadline.

Visit our conference website to learn more! www.wesparkconference.com

We can’t wait for another year of inspiring research and collaboration! 💛

11/20/2025

🏒✨ A powerful example of what can happen when a community comes together.

The Lakeshore Lightning Girls Hockey Association U11 team sparked a movement that led to a $400,000 investment in local cancer research, the first partnership of its kind in Windsor-Essex!

Their $100,000 Good Deeds Cup win was directed to the Cancer Research Collaboration Fund (CRCF) to support WE-SPARK’s cancer research grants. That youth-led gift was joined by:
🔹 Woody's Hoodies ($57,000)
🔹 A CRCF top-up (bringing youth efforts to $200,000)
🔹 A rare dollar-for-dollar match by the Cancer Research Society

This partnership will support three local cancer research projects, including one led by Dr. Munir Rahim, a WE-SPARK Core Principal Member and University of Windsor researcher whose project, supported through our grants program, examines how cancer cells evade the immune system to improve future treatments.

This investment reflects growing confidence in our region’s capacity to drive meaningful discoveries.💛

Thank you to the young athletes, community champions, Play For A Cure, the Société de recherche sur le cancer / Cancer Research Society, and everyone who believes in the power of local research.

11/18/2025

We’re proud to see Dr. Lisa Porter, WE-SPARK Core Principal Member and Founding Director, featured by the Marathon of Hope Cancer Centres Network. 👩‍🔬

In this Q&A, she shares how national collaboration is accelerating precision medicine and bringing hope to communities across Canada, including right here in Windsor-Essex.

A great highlight of the impact and leadership rooted in our region! 👏

Dr. Lisa Porter is the Windsor lead for the Marathon of Hope Cancer Centres Network, working to ensure that the genetics and experiences of Windsor-Essex families are represented in Canada’s national precision oncology efforts.

11/17/2025

11/12/2025

✨ Cheers to Hope 2025 – What a Night! ✨

Thank you to everyone who joined us on November 6th to celebrate and support local health research! 💛 Your energy, generosity, and commitment to fostering meaningful community connections made the evening unforgettable.

We’re proud to share that we’ve reached 25% of our $500,000 fundraising goal — every contribution helps drive innovative health research right here in Windsor-Essex.

A huge shoutout to for capturing the magic of the night 📸 (check out the full album in our bio!)

And a heartfelt thank you to our incredible raffle prize donors for their generosity:
🍕 Antonino's Original Pizza
🍦 Frost Ice Cream Co.
🐾 Pack’d Inn K9 Services
🍕 Original Guys Pizza Pies - OG Pizza
💅 Oasis Beauty Bar
🎬 Landmark Cinemas - Windsor
🍿 What's Poppin Popcorn Factory
🍕 Naples Pizza
🏒 Play For A Cure
👨‍👩‍👧 The Gyemi Family

We also extend our gratitude to the UWindsor Alumni Association for sponsoring the event and helping make it possible. 💫

There’s still time to make an impact! Donate or sponsor a grant today — together, we can reach our goal and continue fueling local health research.

10/25/2025

Dr. Alexander Daros and the MAST Lab published research showing value in interim supports for those waiting for psychological services (photo care of Alexander Daros) By Kate Hargreaves  As demand for mental health care rises in hospitals and private practice, waitlists for these essential services...

10/23/2025

TWO-WEEKS until our annual Cheers to Hope fundraiser! 🥂✨

Join us on Thursday, November 6th at the Ambassador Golf Club for an evening of community, celebration, and impact.

🎟️ Tickets are selling fast — get yours today and help us kick off another year of WE-SPARK’s Grants Program in support of local health research!

👉 https://cheerstohope.ca/registration/

10/10/2025

Every ticket, raffle, and toast helps spark new discoveries! ✨

Join us at Cheers to Hope - WE-SPARK’s annual fundraiser celebrating and supporting local health researchers and their innovative projects.

📅 Thursday, November 6, 2025
📍 Ambassador Golf Club
🕔 5:00 – 7:30 PM

🎟️ Get your tickets and help ignite discovery: https://cheerstohope.ca/

10/09/2025

🌟 WE-SPARK was proud to take part in the 2025 St. Clair College Rise Above Community Health Conference on September 26!

We hosted a panel discussion on Amplifying Lived Experience in Health Research, highlighting how personal stories and community voices can shape more meaningful and inclusive research.

👏 Thank you to our moderators, Krista Lucier (WE-SPARK Intern) and Dr. Bre-Anne Fifield, PhD (Adjunct Assistant Professor and Research Associate, University of Windsor), and to our incredible panelists:
- Dr. Kyle Jackson – WE-SPARK Core Principal Member; Professor, St. Clair College
- Dr. Jessica Kichler – WE-SPARK Core Principal Member; Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, University of Windsor
- Dr. Onawa LaBelle – Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, University of Windsor
- Ashley-Rae Brill – 4th Year BASJ Student, St. Clair College
- Neelu Sehgal – Chief Nursing Executive, Erie Shores HealthCare

Together, we’re continuing to bridge research and lived experience to strengthen health outcomes across Windsor-Essex. 💬💡

10/08/2025

Curious about new research ideas and local collaborations? 💭
Join us for WE-SPARK’s Virtual Think Tank on Friday, October 24 from 1:00–3:00 PM — an open space to connect, brainstorm, and help move research projects forward.

This month’s sessions include:
🔹 Co-Creating and Evaluating Mental Health Solutions for High School Students
🔹 CBCT Imaging & AI in Predicting Tumour Response
🔹 Inclusive Summer Programming for Autistic Children and Youth

Whether you’re a researcher, clinician, educator, or community partner — your perspective matters!
👉 Register now: https://www.wesparkhealth.com/conferences-and-workshops-170/think-tank-october-24th-2025