Partnership receives prestigious awards from the International Association of Public Participation

Recognition received for the comprehensive and inclusive approach to community and public engagement

On September 5, the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer won two awards including Project of the Year and Respect for Diversity, Inclusion and Culture at the 2019 International Association for Public Participation (IAP2) conference and awards gala held in Charlotte, North Carolina.

photo Mark Weir, Anila Sunnak, Catherine RockandelAnila Sunnak (c) Program Manager for Public and Patient Engagement, represents the Partnership to receive the award for Project of the Year from IAP2 Board members Mark Weir (l) and Catherine Rockandel (r).

The awards recognize the Partnership for its comprehensive and inclusive approach to community and public engagement during the refresh of the Canadian Strategy for Cancer Control.

This recognition by IAP2 is such an honour. We heard directly from voices not usually at the table for important healthcare discussions.

They told us about challenges people faced related to poverty, distance, gender identity, mental health, new immigrant status and cultural sensitivity, preventing people from accessing and getting quality cancer care.

As steward of Canada’s cancer strategy, the Partnership will work with these communities, provincial cancer agencies and other stakeholders to improve services and care for those who need it most.

-Cindy Morton, CEO of the Partnership

The IAP2 Awards are internationally recognized and honour achievements in the field of public engagement, ensuring that people affected by a decision are given the opportunity to give input on that decision and to understand how their input was taken into account.

The Project of the Year award qualifies the Partnership to enter a global competition where it will be judged against Projects of the Year from other IAP2 affiliates in Australasia, Southern Africa, USA and Indonesia. The global award winner will be announced at the IAP2 Australasian Conference to be held in Sydney, Australia in October.

To learn more, read IAP2 Canada’s press release outlining criteria for the win, and watch the video featuring interviews with Halifax participants and Cindy Morton, CEO of the Partnership.