2021-22 recipients

The following Emerging Leaders in Health Promotion Grant Program projects received funding in 2021-22.

AYAAF Presents: Preventative Medicine 
Recipient(s): Dr. Manjot Birk
Mentor(s): Dr. Linda Mrkonjic

The Abbotsford Youth Academic and Athletic Foundation (AYAAF) is a non-profit outreach organization that aims to empower marginalized youth by providing mentorship, social events and after school athletic programs. AYAAF was awarded the Family Medicine Initiative Grant for educational workshops on preventative medicine and chronic disease management.

This project aims to expand AYAAF to Calgary, Alberta. To do this, a basketball camp for high school students will be hosted in the Northeast of Calgary with daily educational workshops explaining the importance of preventative medicine, chronic disease management and stigma of mental health within immigrant communities.


“Humans of Rocky Mountain House”: A Local Photography and Story Series during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Recipient(s): Dr. Samantha Cheuk
Mentor(s): Dr. Ifeoma Achebe

“Humans of Rocky Mountain House” (HORMH) is a local photography and story series aimed to increase COVID-19 vaccine uptake, strengthen community cohesion, and highlight real COVID-19 pandemic experiences in a rural Alberta town. This health promotion project is inspired by and modifies Humans of New York (HONY), a successful photoblog initiative that provides daily glimpses into the lives of strangers on the streets of New York City.

Humans of Rocky Mountain House will reach out to vaccinated and unvaccinated rural Albertans living in the town of Rocky Mountain House to participate in sharing their COVID-19 pandemic stories. Engaging with local partners and community members, interested participants will be invited to have their portrait taken and to be interviewed about their COVID-19 experience. These portraits and quotes from their interview will be shared with local and social media platforms monitored by the project team and supplemented with additional resources and myth-busting information, if required.


Multilingual website and information pamphlets to raise awareness of cataracts and cataract surgery amongst new- immigrants in Alberta
Recipient(s): Jeremy Moreau, Dr. Michael Y. K. Mak
Mentor(s): Dr. Feisal Adatia

The principal aim of this project is to raise awareness about cataracts and fill the gap on non-English patient-oriented resources about cataracts and cataract surgery in Alberta. Specifically, the project aims to create a multilingual website and downloadable/printable pamphlets with key information on symptoms, treatment, prevention, and management of cataracts as well as when and where to seek care in Alberta. A total of 12 languages will be targeted including English, French, and the other 10 most commonly spoken languages in Alberta (Punjabi, Cantonese, Mandarin, Tagalog, German, Spanish, Arabic, Vietnamese, Urdu, and Korean).


Alberta Student Recovery Community - addressing barriers and challenges of postsecondary students in or seeking recovery 
Recipient(s): Thomas Soroski
Mentor(s): Dr. Krishna Balachandra

The aim of this project is to enhance the wellbeing of Albertan postsecondary students through education and community service. To address the growing issue of substance use on campuses, this project aims to educate postsecondary students about recovery and healthy relationships with substances, and to implement and promote an Alberta-wide student recovery network. 

To educate postsecondary students about recovery and healthy relationships with substances, the project aims to develop an inclusive and recovery-centred website with evidence-based materials specifically for Albertan postsecondary students. Additionally, the project aims to leverage that website to promote a series of online recovery meetings, workshops, discussions, and a podcast run by volunteers to foster peer support for students in recovery.



About the Emerging Leaders in Health Promotion Grant Program

The Emerging Leaders in Health Promotion (ELiHP) grant program provides funding to help medical students and resident physicians conceive and implement health promotion projects in support of the development of their their CanMEDS and CanMEDS/FM core competencies, particularly health advocacy.

Sponsored by the Alberta Medical Association and MD Financial Management / Scotiabank Healthcare+, ELiHP projects facilitate the growth of physician leadership and advocacy skills in a mentored environment, while enhancing the well-being of the general Alberta population through education, advocacy and innovative care.

Alberta Medical Association Mission: Advocate for and support Alberta physicians. Strengthen their leadership in the provision of sustainable quality care.