To celebrate Canada 150, Crohn’s and Colitis Canada and AbbVie have announced there will be five additional IBD Scholarships of up to $5,000 to be awarded to students who live with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) like Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis (UC), for the upcoming school year.
Promoted by the Canadian Government, Canada 150 is a four-day event that began June 21 with National Aboriginal Day, continued with Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day on June 24, and Canadian Multiculturalism Day on June 27. The celebration comes to a finish on Canada Day, July 1, to commemorate Canada’s 150th anniversary.
Many organizations are using the occasion to rethink strategies, establish partnerships and advance the status quo.
“Canada has one of the highest rates of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in the world, with most cases diagnosed in individuals between the ages of 15 and 30,” Mina Mawani, president and CEO of Crohn’s and Colitis Canada, said in a press release. “As one in 150 Canadians live with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, Canada 150 is an important opportunity to raise awareness of these chronic diseases, and these scholarships benefit young Canadians during a difficult time in their lives.”
The joint initiative of Crohn’s and Colitis Canada and AbbVie brings the total number of scholarships offered to 15.
“This year, Crohn’s and Colitis Canada received a record number of scholarship applications at just under 400. The recipients of the scholarship will be determined by the selection committee,” added Kate Lee, vice president of research and patient programs.
“Since 2012, the AbbVie IBD Scholarship has supported nearly 60 Canadian students navigating post-secondary education while living with a chronic disease and we are pleased to extend our support to even more youth this year in celebration of Canada 150,” said Stéphane Lassignardie, AbbVie Canada’s general manager.
In its sixth year, the annual AbbVie IBD Scholarship Program will for the first time award 15 educational grants of up to $5,000 Canadian dollars to students of any age who are enrolled in a Canadian post-secondary educational institution in the present year.
Past recipients reportedly credit the program with offering them a platform to share their experience with other students living with IBDs, while also helping them focus solely on their studies.
“During my undergrad, I took on too much at once and didn’t appropriately manage the symptoms of my Crohn’s disease. Receiving the AbbVie IBD Scholarship meant one less thing to worry about when I returned to school for my master’s degree,” said recipient Rachel Meehan. Meehan received a scholarship in 2016 while completing her master’s program at the University of Guelph.
The five additional recipients will be selected from applications received during the last call, which closed on June 1.