2002

History of the Vision Health Research Council

1997 Dr. Jean Real Brunette (JRB) conceives of an organization that would link all vision researchers across Canada. Incorporates the VHRC within the Sherbrooke Symposium structure and begins recruiting vision health scientists.

1998 Consultations by JRB :
Drs. Helene Boisjoly, Max Cynader, Bruce Jackson, Raymond Leblanc, Jack Rootman, JG Sivak, Bill Stell, Martin Steinbach, Graham Trope

May 1998 JRB visits Dr. Martin J. Steinbach (MJS) to enlist his aid in the project. MJS signs on with enthusiasm

1998 JRB develops first VHRC Executive and Governing Council

August 1998 A project for VHRC presented as an Institute Project is handed over to then MRC President Friesen at his request and with his support

A VISION FOR VISION HEALTH RESEARCH
PERSPECTIVES FOR THE 21ST CENTURY
A CANADIAN INSTITUTE OF VISION HEALTH RESEARCH
PROPOSED AND SUPPORTED BY
THE VISION HEALTH RESEARCH COUNCIL

October 1998 CNIB & E.A. Baker, along with Health Canada, sponsor 3-day meeting in Toronto on the “Coming Crisis in Vision Loss” in Canada. National Coalition for Vision Health (NCVH) formed as outcome of CNIB meeting. . JRB holds VHRC meeting at end of CNIB meeting.

1998 MJS develops vision researcher email list from multiple sources

1998 JRB Develops and maintains VHRC.NET website

11 March 1999 MJS and JRB visit Medical Research Council to get advice from Dr. Henry Friesen, head of MRC. Ms Helene Plante also advises. This is in anticipation of MRC morphing into the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and expanding the presence and role of vision health research as an Institute within the new agency.

24 April 1999 First meeting of executive and governors of VHRC held in Boardroom of the former Eye Research Institute of Canada, Toronto Western Hospital. 20 people attend, from all disciplines and from across Canada AT THEIR OWN EXPENSE!

April – May 1999 JRB – MJS prepare the first comprehensive document on Vision Research Capacity in Canada. Identify about 300 researchers obtaining about $14 Million per year in funding, from all sources, federal, provincial and private agency.

May 1999 MJS holds first meeting of VHRC at Association for Research in Vision & Ophthalmology. 100 people crowd into room booked for 60. MJS takes picture to show Henry Friesen and rest of MRC that there are more than 17 vision researchers in Canada.

OCT. 1999 MRC CIHR $35,000 Opportunities grant awarded to VHRC Board of Directors. Purpose: Organize vision health researchers across Canada.

November 1999 JRB, MJS & Ray Leblanc (RL)speak at FRSQ Vision Health Network meeting in Trois-Rivieres, Quebec

November 1999 JRB, MJS, RL speak in Halifax at public and vision researchers meetings

December 1999 MJS testifies before Parliamentary Health Committee for the support of the CIHR legislation. Uses vision loss statistics to confirm need for improving health research.

Jan 2000 JRB, MJS visits University of Waterloo School of Optometry

Feb 2000 JRB, MJS visit University of British Columbia

Feb 2000 JRB, MJS visit University of Calgary

Feb 2000 JRB, MJS visit Winnipeg to enlist the help of Justice Sidney Schwartz

March 2000 JRB, MJS visit Ottawa Eye Institute

March 2000 JRB, MJS attend Health Canada meeting on Ophthalmic Epidemiology in Vancouver

March 2000 JRB, MJS, RL Attend Ottawa meeting of the NCVH. RL elected President of VHRC, succeeding founding President Don Farrell.

May 2000 MJS holds 2nd VHRC meeting at ARVO

July 2000 MJS becomes President of VHRC, JRB is Past-President. Isabelle Brunette becomes Vice President Clinical. Joanne Matsubara becomes Vice President Basic Research. Ray LeBlanc joins the Executive, along with Bruce Jackson and Graham Strong.

Aug 2000 JRB, MJS to new CIHR: visit with K. Mosher, M. Bisby to lobby for a separate Vision Health Research Institute.

October 2000 JRB, MJS, RL attend NCVH meeting in Montreal

February 2001 MJS appointed to Institute Advisory Board of the Canadian Institute of Health Research Institute of Neuroscience, Mental Health and Addiction (“home” for vision health research in the CIHR)

January 2001 MJS attends NCVH Toronto

March 2001 MJS, JRB attend Public Health Task force on Ophthalmic Epidemiology in Toronto

May 2001 MJS holds 3rd VHRC meeting at ARVO

December 2001 Steering Committee meeting held in Montreal attended by MJS, JRB, RL, Alan Cruess, Bill Stell, Pierre Simonet, Isabelle Brunette, Pierre Lachapelle, Joanne Matsubara, Sylvain Chemtob and Richard Briere of the CIHR Institute of Neuroscience, Mental Health and Addiction. Need for National Task Force Meeting expressed and planning for Task Force meeting begins by email consultation.

May 2002 MJS holds 4th VHRC meeting at ARVO

June 2002 Vision Health Research Council Task Force meets in Toronto. 40 leaders representing all areas of vision health research, across all four pillars of the CIHR, meet to plan the future. Support comes from five CIHR Institutes: Aboriginal Peoples’ Health, Aging, Genetics, Human Development Child & Youth Health and Neuroscience, Mental Health and Addiction, with representatives of each also in attendance. International presence: Dr. L. A. McNicol of the US National Eye Institute.