The Community Innovation Award celebrates community-based surgeons and research studies dedicated to improving patient care or musculoskeletal health in their community.

There are many Canadian orthopaedic surgeons interested in research working in the community. These community surgeons are not academics, do not have a research history, and do not have research staff, but may have an academic appointment to teach on an occasional basis. When a surgeon does not have an academic appointment or a research history, it can be difficult for these surgeons to obtain funding for their innovative research ideas. This program fills a gap in the research landscape in Canada, encouraging community orthopaedic researchers to bring their research ideas to fruition.

Dr. Madison is an orthopaedic surgeon with The Western Memorial Regional Hospital, (WMRH) which serves a geographically vast population on the west coast of Newfoundland and Labrador.

The Canadian Orthopaedic Foundation recognized his work on evaluating arthropalsty, (repairing or replacing joints), outcomes in a rural Canadian setting.

Supporting Dr. Madison and his team in their efforts is a core mission of the Foundation.

Conditions affecting the bones, joints and muscles are the number one cause of disability in Canada. These conditions surpass heart conditions and mental illness in terms of the impairment they cause. The also are the most costly group of diseases with an estimated burden of over $22 billion dollars annually.

The Fraser Institute estimates that over 90 percent of Canadians will require orthopaedic treatment in their lifetimes. 90 percent.

The work of Dr. Madison and the team at WMRH deserves our support and recognition as they strive to restore pain-free movement and quality of life for patients in a rural setting who face unique challenges in MSK care.

Your support allows us to discover amazing people like Dr. Madison and their teams and to recruit them on to our "Team Canada". Then together, we work to bring more resources to bear against the challenges facing Canadians needing orthopeadic care.

The Board of Directors and Selection Committee of the Research Council of the Canadian Orthopaedic Foundation Join together in congratulating Dr. Madison and his team for being awarded our Community Innovation Award.