OUR HISTORY
TOGETHER
OUR HISTORY
TOGETHER
COMMUNITY
It takes a village to raise a CHILD, they say.
A “village” really meaning a community – a collective with shared interests, whose members feel valued and connected.
Over the years, CHILD leaders and staff have done their best to nourish this sense of community, especially among Study participants.
This page celebrates the things we have done – beyond enabling research – together, as a village.
CONTESTS
CONTESTS
To date, CHILD has held three national contests with you, our participants, to celebrate your creativity, your perspectives, and your generosity. These activities also allow you to see some of your fellow participants and to be seen by them.
2019: CHILD’s Poster Competition challenged participants to create posters about the Study: its findings and/or their experience with it. There were 220 submissions, with 5 prizes awarded (one national, one at each Study site).
2021: CHILD’s Arts Contest invited works of artistic expression about the Study. Over 85 submissions were received, spanning videos, recorded performances, 2D and 3D art, as well as creative writing. Five prizes were awarded (one national, one at each Study site).
2024: CHILD’s “Winter Giveaway” saw hundreds of Study participants (parents and youth) earn entries into a draw by fulfilling their clinic visit requirements. Eight prizes were awarded at each Study site with one grand national prize.
CONNECTIONS
Periodically, CHILD gathers participants together, in person or virtually, usually by Study site, to interact with Study leaders, receive updates about Study research, and enjoy each other’s company.
To date, CHILD has held two major in-person events and one youth-focused virtual event.
2017: To acknowledge the Study’s achievement of completing clinic visits with participants at age 5, CHILD held celebratory gatherings.
2019/20: To celebrate the release of the feature-length documentary film “Let Them Eat Dirt,” based on CHILD microbiome research, CHILD held special film screenings for participant families.
2024: CHILD held its first “Virtual Spring Camp” online with its youth participants, where they interacted with study leaders and did team-building activities including a virtual Escape Room.
CHILD has also held two events that closely involved the Study families who serve on its National Participant Engagement Committee (NPEC): a 2019 Conference and a 2024 Workshop.
CONNECTIONS
COMMUNICATIONS
COMMUNICATIONS
CHILD distributes newsletters to Study families periodically, with content geared specifically to participants, including photos of Study parents and youth.
These newsletters aim to update families on CHILD research and its impacts, media coverage of CHILD, changes in CHILD staff, progress with data collection and sharing, Study events, and future plans for the Study.
They also seek to familiarize families with other members of the CHILD community, including their fellow participants.
To this end, recent issues have incorporated “In the Spotlight” personal profiles of CHILD staff, youth and parents.
We also welcome all manner of original content from participants for inclusion: questions for researchers and staff to answer, stories of your experiences with CHILD, photos and artistic creations…
Please be sure to share your input for future newsletters!
SHARE YOUR IDEAS!
Anitha Ithayalingam
Program Manager, Knowledge Mobilization & Patient Engagement
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