MONTREAL – The Sandbox Project applauds the federal government’s investment of $5 million over two years to support injury prevention initiatives for children and youth. As one of the central pillars of The Sandbox Project; injury prevention, especially in the areas of concussions, drowning and fractures, is critical to providing safe environments for Canada’s kids to grow up healthy and active.
“Increasing awareness of injury prevention strategies is critical to providing parents, caregivers, coaches and educators with the tools they need to help keep Canadian children and youth safe said Dr. Kellie Leitch, paediatric orthopaedic surgeon and founder of The Sandbox Project. “We applaud the government’s engagement of non-governmental organizations and their networks in this initiative to help ensure that information on preventable injuries and best practices reach those who need it most.”
The Sandbox Project fosters collaboration among leading Canadian experts, translating that knowledge through the development of interactive tools, social media and best practices by building partnerships between parents, academic leaders, industry, and governments to make Canada the healthiest place on earth for children and youth to grow up in. It was created to respond to recent and startling research conducted by Dr. Kellie Leitch in her report “Reaching for the Top” on behalf of the Government of Canada in 2007/2008. The report can be found at http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hl-vs/alt_formats/hpb-dgps/pdf/child-enfant/2007-advisor-conseillere/advisor-conseillere-eng.pdf.