Established in 1976, the Alan Ross Award is the most prestigious honour given by the Canadian Paediatric Society. The award recognizes lifelong excellence in the fields of paediatric research, education, healthcare and advocacy.
The award is presented during the CPS Annual Conference. The recipient is awarded a commemorative plaque and a gift of $2,000 and complimentary CPS membership for one year.
Dr. Robin Williams is receiving the Alan Ross Award to recognize her long and impactful career as a paediatrician and child health advocate. Her journey began with receiving a BSc and MD from the University of Toronto and completing her paediatric residency at McMaster and the Hospital for Sick Children. Early practice was in Niagara Falls, where Dr. Williams was a consultant paediatrician and advocate for children and youth while also working in medical education at McMaster University, where she became a full professor of paediatrics in 2002.
Dr. Williams retired from clinical practice in 1995 to work as the Medical Officer of Health for the Niagara Region, a position she held for 16 years. Her lifelong interest in child development led to work with Dr. Fraser Mustard on a series of reports that contributed to establishing parental leave and Early Years Centres in Ontario. During the SARS epidemic she participated on the Ontario Scientific SARS Panel whose report and recommendations eventually led to establishing Public Health Ontario. As a founding member of Ontario's Provincial Paediatric Coroners Review committee, she was involved in reviewing unusual child deaths and developing recommendations to improve systems and safety for children for more than 20 years. For her role in conceptualizing and implementing the “18-month well-child strategy” in Ontario, she received the Order of Canada in 2013.
Dr. Williams also championed child health causes as an Associate Chief Medical Officer of Health and Special Advisor for the Ministry of Health, focusing on Ontario’s vaccine strategy during the pandemic, working with SickKids (HSC) to support a public information campaign, and building collaboration with the Ontario College of Family Physicians and HSC to educate physicians on COVID-19 and vaccines.
Dr. Williams was president of the CPS in 2015 and has chaired the Early Years Task Force since 2008. Her passion for early child development found expression in recent CPS statements on positive parenting, adverse childhood experiences and early relational health, and early literacy. She has been a helpful, welcoming, and inspiring role model and mentor on preventive and public health issues for a generation.
Alan Ross was a distinguished and recognized leader in Montreal paediatrics for over 40 years. As Physician-in-Chief for 15 years at the Montreal Children’s Hospital and Chair of the Department of Paediatrics at McGill University, Dr. Ross earned an international reputation for his work in child health. His very special qualities along with his many talents made him an outstanding and well-respected physician, leader and teacher.
In 1968, Dr. Ross became the founding Professor of Paediatrics at the University College Medical School in Nairobi, Kenya. There, he encouraged a new approach to medical education, encouraging paediatricians from the western world to come to Africa and share their knowledge. As a result, many African paediatricians have stayed in their homeland to provide desperately needed medical care rather than move to more developed countries. To this day, many paediatricians inspired by Dr. Ross continue his important work the world over.
Nominees should be individuals who have made outstanding lifetime contributions in the field of child and youth health throughout their careers. The recipient must be a Canadian resident but need not be a member of the CPS.
The Awards Committee will evaluate candidates based on:
Nominations must be formally resubmitted each year to be reconsidered. Current CPS board and Awards Committee members are not eligible for nomination and cannot nominate candidates while serving their terms.
Submissions must include:
Submit your nominations using the Submit Nomination button.
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Last updated: Nov 1, 2024