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2015 CAHR Red Ribbon Award Winner: Elisse Zack

It is with both pride and sadness that CAHR presented the 2015 Red Ribbon Award posthumously to Elisse Zack, co-founder and founding executive director of the Canadian Working Group on HIV and Rehabilitation (CWGHR). The Red Ribbon Award is presented annually by CAHR for outstanding service to the cause of research in a way that has increased our understanding of the treatment and prevention of HIV/AIDS, while enhancing the quality of life of those living with this disease. The nomination was led by two longstanding friends and colleagues of Elisse, Dr. Kelly O’Brien and Dr. Francisco Ibanez-Carrasco.

If anyone embodied this award, it was Elisse. From teaching ESL for the Toronto School Board, to her role as Co-coordinator of the Rexdale Women’s Centre, to her work with the Canadian AIDS Society and finally the co-founding of the Canadian Working Group on HIV and Rehabilitation in 1998, Elisse worked tirelessly to improve the lives of others. Yet, despite her great achievements, she avoided the spotlight and would quickly pass on the credit to her colleagues. Francisco Ibanez-Carrasco describes her as selfless and determined; “She really put herself to the service of the HIV movement. She wanted to see workplace accommodations for those living with HIV and other episodic disabilities,” says Francisco. “She was dogged, but always so respectful and compassionate. She was tenacious and careful at the same time.” Stephen Tattle from CWGHR echoes the sentiment: “Elisse was tireless in her commitment to creating change. She gave a lot of her life to that.”

Her legacy is one of partnership and infectious enthusiasm. Elisse saw the similarities in the challenges of people living with HIV and those living with other chronic episodic illnesses. With this in mind, she reached out to cancer and diabetes advocacy groups, uniting their common message to improve quality of life for their members. Elisse believed there was strength in numbers and in order to ensure appropriate accommodations for people living with episodic illnesses, a strong voice was needed. “She truly had such a passion for enhancing health and quality of life of people with episodic illnesses.” says Kelly. Her passion has paved the way for rehabilitation research, and implementation of policies and programs to improve to quality of life for those living with HIV.

Thanks to Elisse’s determination and the collaborations she orchestrated, the message continues to be heard even in her absence. “She had an incredible way of bringing people together and her enthusiasm bubbled over into others who had the opportunity to work with her,” says Kelly. Francisco attributes these ongoing effects to Elisse’s ability to convey the importance of her cause. “For her, the issue was very clear and she made it clear to others. She managed to describe it to people, researchers, and policy people who continue to work on these issues. I work in her legacy every day.”

Our Mission

  • Promote excellence in HIV research
  • Foster collaboration and cooperation among HIV research communities, including basic science, clinical science, epidemiology & public health and social science
  • Promote education and the development of new researchers
  • Provide a unified voice for Canadian HIV researchers and engage diverse stakeholders (community, industry, Government, NGO’s etc.) in ongoing dialogue and knowledge exchange to ensure that HIV research remains responsive to their needs
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CAHR 2023
April 27 to 30, 2023

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About CAHR

With a membership of more than 1,000 researchers and others interested in HIV research, the Canadian Association for HIV Research (CAHR) is the leading organization of HIV/AIDS researchers in Canada. CAHR is the organizing body for the Annual Canadian Conference on HIV/AIDS Research (CAHR Conference).

CAHR encourages Canadian researchers to be leaders in knowledge translation and to effectively respond both to the Canadian and global HIV/AIDS epidemics. Since its founding in 1991, CAHR has promoted excellence in HIV research, including mentorship and career development of investigators entering the field.

CAHR fosters collaboration and co-operation among HIV research communities, including basic, clinical and social sciences, epidemiology and public health. CAHR also engages people living with HIV/AIDS and AIDS service organizations in ongoing dialogue and information exchange to ensure that HIV/AIDS research remains responsive to the epidemic and its stakeholders.

CAHR is a registered charity.

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For more information or to make a comment, please contact us:

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