On November 22, 2016, we announced that the Invictus Games Toronto 2017 will fund an independent research study on the impact of adaptive sporting events on the rehabilitation of ill, wounded and injured veterans, service members and their families. The study will take the form of a post-doctorate thesis by Dalhousie University and Canadian Institute for Military & Veteran Health Research (CIMVHR) researcher Celina Shirazipour. The study will follow competitors and their families in the upcoming Invictus Games.
This international study will be the first of its kind. Findings will be crucial for providing a platform for evidence-based policy-making to support the further development of sport programs and events delivered to military personnel and veterans with illnesses and injuries in Canada and internationally.
“By funding this study, one of the potential outcomes will be to demonstrate that the Invictus Games are more than just another sporting event; that they are a means of helping competitors overcome mental and physical injuries sustained as a result of their service,” said Michael Burns, Chief Executive Officer, Invictus Games Toronto 2017 Organizing Committee.
Preliminary study findings will be presented at next year’s CIMVHR Forum, which will be held in Toronto in September during the Games. The annual Forum attracts hundreds of academics from around the world, who gather to discuss recent health research studies concerning military, veterans and their families.