With support from the research community, the VCHRI communications team celebrates successfully launching an award-winning anniversary event.
Photo above (L-R): Congratulations to Vivian Sum, Jessica Purver, Sydney Soldan, Amanda Chisholm and the entire VCHRI team!
Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute (VCHRI) is thrilled to receive the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) 2024 Gold Quill Award of Excellence in the category of Communication for Special and Experiential Events. This prestigious recognition highlights the outstanding achievements of the VCHRI communications team in managing the 2023 milestone event.
Despite encountering challenges that arose during the pandemic, including the disruption of knowledge exchange for 30 months due to site restrictions and evolving health policies, VCHRI continued to foster crucial interdisciplinary collaboration between researchers, staff and industry partners.
"The anniversary event served as a powerful reinforcement of VCHRI's commitment to driving breakthroughs in care,” says Vivian Sum, project lead and VCHRI director of communications and partnerships. “It is incredibly rewarding to witness how health communicators can facilitate active learning, networking and collaboration — even in the face of unprecedented circumstances.”
For the first time in its 20-year history, VCHRI hosted a dedicated special event to showcase the impact and honour the achievements of researchers, promoting internal pride and celebrating the exceptional efforts that have shaped the health research landscape over the last two decades.
The event provided a unique opportunity to recognize the incredible contributions of health researchers towards advancing care for all. Carrying the theme of integrating research innovation for exceptional health outcomes, the event brought together over 300 individuals from the research community, including investigators, clinicians, trainees, staff, research collaborators and community and industry partners.
“Over the past two decades, VCHRI's collaborative culture has fueled innovative breakthroughs, revolutionizing health care practices and outcomes.”
“It is about amplifying voices, breaking down barriers and championing the transformative power of research and innovation,” says Sum.
Event participants shared that the event was an enriching experience that demonstrated the importance of collaboration, networking and community-building as a means of advancing patient care and public health.
“This celebratory event exemplified the seamless integration of research and care, igniting a renewed sense of teamwork within the research community and solidifying VCHRI's position as a pioneering force in transformative health care advancements.”
The 2024 Gold Quill Award of Excellence marks the fourth time that VCHRI has received award recognition from IABC. Prior accolades included a 2022 Gold Quill Award of Excellence, two 2018 international Gold Quill awards and a 2017 Silver Leaf Award of Excellence for Internal Communication.
