Community Advisory
Board
The Community Advisory Board (CAB) for the CAMERA study aims to ensure the research remains deeply connected to the perspectives and needs of the communities it aims to serve. The CAB is made up of dedicated community members who share common identities and lived experiences with the study participants.
Kim Leung
Kim is a caregiver to her mother who has Alzheimer’s. She was a volunteer at tax clinics, afundraiser for the United Way, and a board member at Halton Women’s Place in Oakville. She iscurrently an executive member of the Family Council at Senior’s Health Centre where her husbandis a resident. She is also a member of the Patient and Caregiver HealthCouncil with the NorthYork Toronto Health Partners. Kim joined the CAMERA project in order to support the researchon Alzheimer's disease to advance our knowledge on risk and protective factors for dementia.
Navjot Gill-Chawla
Navjot Gill-Chawla is a PhD candidate in Public Health at the University of Waterloo, specializingin aging health and well-being. Her research focuses on the experiences of South Asian Canadiansliving with dementia and their care partners, with an emphasis on culturally inclusive dementiacare. As an advocate for culturally inclusive dementia care, she has contributed to numerousprojects addressing dementia stigma, culturally relevant care practices, and the unique needs ofethno-racial communities. Navjot is passionate about enhancing dementia prevention andintervention strategies to ensure they meet the needs of Canada’s diverse populations
Carson Jen
Carson is an Engineer with an MBA and a Certified Accounting Designation, with 25 years of experience in the Financial and Investment industry. Prior to his retirement in 2014, he was a Managing Director and Senior Portfolio Manager with Manulife Investment Management in Toronto. Carson was born and raised in Toronto from parents who immigrated from China in 1947.Carson is married to Marie-France Deveau whom he met at the University of Western Ontario. They have a daughter in Calgary and a son in Vancouver. A key component in Carson's retirement plan was a sense of duty to contribute back to the broader community through volunteerism. As well, by attending medical lectures at the University of Toronto, Carson is able to pursue his strong personal interest in the Life Sciences, especially medicine. When the opportunity to join the Community Advisory Board of CAMERA presented itself, it was an immediate "No Brainer". The involvement with the Advisory Board allows Carson to directly contribute to the study design and the positive experience of participants. Finally, whether as a study participant or a CAB member, the exposure to the professionalism and youthful dedication of everyone on the CAMERA team, makes the experience that much more rewarding and enjoyable.
Leela Prasaud
Leela Prasaud is originally from Guyana, of South Asian descent. She immigrated to Canada as a teenager. She was certified as a Medical Laboratory Technologist, has a BAS from York University and MHSc from University of Toronto. Leela has been involved in health policy and operations for over 25 years. Since her retirement, Leela has been a Patient Experience Partner at North York General Hospital and as a Patient and Family Advisor and a member of the Patient and Family Health Council at North York Toronto Health Partners. Leela joined the Advisory Committee of CAMERA, of which she is a participant, because it is looking at East Asians and South Indians who are not normally part of research studies. Leela has participated in research and appreciates the significant benefit when people affected by the research are included in studies.
Jason Wu
Jason was born in Taiwan and retired in 2018 after a 38-year career as an architect and urban designer in private consulting firms and municipal government. In 2013, his parents, who were in their mid-80s and suffering from multiple chronic diseases, moved in with him. His mother was diagnosed with dementia, and a few years later, his father was diagnosed with the same condition. Jason and his wife became the primary caregivers for his parents until the end of their lives. With little knowledge about dementia, their caregiving journey was initially very challenging. The language and cultural differences certainly added to the difficulty. Through the help of family &friends, senior care facilities and a team of health care professionals, we barely survived. Now, Jason is a member of the Mandarin Senior Care Support Group with Yee Hong. Earlier this year, he volunteered to join the community advisory panel of the Canadian Multi-Ethnic Research on Aging (CAMERA) study conducted by Sunnybrook Hospital. This study is funded by CIHR, the Alzheimer’s Society of Canada, and the Alzheimer’s Association. Jason has been actively spreading the words about this study within the Chinese community, hoping to attract more participants. He is also a participant in the study himself.