The Canadian Scoliosis Screening Coalition

Contact: CSSC@scoliosiscanada.ca

Who We Are:

   We are a non-profit national advocacy group composed of compassionate and dedicated volunteer parent and patient advocates, advocacy groups, and healthcare professionals. Our coalition includes leading Paediatric Spine Surgeons, Researchers, Physiotherapists trained in Scoliosis-specific physiotherapy, Nurse Practitioners, Certified Orthotists and the Canadian Paediatric Spine Society.

Our Canada-wide Screening Initiative Collaboration is:

Advocacy Groups:

Scoliosis Alberta founded in Edmonton, Alberta by patient, clinical and research community members, raises awareness for scoliosis, provides support and education to those affected by scoliosis and funds local research and collaborates with 'The Edmonton Scoliosis Interdisciplinary Research Group' from the University of Alberta Hospital.

Scoliosis Resource Centre Founded in Ottawa, Ontario in 2008 by Schroth Physiotherapist Andrea Lebel (who was diagnosed with scoliosis as a child in Europe and treated successfully with Schroth PSSE, who owns two associated private physiotherapy clinics in Ottawa, Scoliosis Physiotherapy Institute and Scoliosis Physiotherapy & Posture Centre ) and run by patient/parent volunteers. Offers peer support, guidance and provides free online educational resources, see Resources. Every June 1st in Ottawa they hold Scoliosis Awareness event with a fund-raiser 'The Ottawa Annual Scoliosis Awareness walk' to raise awareness and funds for the local Children's Hospital CHEO

Maritime Scoliosis Society, (formerly, Swing for Scoliosis) Halifax, Nova Scotia, charity founded by parents in 2022, "we are dedicated to improving the lives of those affected by scoliosis. Through our annual charity golf tournament and community initiatives, we raise funds for research, treatment access, and awareness efforts” -directly supporting the IWK Health Orthopaedic Department

Parent & Patient Advocates:

Tanya Chang - Video Editor

Ryan Isac - Scoliosis Screening Ambassador

Chris Kashuba

Miaya Kline - Media Specialist

Josée Boucher - French Translations

Debbie Powell

Cynthia Rinsma

Stephanie Silverthorn

Karen Uchida -Lead Organizer

Jessica Waterworth

Kandra West-Pettigrew

Health Care Professionals:

Chair:

Dr. Jean Ouellet, MD, FRCS(C), Pediatric Orthopedic Spine Surgeon, Clinician-Scientist, Professor, McGill University Health Centre / Shriners Hospital for Children Canada, Montreal, QC,

Chair of McGill Scoliosis and Spinal Research, Medical Director of Shriners Pediatric Simulation Centre, Shriners Hospital for Children - Canada, Clinical Director of Scoliosis & Spine Surgery, Shriners Hospital for Children – Canada & Montreal Children’s Hospital, President of the Canadian Pediatric Spine Society (2023-25). (Disclosure:) Co-founder & CMO Momentum Health "Empowering families, patients and care teams to remotely manage scoliosis...A mobile app to scan and predict spinal curvature".

(Please read the program of the multi-disciplinary panel for the March 29 2025, Montreal Paediatric Spine conference "My Spine is Curvy, Let's talk about it!" "an event organized as part of the MUSCO Initiative, a collaborative approach between the major paediatric institutions of CHU Sainte-Justine, the Marie Enfant Rehabilitation Centre, the Montreal Children’s Hospital and Shriners Hospitals for Children — Canada, with the support of the Mirella & Lino Saputo Foundation...")

Paediatric Spine Surgeons:

Dr. Tim Carey, MD, FRCS(C), Pediatric Orthopedic Spine Surgeon, Associate Professor, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, Children's Hospital, London Health Sciences Centre, London ON

Dr. Ron El-Hawary, MD, FRCS(C), Pediatric Orthopedic Spine Surgeon, Associate Professor Harvard University, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA (previously at IWK Health, Halifax, Nova Scotia)

Dr. David Lebel, MD, PhD, Pediatric Orthopedic Spine Surgeon, Associate Professor, University of Toronto, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON

Dr. Firoz Miyanji, MD, FRCS(C), Pediatric Orthopedic Spine Surgeon, Professor University of British Columbia, British Columbia Children’s Hospital, Vancouver BC, Vice-President of Research at non-profit Setting Scoliosis Straight

Dr. Stefan Parent, MD, PhD, Pediatric Orthopedic Spine Surgeon & Clinician-Scientist , Professor, Université de Montréal, Sainte-Justine Children's Hospital, Montreal QC

Dr. Andrea Simmonds, MD,MHSc. FRCS(C), Paediatric Spine & Orthopaeidic Trauma Sugeon, Clinical Assistant Professor, UBC Dept. Orthopaedics, British Columbia Children’s Hospital, Vancouver BC

Dr. Kevin Smit, MD, FRCS(C), Pediatric Orthopedic Spine Surgeon, Associate Professor, University of Ottawa, Clinician-Scientist Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario CHEO, Ottawa, ON

Dr. Kyle Stampe, MD, FRCS(C), Pediatric Orthopedic Spine Surgeon, Stollery Children's Hospital, Edmonton, Alta, Assistant Clinical Professor Dept of Surgery Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry University of Alberta

Researchers:

Marie Beauséjour, Msc, Ph.D, Associate Professor Department of Community Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke and researcher at Centre de recherche Charles-Le Moyne - and at CHU Sainte-Justine Clinical Research Unit in Orthopaedics.

Doug Hill, P. Eng MBA, Manager Research and Innovation, Alberta Health Services, Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital, Edmonton AB

Eric Parent, PT., Ph.D, Professor of Physical Therapy, Researcher Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine University of Alberta , Edmonton AB

Sanja Schreiber, Ph.D Msc, Clinical Research Scientist, Adjunct Professor Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine University of Alberta , Edmonton AB

Dr Kirby Upshaw, MD, Msc, Neurosurgery Chairman of Research, Canadian Paediatric Spine Society, Director of Spine & Scoliosis Research Program, Dept of Orthopaedic & Neurosurgery, McGill University Health Centre, Clinical Transformation Specialist at Shriners Hospital for Children Canada

Nurse Practitioners:

Marie Josée Beaulieu, CPNP, MscN, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner- Spine, Sainte-Justine Children's Hospital, Montreal QC

Jessica Romeo, NP-Pediatrics, MN, BscN, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Orthopedic Surgery, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario CHEO, Ottawa, ON, NP & APN Professional Practice Leader

Sarah Southon Hryniuk, MN, Nurse Practitioner- Pediatric Orthopedic Spine Stollery Children's Hospital, Edmonton AB

Physiotherapists:

Maksym Borysov,(International) MSc, CPO, PT, Schroth Therapist, ISPO, SOSORT member, Orthobility Bracing, Mississauga ON

Carole Cheboro, Msc PT, Bkin, BEd Schroth Physiotherapist, Richmond Hill, ON Neurocore Physiotherapy

Jennifer Dermott, Bsc PT, Msc, PhD candidate PT Practitioner, Spine Program, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON

Caitlyn Dunphy, MPT BC Children's Hospital Orthopaedic Spine Clinic

Andrea Lebel, MSc PT Schroth Physiotherapist, Ottawa, ON, SOSORT President Elect 2021-2022 and SOSORT Board Member 2016-2022, Scoliosis Physiotherapy & Posture Centre

Andrea Mendoza, BSc, MPT, MBA; Schroth Physiotherapist, Vancouver, BC, Founder of the Scoliclinic.

Fariba Taheri, Bsc, PT, Founder Canada Scoliosis & Neuro Centre, Toronto, ON, former clinical instructor with the University of Toronto Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.

Physiotherapist Technologists:

Josée Boucher, Physiotherapy Technologist for the CISSSAT-RN Regional Pain Clinic, Schroth Certified, Tutor for the UQAT course on chronic pain, complex regional pain syndrome(CRPS) and strategic intervention.

Orthotists:

Maksym Borysov, (International) MSc, CPO, PT, Schroth Therapist, ISPO, SOSORT member. Orthobility Bracing, Mississauga ON

Trevor Da Silva, C.O. Certified Orthotist Orthobility Bracing, Mississauga ON (20+ yrs fitting Scoliosis patients)

Piotr (Peter) Duma, T.P. (Orthotic and Prosthetic Technician), Qualified Orthotist at Action Ortho Santé & Shriners Hospital for Children, Montreal Canada. (13 years of scoliosis brace Fitting and Manufacturing)

Carl Ganzert, MSc. C.O.(c) Certified Orthotist, Hodgson Orthopedic Group, Acting Director Research Division, BC

Rajiv Kalsi, C.O. Certified Orthotist, Ottawa Hospital Rehabilitation Centre (20+ yrs fitting scoliosis orthoses to children and adolescents)

Andrew Lok, C.O. Certified Orthotist, back2feet North York ON, President of the Ontario Association of Prosthetics and Orthotics (OAPO) Member of OPC and ISPO, (10+ years fitting Scoliosis TLSOs to all age groups).

And endorsed by...

The Canadian Paediatric Spine Society

"It's high time - Scoliosis Screening - becomes an annual health check in Canada and - Scoliosis School Screening - is reinstated. This is sound evidence-based preventative health care practice;

Let's ensure Canadian kids stay Healthy."...The Canadian Scoliosis Screening Coalition

(Disclaimer: The Canadian Scoliosis Screening Coalition (CSSC) does not endorse any treatments, procedures, products, or health professionals referenced herein and referenced on our social media posts and in our webinars. This website's content and all referenced herein including content on our social media posts and in our webinars, is for information and educational purposes only and does not represent medical advice. CSSC is not responsible for material from linked sites and presence of such a link does not constitute an endorsement by CSSC of material on the linked site.)

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