Canadian Foundation for Physically Disabled Persons

06/13/2026

06/12/2026

On June 10, CFPDP was proud to attend the Senate Reception for Deafblind Awareness Month on Parliament Hill, celebrating the achievements, contributions and leadership of Canadians who are deafblind.

CFPDP was especially pleased to have our founder and Chair, The Honourable Vim Kochhar, in attendance. While serving as a Senator, Vim championed the original effort to have June officially recognized as Deafblind Awareness Month in Canada, introducing a motion before Parliament was prorogued and his subsequent retirement. He has spent more than four decades advocating for greater awareness, inclusion and support for people who are deafblind and living with other disabilities.

Today, Vim's legacy continues through the work of CFPDP and Canadian Helen Keller Centre, both of which he founded.

Thank you to Senators Yonah Martin, Salma Ataullahjan, Michèle Audette, Flordeliz Osler and Mohamed-Iqbal Ravalia for hosting this important reception and for their ongoing support of the deafblind community.

Canadian Helen Keller Centre

06/01/2026

June is Deafblind Awareness Month, and we are proud to celebrate!

Did you know that The Honourable Vim Kochhar, who founded both CFPDP and Canadian Helen Keller Centre, led the initiative to have the Senate officially recognize June as Deafblind Awareness Month in Canada?

He championed and introduced the initial push for the Senate to adopt the motion, which was formally tabled and unanimously adopted in 2015 after his retirement, largely thanks to the efforts of Senators Yonah Martin and Jim Munson.

This year, Hon. Kochhar will be attending the Deafblind Awareness Month reception on Parliament Hill on June 10. The reception is co-hosted by Senators Yonah Martin, Salma Ataullahjan, Michèle Audette, Flordeliz Osler and Mohamed-Iqbal Ravalia and brings together community leaders, advocates and supporters to celebrate the achievements and contributions of Canadians who are deafblind.

Today marks the beginning of DeafBlind Awareness Month, and to honour this the CN Tower will light up blue tonight, raising visibility and honoring the experiences of the DeafBlind community. It’s a powerful reminder of the importance of inclusion, accessibility, and support for all.

If you see the CN tower tonight lit up blue, take a picture and share it in the comments!

05/21/2026

On May 20th, CFPDP was proud to see the Impact Award for Disability Research featured in a PSA advertisement in The Globe and Mail. We are grateful to the publication for its ongoing support.

For more than 40 years, The Honourable Vim Kochhar has led CFPDP as a full-time volunteer, working tirelessly to improve the lives of people with disabilities. This new national award builds on that legacy by recognizing Canadian researchers whose work is creating meaningful change for the 27% of our country's population who identify as having a disability.

Created in collaboration with Dr. Tom Chau of Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, the award includes a personal prize of $100,000 and celebrates research that goes beyond discovery and delivers measurable, real-world impact.

Please help us spread the word. You may know a mid- to senior-career researcher whose work is already making a difference and deserves national recognition — and self-nominations are also welcome.

Nominations are open until October 16, 2026.

Learn more or submit a nomination: https://iadr.cfpdp.com/

05/04/2026

May 4 is the final day to nominate an outstanding Canadian for induction into the Canadian Disability Hall of Fame in 2026.

Now in its 33rd year, the Hall of Fame recognizes excellence and achievement in Canada's disability community.

Help celebrate individuals whose contributions are advancing accessibility and inclusion across our nation.

Learn more: https://cdhf.cfpdp.com/

Submit your nominations: https://www.cfpdp.com/canadian-disability-hall-of-fame-nomination/

04/26/2026

𝐖𝐡𝐨 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭?

Paralympian, CBC Sports broadcaster and CFPDP Board Director Rob Snoek invites you to nominate an outstanding Canadian for the Canadian Disability Hall of Fame.

The Hall of Fame recognizes individuals whose contributions are advancing accessibility and strengthening the disability community across Canada in three categories:

✨ Builder
✨ Achiever
✨ Athlete

⏰Deadline: May 4, 2026
🔗 Link in bio

If someone comes to mind, this is the moment to recognize their impact!

04/26/2026

Nominations for the Canadian Disability Hall of Fame are open until Monday, May 4, 2026! Learn more at https://cdhf.cfpdp.com/ and submit your nominations today via https://nominations.cfpdp.com/

03/02/2026

In 1998, the late Neil Sedaka graced the stage at CFPDP's 14th Annual Great Valentine Gala.

His music brought joy to millions around the world. And that night, he shared his extraordinary talent in support of Canadians with physical disabilities.

The Honourable Vim Kochhar and the CFPDP team remember him with gratitude and admiration.

02/12/2026

Established in 2024 as a tribute to the incredible legacy of CFPDP’s founder, The Honourable Vim Kochhar Award celebrates individuals who have contributed significantly to the disability community and our country. Duncan Sinclair, Chair of Deloitte Canada and Chile, is this year’s recipient in recognition of his national leadership in advancing diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility (DEIA), including an emphasis on disability.

Sinclair has championed these values as organizational priorities at Deloitte. As Chair of CFPDP’s “A Seat at the Table” program, he has helped strengthen pathways to greater corporate board diversity. His commitment extends beyond CFPDP through his service with organizations such as True Patriot Love Foundation and the Invictus Games Vancouver 2025, reflecting a deep and ongoing dedication to Canadians with disabilities.

CFPDP looks forward to honouring Duncan at the 42nd Annual Great Valentine Gala on February 14th at the Fairmont Royal York.

Learn more in the Gala edition of WhyNot: https://gala.cfpdp.com/

02/11/2026

Congratulations to George Przybylowski, Prasanna Ranganathan and Tony Wight, the King Clancy Award recipients for 2026! They will receive their awards during the 42nd Annual Great Valentine Gala ceremony at the Fairmont Royal York on Saturday, February 14th.

George Przybylowski is being honoured with the 2026 King Clancy Award for his commitment to advancing opportunities for Canadians with disabilities. A founding board director of CFPDP, Przybylowski played a key role in helping the team build the organization and advance the Great Valentine Gala and the Canadian Disability Hall of Fame. He was instrumental in the creation of Rotary Cheshire Homes, a groundbreaking model of independent living with intervenor services for people who are deafblind, now part of Canadian Helen Keller Centre. After being diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2006, Przybylowski also became a strong advocate for awareness and early detection, serving seven years on the board of Prostate Cancer Canada.

Prasanna Ranganathan is being recognized for his leadership in advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility and belonging (DEIAB) in Canada and internationally. Over more than two decades, he has driven systemic change and amplified the voices of people with disabilities through his work as a documentary producer, DEIAB advisor, speaker and human rights lawyer. His impact includes leading Shopify's global diversity and belonging strategy, advancing accessibility in the film sector through work with the Toronto International Film Festival and helping establish the Disability Screen Office.

Tony Wight is being celebrated for his commitment to community service and disability advocacy over significant periods during the past four decades. Wight has made a difference through his vital support for the Great Valentine Gala and the Canadian Disability Hall of Fame; his early involvement with the Rotary Club of Toronto-Don Valley; and, more recently, his service as a board director and event co-chair with CFPDP. Wight’s volunteerism also extends to the Lymphedema Association of Ontario, inspired by his late wife’s experience with cancer and lymphedema.

Learn more in the Gala edition of WhyNot: https://gala.cfpdp.com/