Researcher Testimonials
Dr. Arielle Mendel,
Division of Rheumatology,
McGill University
Dr. Linda Li and Dr. John Esdaile
CIORA was created in recognition of the inadequate research funding for the world’s most common and costly disabling condition – musculoskeletal disease. CIORA has proven the value of seed money and early-stage funding to not only answer questions directly, but perhaps equally important to provide data to assist in a major way the subsequent funding of large-scale projects based on its research results. CIORA has often brought clinicians and scientists together to both refine the questions asked and to get more precise valid answers to them. CIORA is a testament to the foresight of the Canadian Rheumatology Association.
Dr. Carrie Ye
The CIORA grant allowed the Canadian Rheumatology Research Group in Immuno-Oncology (CanRIO) to create the first online knowledge translation platform for rheumatic side effects of immunotherapy for cancer patients. With this generous support, canrio.ca has become a platform for sharing up-to-date evidence on best management of these complicated conditions and knowledge sharing between healthcare professionals that care for these patients.
Dr. Gilles Boire
CIORA is the ideal granting body to explore new areas of importance for the patient; accumulating preliminary or pilot data that lead to larger initiatives that improve patient care.
Personally, CIORA support contributed to a better understanding of the difference between what rheumatologists think is best for patients and what patients feel is best for them. We thought that by giving patients with controlled RA tools to better manage their feelings, they would be less anxious and depressed and consequently they would agree with their doctor that their arthritis was not active. Our MBSR project showed that it did improve depressive and anxious symptoms, improved function, but did not change the perception of activity of their disease. We hope to be able to elucidate the mechanisms underlying this disconnect.
Dr. Jessica Widdifield
CIORA has been an essential part of my maturity as a researcher and has supported me throughout my career development by providing financial support as I started my early research career. As a result of receiving several CIORA project grants, the funding has allowed me to advance my career by generating a long line of research publications, and presentations, developing preliminary data for future projects and funding, and knowledge dissemination activities. These research projects have helped to shape health policy to improve access to care and strengthen rheumatology workforce capacity. Overall, I believe CIORA has been a tremendous asset to Canada’s rheumatology research community and is creating a lasting legacy.
Dr. Claire Barber
Receiving funding from CIORA has been instrumental in my career. It has allowed me to embark upon a research program dedicated to measuring and improving the care for individuals living with inflammatory arthritis and developing and implementing clinical tools and pathways to improve care. The funding has supported the hiring of my talented research staff, students and also enabled meaningful patient partner engagement. Early on in my career one of the first grants I received was from CIORA, the results of this work have been leveraged for two further subsequent successful CIHR grants on care quality in rheumatology. I feel strongly that I would not have the research career or impact without the support from CIORA and am deeply grateful for the funding and support for my research and my team.