Ron Thomson
Ron joined Canada's child health community in 2019, after his son Samuel sustained a severe injury to his brain during birth. Since then, he and his wife, Marcela, have been navigating a health care system that has a limited understanding of severe neonatal brain injury and its long-term impact. Through this experience, Ron has become a strong advocate for scientific advances in the understanding and treatment of all pediatric conditions, but especially those that are underrepresented in research. He believes that every child should receive equal support in reaching their full potential, regardless of diagnosis.
Ron is also a speech scientist and Professor of Applied Linguistics at Brock University, where his research focuses on the development of second-language speech perception and production. His formative childhood years were spent, first, with the Siksiká First Nation (Alberta), and later, living in Pakistan. These diverse experiences, including up-close exposure to the suffering of marginalized populations, significantly influence his worldview and commitment to equity in child health.