Sam – Toronto, ON
2026 ABBI Scholarship Recipient
On October 2, 2023, Sam sustained a catastrophic brain injury: a subdural hematoma and a subgaleal hematoma. He had been struck by a distracted driver, leaving him with impaired memory, reduced processing speed, and other lasting challenges. Rather than let this setback define him, Sam pushed forward with determination, graduating high school with an A average and going on to exceed his academic expectations. He is now at the University of Toronto, entering his third year double majoring in Criminology and Political Science with a 3.51 GPA and has made the Dean’s List.
Sam has channelled his experience into purposeful action, becoming a passionate advocate who has raised awareness about brain injuries and even led a fundraising campaign that gave back to his community. He’s now working toward law school with the goal of becoming a disability lawyer. He aims to turn his perseverance into a lifelong mission to support others and reduce the stigma surrounding disabilities.
Hailey- Bruce Mines, ON
2026 ABBI Scholarship Recipient
On July 5th, a summer ATV accident on a familiar trail left Hailey with a traumatic brain injury (TBI), an experience she has no memory of and survived only because of her mother’s quick thinking. Rather than let this setback define her, Hailey pushed forward with determination, working closely with an occupational therapist to manage ongoing sensory and memory challenges while remaining dedicated to her studies. She is now on track to graduate on time, currently pursuing acceptance into Practical Nursing at Sault College.
Hailey has channeled her experience into purposeful action, becoming a passionate advocate who uses school assignments and class projects to educate teachers and classmates about the realities of invisible injuries. Though the accident forced her to abandon her original dream of becoming a paramedic due to physical limitations, she has redirected that same desire to help others toward a nursing career, with plans to eventually bridge into a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Driven by her own resilience, Hailey hopes to show other students with disabilities or injuries that while their path may change, they can still reach their destination.
Nicole – Winnipeg, MB
2026 ABBI Scholarship Recipient
Nicole experienced a pediatric stroke the day she was born, when seizures led doctors to discover that 30% of her brain had been affected. Because her recovery has spanned her entire life, she never knew a “before and after”—she simply grew up learning to navigate right-sided numbness and debilitating migraines as her normal. It wasn’t until around age six that she realized what she’d always felt wasn’t typical, and over the years she has learned to listen to her body, take rest when needed, and speak openly about her physical limitations rather than hide them.
Despite the challenges posed by her brain injury, Nicole has excelled far beyond what she once thought possible, earning the Gold Medal for the highest GPA in her graduating class during her undergraduate degree at the University of Winnipeg. She is now pursuing her dream of becoming a teacher, driven by a desire to be a role model for her students and show them that a rewarding life is achievable regardless of physical limitations. Nicole shares her story openly whenever she can, hoping to help others with similar experiences feel seen and less alone, while raising awareness about the often invisible, lifelong effects of pediatric brain injury.
Joshua – Lively, ON
2026 ABBI Scholarship Recipient
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Kendric – Moncton, NB
2026 ABBI Scholarship Recipient
Kendric was diagnosed with medulloblastoma, a brain tumour, at just three years old, beginning a childhood marked by surgeries, treatments, and hospital stays at an age when most children are still learning to speak in full sentences. Though he was too young at the time to fully grasp what was happening, growing up as a brain tumour survivor has shaped his strength, resilience, and outlook on life. As he got older, he came to understand how serious his diagnosis had been and how fortunate he was to receive the care that saved his life—a realization that motivated him to help others facing similar challenges.
Raising awareness about brain tumours and childhood cancer has become a central part of Kendric’s journey, as he believes greater awareness leads to earlier diagnosis, stronger research funding, and better support systems for families. He shares his story openly to help others understand the long-term effects survivors can face, aiming to reduce fear and stigma while offering hope to families navigating similar situations. Kendric is also active in his community, supporting healthcare-related causes and initiatives that give back to hospitals, patients, and families, turning his own experience into a source of encouragement for younger patients. Moving forward, he remains committed to continuing his awareness efforts and community involvement, working toward a future where he can give back to the healthcare community that supported him.
Landon – Corner Brook, NFLD
2026 ABBI Scholarship Recipient
Landon’s life changed suddenly during his second month of university when his left side of his body became paralyzed while in the shower. Within hours, he went from a normal morning to being transported to Sunnybrook Hospital, a top stroke facility, where his recovery journey began. Unlike injuries with visible signs, Landon’s stroke left him with hidden disabilities—overwhelming fatigue, memory challenges, and exhaustion from even simple tasks like a short walk—that were harder for others to recognize or understand. Through his recovery, supported in part by his grandfather’s encouragement not to let the experience hold him back, Landon has focused on highlighting the unique hardships that invisible disabilities bring.
This fall, Landon is heading to Memorial University to study psychology and biology, continuing the academic path he had planned before his stroke. Since coming home, he has become a dedicated advocate for open conversations about mental health, a passion that has grown significantly since his experience. Landon shares his story not for attention, but to open the door for other survivors to talk about their struggles and seek support, emphasizing that every survivor’s journey looks different and that recovery isn’t always visible from the outside. Through his advocacy, he hopes to remind others that people can be facing significant internal challenges even when everything looks fine on the surface.
Aidan – Victoria, BC
2026 ABBI Scholarship Recipient
Aidan suffered a stroke as an infant, growing up with physical limitations that made everyday tasks like tying knots, using utensils, and handling objects a challenge. Rather than letting these obstacles hold him back, Aidan channeled them into determination, going on to found “The Healing Loop,” a grassroots initiative that creates handcrafted blankets for hospitals and retirement homes. In just two days after launching the project, he raised nearly $200 and completed three blankets, with more in progress, viewing knitting as a way to turn simple materials into symbols of care and connection.
Aidan volunteers at patient-advocacy events and listen to stories from people facing long emergency room wait times. He has expanded his civic involvement by canvassing door-to-door for the municipal Green Party during two elections, experiences that reinforced his belief that meaningful change starts with one person choosing to act. This fall, Aidan will begin a Bachelor of Kinesiology at Camosun College, where he hopes to build on his own journey of resilience by helping others with physical disabilities build strength, confidence, and independence.
Logan – Stony Mountain, Manitoba
2026 ABBI Scholarship Recipient
In March 2024, a ski trip took an unexpected turn when a jump gone wrong at Asessippi Ski Area & Resort left him with a Traumatic Brain Injury, a C1 lateral mass fracture, and a calcaneal fracture at age 17. He was airlifted by STARS to the Health Sciences Centre in Winnipeg, spending time in the surgical ICU with an intracranial pressure monitor before moving through step-down care and eventually completing rehabilitation at Riverview Health Centre’s Acquired Brain Injury Rehabilitation Program. Determined not to let the injury define his future, he returned to school the very day after being discharged from Riverview, even though his recovery was far from complete—it wasn’t until about a year and a half later, after his first year of university, that he truly felt like himself again.
Despite the long road to recovery, he graduated high school and went on to pursue his education at the University of Manitoba. Along the way, he has been open with trusted friends about his injury and worked to raise awareness about brain injuries and the lasting symptoms many survivors face, learning firsthand the importance of patience, communication, and asking for help. Looking ahead, he plans to keep strengthening his everyday skills and independence while using his experience to promote inclusion and understanding for others living with TBIs, hoping to help fellow survivors feel seen and supported as he continues to grow through one of the hardest experiences of his life.
Jeffery – Toronto, Ontario
2026 ABBI Scholarship Recipient
Jeffery was diagnosed with intracranial sarcoma in June 2018 at just nine years old, after losing the ability to move his right arm and leg. What followed was surgery to remove the tumour, along with chemotherapy and radiation, and months of hospitalization that changed his day-to-day life. The treatment left him with lasting effects that required him to steadily rebuild his energy and muscle strength over time. Jeffery also lives with autism spectrum disorder and has worked through sensory sensitivities and self-regulation challenges with the help of therapists, workshops, and his mother’s unwavering support. Through it all, he held onto his faith and his belief that he would come out victorious.
Despite the ways his diagnosis reshaped his goals, Jeffery has remained a dedicated student with a strong drive to work in computers. This fall, he is pursuing his passion at Humber College in the Computer Programming and Analysis program. Jeffery hopes to turn his experience into a foundation for a stable, self-sufficient future in the field he loves.
Christine – Mississauga, Ontario
2026 ABBI Scholarship Recipient
Nooha – Toronto, Ontario
2026 ABBI Scholarship Recipient
Nooha was diagnosed with brain cancer in Grade 5, an abrupt shift for a student who had once been an A+ achiever with 14 academic awards and a competitor in Southeast Scarborough’s spelling bee. Her diagnosis brought hospital visits, surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy, and after brain surgery she had to relearn basic skills like speaking clearly and completing everyday tasks independently. Returning to school after missing a significant stretch of her education was difficult, as learning no longer came as easily as before, and she continues to live with long-term effects including balance issues, reduced fine motor skills, and arm cramping.
Nooha has pushed through the challenges of her illness with resilience and patience, enrolling in her school’s leadership program and Health and Wellness SHSM, and completing a co-op semester at Providence Healthcare supporting elderly residents. This fall, she will begin the Life Sciences program at the University of Toronto, working toward her goal of becoming a Radiation Therapist. For Nooha, reaching this milestone represents far more than academic success—it reflects years of survival, growth, and perseverance, and a determination not to let her illness define her future.
Emily – Toronto, Ontario
2026 ABBI Scholarship Recipient
Emily suffered a stroke at 16 years old, waking up in the hospital to learn she had experienced a catastrophic brain hemorrhage caused by an AVM, along with several aneurysms. Initially furious about being transferred to an inpatient children’s rehabilitation hospital, she resisted treatment while focused on everything she was missing. It was through rehabilitation, where she worked to rebuild her compromised working memory and fine motor skills, er perspective began to shift; she found community in her hospital room and, later, endured a craniotomy to address remaining aneurysms just as the COVID-19 lockdown began, channeling her energy into art therapy during that time.
Emily went on to find deep connection and purpose through the Brain Injury Society of Toronto, becoming a featured artist in two art shows where her story and artwork were shared publicly, including a projection onto downtown Toronto buildings. Her journey was also spotlighted through her sister’s university photojournalism project, which was later displayed on a billboard in Dundas Square, and she volunteered at SickKids Hospital to support research and awareness around pediatric strokes. Today, Emily is an undergraduate student studying Engineering Physics in Ottawa, where she has lived independently for over three years while leading clubs, excelling academically, and winning awards. Shedding the identity of victimhood in favor of survivorship, she credits the perseverance and fire born from her medical crisis with shaping the passionate future engineer she has become.
