This year we are pleased to recognize Dr. Linda Li as the recipient of the Consumer Advisory Board's Researcher Award.

The Consumer Advisory Board of the Arthritis Research Centre of Canada is mandated to bridge the gap between ARC researchers and people with arthritis, their family members, and the general public.

To accomplish this goal, members of CAB contribute to research decision-making at ARC, act as co-investigators and collaborators on research studies, and assist with the dissemination of study findings through events such as ROAR and through our various networks.

In 2005 the Consumer Advisory Board instituted an award to recognize Arthritis Research Centre researchers who provide the most meaningful involvement and the highest level of inclusion of consumers as partners in their work.

Some of the projects Dr. Li is involved in for people with arthritis include:

• Is co-investigator on a Canadian Institutes for Health Research/Canadian Arthritis Network Net grant to develop and evaluate this workshop (ROAR II);

• Has co-authored the evaluation of the first ROAR event that was accepted as an abstract and presented at the 5th Cochrane Symposium;

• Consistently invites consumers, as co-investigators and collaborators,  to be involved in her Canadian Institutes for Health Research and other national organizations funded projects, which include:
  • help-seeking in people with arthritis,
  • the impact of inflammatory arthritis on driving, and
  • ways to enhance mobility in persons with arthritis;

• Has encouraged and helped facilitate the involvement of consumers in leadership positions for the CARE V conference;  and

• Dr. Li advances the role of consumers in research, provides mentorship when needed, and chooses research of relevance to arthritis consumers.