The fourth annual Military Veteran Alpine Challenge (MVAC) has successfully concluded in Whistler. MVAC is more than just a hike through the mountains, it is a unique program that equips military veterans with tools to understand chronic pain, reframe the military mindset, and support a healthier transition to civilian life. Over the course of five months, participants engage in a comprehensive training and education program. Clinicians lead sessions on pain science, breathwork, strength training, sleep and pain management, and mindset, while veterans simultaneously work with their health teams to build the skills and resilience needed to prepare for the alpine hike.

We’re excited to share our 2024–2025 Annual Impact Report, highlighting the milestones, partnerships, and Veteran-led research that shaped the past year.

The Chronic Pain Centre of Excellence for Canadian Veterans (CPCoE) is thrilled to announce the recipients of research funding from its 2024-2025 funding competition. These innovative projects promise to advance our understanding and treatment of chronic pain among Canadian Veterans, addressing diverse needs with cutting-edge approaches.

The Canadian Pain Society and the Chronic Pain Centre of Excellence for Canadian Veterans (CPCoE) are pleased to announce Dr. Erin Collins as the recipient of the 2024–2025 Postdoctoral Fellowship. Dr. Collins, a Postdoctoral Fellow at the MacDonald Franklin OSI Research Centre (MFOSIRC) and a proud military spouse, brings a PhD in Epidemiology and expertise in research methods, biostatistics, and data science to her work. Her research gives voice to a critical yet often overlooked issue: how chronic pain shapes the needs and experiences of Veterans after their service.

Save the Date: An Event You Won’t Want to Miss Wednesday, June 18, 2025 • 12:00 PM EDT. Resilience plays a key role in the journey through trauma, from recovery to renewed strength. The Chronic Pain Centre of Excellence for Canadian Veterans invites you to a powerful and thought-provoking webinar, Resilience in the Face of Trauma. This session will feature stories of lived experience, clinical insights, and a candid conversation about navigating life after adversity.

Veterans Derek Speirs and Marieanne Nyhuis join Annette Hamm on Hamilton’s Morning Live to discuss their experience with chronic pain and the launch of the Chronic Pain Centre of Excellence for Canadian Veterans.

Veteran Derek Speirs speaks with radio host Dave Trafford about his experience with chronic pain, and what the Centre of Excellence means to him.

Over 40% of Canadian veterans experience chronic pain, but they often do not receive the proper care they deserve because the current healthcare system is not built to properly address the unique needs that veterans with chronic pain face, like mental illness and PTSD. Veterans also face many barriers to access care. Derek Speirs gives his perspective as a former Submariner in the Canadian Navy.

Next month, the Chronic Pain Centre of Excellence for Canadian Veterans launches at Hamilton’s McMaster University. Marie-Anne Nyhuis and Derek Speirs are two veterans who have benefited from research and treatment and they joined us this morning to tell us about what happened to them.

Opioids are frequently prescribed for acute musculoskeletal injuries and may result in long-term use and consequent harms.

This study presents evidence supporting the effectiveness of an interdisciplinary pain management program in addressing pain-related variables in Veterans and nonveterans and provides insight into how pain management is experienced differently by Veterans.