When patients and colleagues ask me about the origins of the Chronic Pain Centre of Excellence for Canadian Veterans (“Centre of Excellence”), I start by telling them a story of an early patient of mine at the Michael G. DeGroote Pain Clinic.

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.