Oakville teen recipient of Terry Fox Humanitarian scholarship
Published June 29, 2021 at 9:10 pm
Oakville teenager Julia Seymour is one of 16 young leaders to be awarded the 2021 Terry Fox Humanitarian Award.
Established in 1982 in honour of one of Canada’s most beloved heroes, the program was created “to commemorate Terry’s remarkable life and his contributions to cancer research and awareness.”
The former St. Ignatius of Loyola Secondary School student and mental health advocate, along with other young humanitarians, is the recipient of an individual scholarship valued at up to $28,000.
Seymour was selected for the award from among 700 applicants.
Seymour helped launch the Youth Forum, a mental health pilot program at her school, and leads the Youth Ambassador Committee with Halton Women’s Place, a local women’s shelter.
In an effort to start conversations about healthy relationships, self-esteem, and mental health, the 18-year-old launched the Youth Pod podcast.
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Seymour also volunteers at the Good Shepherd Venture Centre, the Acclaim Health Seniors’ Day program, and works with special-needs students as part of the Best Buddies program.
As someone who has dealt with family illness, she refuses to let whatever challenges she comes across bring her down.
“I am grateful for the adversity I have faced because it has shaped who I am and where I want to go,” said Seymour, who is hoping to pursue medicine in an effort to broaden her impact even more.
Since its inception, which began with a $5 million endowment by the Government of Canada under Pierre Elliot Trudeau, more than 900 young leaders have received the Terry Fox Humanitarian Award.
In 2006, Prime Minster Stephen Harper contributed another $10 million.
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