McMaster health sciences changemakers honoured with YWCA Women of Distinction awards

Two extraordinary women associated with McMaster’s Faculty of Health Sciences were named Women of Distinction by the YWCA Hamilton’s annual awards ceremony on March 7.

Ada Tang, a physical therapist, associate professor, and assistant dean in the School of Rehabilitation Science, was honoured with a Women of Distinction Award, while alumna Pat Smith, M.D., Class of 1982, won a Lifetime Achievement Award. The annual award celebrates and honours trailblazers in the Hamilton and Halton area.

Their citations say:

Ada Tang is a physical therapist, Associate Professor and Assistant Dean (Rehabilitation Science) in the School of Rehabilitation Science at McMaster University. Dr Tang and the MacStroke Canada research team she leads are focused on the impact of exercise on cardiovascular health, fitness, and function in people living with stroke. Dr. Tang’s research incorporates important considerations of sex, gender, and other variables related to recovery after stroke. She mentors a large group of trainees, including undergraduate, masters and doctoral students, always with a focus on equity, diversity and inclusion, along with environmental sustainability. Her work has been recognized nationally and internationally. Dr. Tang’s name is synonymous with leadership in neurological rehabilitation in individuals with stroke.

Pat Smith, M.D, Class of 1982, Faculty of Health Sciences, lives out the values of choice, service, and mentorship, as a provider of abortion care and medical assistance in dying (MAID), as an educator, advocate and community leader. As a medical student in the 1970s, Pat helped plan the first meeting of abortion providers in this country. She went on to lead abortion programs across Hamilton and to offer exceptional training and mentorship, often in the face of opposition and violence. More recently, Pat has led the development of MAID programs in this community. A gifted builder of bridges, Pat continues to weave together care and self-determination in her healthcare leadership.