When Dr Ekant Veer was given an opportunity to work with the Canterbury Medical Research Foundation it was “as though the stars had aligned”.
Growing up with a Dad who is a psychiatrist and an older brother who is a surgeon, the University of Canterbury marketing professor has always been surrounded by health and health research. Being on the board of the Canterbury Medical Research Foundation (CMRF) was a chance to pursue that interest while using his knowledge and experience for the greater good.
“Growing up in a family with ‘real doctors’ has given me an understanding of the medical field, but it’s also my lived experiences that motivated me to put my hand up to join the CMRF board.”
Having moved to Christchurch eight months before the city’s first major earthquake in 2010, Ekant saw first-hand the impact that good health had on people’s ability to survive and thrive going forward, but also how poor health was a barrier for those living with the ongoing effects of the earthquakes.
“The earthquakes really brought to the fore the massive need in the health space. While some people coped well, others struggled. With research comes opportunities to close that divide, and that really is what excites me most about being on the CMRF board, that is, being able to make a meaningful difference in people’s lives.”
As part of his work on the board, Ekant will be heading up the CMRF sub-committee dedicated to marketing.
“I’m really looking forward to driving the future of what CMRF looks like and what that means to people. There are some incredible medical researchers out there doing amazing things, and they deserve to be recognised. Sharing the real-world impact of what those researchers do is so important.”
