The LGBTQ Parenting Network at the Sherbourne Health Centre shares the community’s sadness at the sudden death of Kyle Scanlon, Research and Education Coordinator at the 519, community activist, mentor and friend to so many.

Kyle had a profound influence on the development of services at Sherbourne, always showing the thoughtfulness and quiet, principled leadership that was his trademark.

In 2002, before the Health Centre had even opened for service, Kyle was a member of our Trans Working Group. Comprised of Sherbourne staff and physicians and members of the trans community, the Group met frequently to develop principles for dignified, responsive services for trans people, to review hormone protocols, and to shape our model of care. It was the first time that trans communities had played a major role in developing their own health services and Kyle was a key player, insisting that trans people’s voices be heard and that desperately needed services were developed quickly.

Over the past ten years Kyle provided training to our Infirmary staff, and was involved in numerous other projects and consultations to strengthen our services and improve the well-being of our LGBTQ communities.

In 2005, Kyle joined a small committee formed by Sherbourne to seek funding for research on trans people’s health in Ontario. Over time, this project grew into the Trans PULSE Project, a large and reliable CIHR-funded study that is now producing journal articles, fact sheets and presentations on a range of trans health-related issues. Kyle was one of the speakers on the Plenary Panel that shared the findings of Trans PULSE Study at the Rainbow Health Ontario Conference in March 2012.

We are very proud to have known Kyle, and to have benefited from his gentle wisdom and clear vision. He was loved and admired by many of us here at Sherbourne Health Centre and he will always be remembered.