Meet Dr. Selamenesh Tsige Legas
Dr. Selamenesh Tsige Legas is a passionate global champion for children with disabilities and their families.
Her journey began in her home country of Ethiopia when she set out to challenge discriminatory beliefs surrounding disability and drive transformation. In 2019, she founded the first developmental paediatrics clinic in the country.
“In Ethiopia, disability is viewed as something that is brought upon a family as a result of sin, leading to discrimination,” said Dr. Legas. “I was bothered by the lack of family-centered care and the disconnect between medical discussions and family needs in children with disabilities, and wanted to ignite change.”
Affiliated with several international organizations, including the International Alliance Academies of Childhood Disabilities, Dr. Legas has since broadened her influence through initiating improved care models, education, research and knowledge dissemination.
Due to the ongoing civil war in Ethiopia, she has made Ontario her home. She completed her subspecialty training at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital before joining Children’s Hospital, London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC). She is proud to be part of a dynamic team of developmental paediatricians.
“There is a wealth of support and services for children with disabilities in Canada. Yet, there are populations who remain underserved. I chose London because of its commitment to building high-impact outreach programs for these groups. I want to be part of leading that effort and developing programs in the care of children with disabilities,” said Dr. Legas. “I’m also excited to be a bridge that connects LHSC and developing nations in resource-limited settings.”
Dr. Legas has engaged her colleagues at Children’s in supporting education locally in Ethiopia and internationally in Community of Practice sessions and global listening and sharing sessions. Recently, she has been working on adopting, translating, and integrating early identification and developmental coaching tools for childhood-onset disabilities in low-resource settings.
Dr. Legas continues to serve as the president of Gojo, a nonprofit accommodation and temporary shelter for patients in need, which she established in Ethiopia. Her trailblazing contributions have been acknowledged with various leadership awards, including Ethiopian Women of Excellence, The Mandela Washington Fellowship and AACPDM Emerging Leaders Program. Dr. Legas mentions that none of this would have been possible without great support from her mentors.
