POGO Champion Award
The POGO Champion Award acknowledges excellence, leadership, innovation and collaboration in the field of childhood cancer care by an individual over the course of a career. Recipients have a strong history of participating in POGO initiatives, programs or services in a POGO partner hospital. They have demonstrated an exceptional commitment to achieving the best childhood cancer care system through their work within Ontario, for the benefit of children and youth with cancer, survivors, and/or their families in Ontario or in Ontario and beyond. Recipients are recognized for a career achievement rather than a single contribution.

Formerly named the POGO Companion Award and first conferred in 2001.

POGO Visionary Award (Individual or Team)
The POGO Visionary Award acknowledges an individual or team for an outstanding specific/single contribution to advancing the childhood cancer care system in Ontario for the benefit of children and youth with cancer, survivors, and/or their families. Recipients are agents of change whose work, as part of a POGO initiative, program or service in a POGO partner hospital, exemplifies the visionary efforts that led to POGO’s creation in 1983.

Formerly named the POGO Valued Contribution Award and first conferred in 2002.

POGO Nursing Leadership Award
This award recognizes an individual in the field of pediatric oncology nursing who demonstrates passion, vision and energy for childhood cancer care, and a commitment to a patient-family-survivor-centred approach. Recipients show leadership in ensuring the nursing perspective informs various aspects of childhood cancer care, which may include service delivery, system planning, quality improvement, knowledge transfer, professional development and/or research. Recipients have participated in POGO initiatives, programs or services, and/or work in a POGO partner hospital. They are well respected by hospital healthcare teams, patients, families, survivors and administrative leaders.

First conferred in 2023, POGO’s 40^th anniversary year.

POGO Early Career Professional Award
The POGO Early Career Professional Award recognizes an early-career professional (up to eight years in their first staff role) of any discipline who has demonstrated outstanding dedication, commitment and leadership as part of a multidisciplinary team caring for children and youth with cancer, survivors, and/or their families. Recipients work in a POGO partner hospital and also go above and beyond to exemplify POGO’s commitment to achieving an excellent childhood cancer care system by contributing their expertise in a voluntary capacity, e.g. advisory body, POGO committee, community-based initiative, etc.

First conferred in 2023, POGO’s 40^th anniversary year.

POGO Community Partner Impact Award (Individual or Group of Individuals) – Selected by POGO
The POGO Community Partner Impact Award recognizes outstanding philanthropic contributions to POGO at a community, regional and/or provincial level to advance POGO’s mission and vision. Recipients (individuals, organizations, corporations, groups, families) demonstrate a commitment to charitable responsibility. Additionally, their altruism and leadership may have inspired others to give back to POGO, perhaps through charitable donations or other charitable acts in support of children and youth with cancer, survivors, and/or their families.

Nominees for this Award are put forward by POGO team members to an internal selection committee. This Award is presented at a date/time best suited to the recipient’s peer community.

Formerly named the Friends of POGO Award and first conferred in 2008 for POGO’s 25^th anniversary.  

Nominations must be submitted online via a secure link (below) and will be held in strictest confidence.

POGO is committed to putting equity at the heart of everything we do. We encourage nominations for, and from, all who reflect the diverse backgrounds and perspectives that strengthen our collective ability to achieve the best childhood cancer care system for children, youth, survivors, and their families.

Award candidates can self-nominate.

Letters of Support
For a nomination to be considered, two (2) signed letters of support are required, one of which may be from the nominator, except for self-nominations where the letters must be from two other supporters.

Each letter must state clearly the award and nominee name AND the qualifications of the nominee, matched, as comprehensively as possible, to the award description as outlined above. Letters of support should be specific about what makes this nominee an outstanding candidate, including their achievements and the impact of those achievements, and their POGO affiliation as outlined in the Award criteria. Nominees will be evaluated against the award criteria. Letters of support must be no more than 2 pages and 2,000 words in length.

Additional Documentation
To further support the nomination, you may upload additional materials, including, but not limited to, the nominee’s current curriculum vitae, resume or long-form bio; media articles; publications; supplementary letters of support; etc.

Nomination deadline: TBD for 2026

Nominations will be accepted until time 11:59 p.m., [TBD for 2026]. A multidisciplinary committee will review submissions. The POGO Recognition Awards selection committee reserves the right to seek additional information in support of a nomination. The nominator(s) and successful nominee(s) will be notified of the decisions by October.  POGO reserves the right to not bestow an award in a category in any given year.

The 2025 Awards were presented at the POGO Multidisciplinary Symposium on Childhood Cancer, at Blue Mountain Resort, November 7. Recipients received a commemorative gift.