• "A major challenge for health promotion is to engage the public and facilitate a broader understanding of why some people are healthy and others not. To address this challenge, Kate Reeve and Kate Rossiter devised a fascinating board game: The Last Straw! This educational tool can help students and the general public learn about the social, environmental and biological determinants of health. "In a fun and engaging way, The Last Straw! allows participants to experience various ‘real life’ roles, where they gain an understanding of what influences health and illness at both individual and community levels. In brief, Kate Reeve and Kate Rossiter have put together a highly innovative and engaging tool for health promotion.”

    DR. HARVEY SKINNER, Ph.D., C.Psych

    Dean, Faculty of Health,

    York University, Toronto

  • "Feedback from both the faculty development and the student session was overwhelmingly positive. Kate [Reeve] was able to convey an understanding of determinants of health (and how to teach about sensitive topics) to faculty in a way which will positively impact their ongoing teaching with their Professional Competency groups. "In addition, the kinds of conversations which occurred during the student session allowed for a deepening awareness of the determinants of health – and also about issues of social responsibility, race, difference and cultural sensitivity as they applied to each student group. Such rich learning on the spectrum from self-awareness to social accountability is not easily attained.”

    DR. CATHY RISDON, M.D., CCFP, FCFP

    Codirector, Professional Competency Curriculum;

    Associate Professor, Department of Family Medicine;

    Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine, McMaster University

  • “[The Last Straw!] is creative, well written and justified, thoughtfully presented and superbly put together. Clearly, a lot of thought was put into each component (conceptualization of social determinants, links to health, pedagogical considerations, pretesting of materials with intended target audience, etc.)… It’s so well executed, it really deserves wider recognition.”

    DR. BLAKE POLAND, Ph.D.

    Associate Professor, Department of Public Health Sciences;

    Former Director, Health Promotion Program;

    University of Toronto