Charles H. Tator is a Professor of Surgery, University of Toronto, and a neurosurgeon at the Toronto Western Hospital. He is a pioneer in the prevention of head injury and spinal cord injury. His laboratory research is dedicated to increasing the understanding of the mechanisms of spinal cord injury, most notably through his work on the concept of “secondary injury.” Dr. Tator has also had an enormous impact outside the laboratory. He has moulded the careers of many neurosurgical clinician-scientists and has touched the lives of countless patients. He is President of Think First Foundation of Canada, an organization that is dedicated to educating children and teens about the prevention of brain and spinal cord injuries. He was the recipient of the Jonas Salk award in 2001, the Terry Fox Award in 2003 and a Member of the Order of Canada in 2000.