Chris Campbell Receives Provincial Award

The Lethbridge Sport Council proudly congratulates Chris Campbell, founder and head coach of the Lethbridge Dopamine Boxing Club and Vice Chair of the Lethbridge Sport Council, on being named a recipient of the Minister’s Seniors Service Award from the Government of Alberta.

Chris’s innovative, volunteer-led program uses adaptive boxing to support seniors and individuals living with Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis, helping them build strength, confidence, and community connection. His leadership and dedication exemplify how sport can improve lives and foster inclusion at every age.

Lethbridge, Alberta, October 12, 2025 — Lethbridge’s own Chris Campbell, Head Coach and founder of the Lethbridge Dopamine Boxing Club, has been recognized with a Minister’s Seniors Service Award from the Government of Alberta for his outstanding contributions to seniors’ health and wellness through adaptive boxing.

Campbell accepted the award on October 1 in Edmonton, presented by the Honourable Jason Nixon, Minister of Assisted Living and Social Services. The award recognizes the impact of Dopamine Boxing’s unique community program, which helps individuals living with Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis (MS) improve strength, balance, and confidence through non-contact boxing.

“Chris Campbell and the Lethbridge Dopamine Boxing Club are redefining what community sport can be,” said Susan Eymann, Executive Director of the Lethbridge Sport Council. “By adapting boxing to support seniors and individuals living with Parkinson’s, they’ve created a program that builds strength, confidence, and connection. This recognition celebrates innovation and compassion, and the powerful role that movement plays in improving quality of life at every age.”

Campbell, a long-time boxing coach and community volunteer, launched the program nearly a decade ago after encouragement from Dr. Jon Doan at the University of Lethbridge. What began as a small pilot class has since evolved into a volunteer-run initiative that has made a measurable impact on mobility, mental health, and social connection among participants in southern Alberta.

“We’re honored and grateful for this recognition, which celebrates how science and community working together can truly improve lives,” said Dr. Gerlinde Metz, President of the Lethbridge Dopamine Boxing Club and holder of the Dr. Bryan Kolb Chair in Neuroscience at the Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge. “Through Dopamine Boxing, we’ve seen people living with Parkinson’s and multiple sclerosis gain strength, confidence, and renewed independence. When research and community come together, rehabilitation becomes more than therapy; it becomes connection, purpose, and progress.”

In his acceptance speech, Campbell spoke about his personal journey, his mother’s battle with an autoimmune disease, and his belief that the true enemy is inactivity, not diagnosis. He shared how participants, many over 65, have defied expectations by achieving milestones once thought impossible.

The Lethbridge Dopamine Boxing Club is volunteer-driven, which allows it to keep class costs low. Fees have remained at $12 per class since the program began, covering only basic operating expenses.

The club also benefits from the involvement of University of Lethbridge students, many studying Kinesiology, Neuroscience, and other Health Sciences, who volunteer their time to support participants, gain hands-on experience, and contribute to the club’s mission of bridging movement, science, and community health.
Currently, the long-running Parkinson’s class is full, but a new class begins in November for individuals with MS, Parkinson’s, and other movement disorders. Classes run Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., and new participants are welcome. The cost is $12 per class, making it an affordable adaptive fitness option.

Those interested in joining or learning more can visit www.dopamineboxing.ca, email [email protected], or call 403-929-3775 for registration details.

Campbell attended the award ceremony with Dr. Jon Doan, Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Lethbridge, whose research focuses on exercise and movement therapy for Parkinson’s disease.
This provincial recognition marks an important milestone for Lethbridge’s growing movement to make adaptive, science-informed fitness programs more accessible to seniors and individuals with chronic conditions.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

About Lethbridge Dopamine Boxing Club

Lethbridge Dopamine Boxing is a community-based, volunteer-led boxing program that combines sport, movement, and rehabilitation to improve the lives of individuals living with Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, and other mobility challenges. Founded in 2016, the program continues to inspire collaboration between local coaches, students, and health-minded volunteers who share a commitment to accessible, evidence-informed exercise.

For more information, visit www.dopamineboxing.ca, email [email protected], or call 403-929-3775