It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Chelsea Nicolene Limsin Tanchip, who passed away peacefully at the age of 24 on November 3, 2024, at St. Joseph's Hospital in Hamilton, Ontario.

Chelsea was born on October 30, 2000, in Manila, Philippines, where she spent her early years as a vibrant, curious, and deeply artistic soul. Even as a child, her family and friends recognized her as an "old soul" with wisdom and insight beyond her years. She embodied the spirit of her birth year, the Year of the Dragon, and aligned with the Latin phrase Audentes fortuna iuvat—fortune favors the brave—living her life with courage and determination.

From a young age, Chelsea's brilliance and creativity shone brightly. A voracious reader, she devoured books across genres, from fiction and non-fiction to advanced psychology texts, even as a ten-year-old. Her neurodivergence was her superpower, enabling her to skip several grades and transition to homeschooling to pursue a more advanced curriculum.

Chelsea's childhood passions included collecting Pokémon figurines and merchandise, singing, playing musical instruments such as the piano, violin, and guitar, and expressing herself through art. In the Philippines, she showcased her talents in musicals, starring as the lead role, Sandy, in Grease: The Musical (2013) and as the lead in The Glass Labyrinth (2007) at just seven years old. In 2009, she had the extraordinary opportunity to share the stage with The Piano Guys in Manila. Chelsea also composed original songs, including "Green Guitar" and "Stardom," which reflected her boundless creativity and deep love for music.

Academically, Chelsea was a force to be reckoned with. She completed her Bachelor's degree in Cognitive Science at the University of Toronto at just 20 years old, graduating in 2020. During her time at university, she was honored with the prestigious NSERC-USRA Award in 2019 from the Department of Speech-Language Pathology. In 2022, she earned her Master's degree in Rehabilitation Sciences, defending her thesis titled Validation of Automatic Diadochokinesis Tools for the Assessment of Dysarthria in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Her unwavering dedication to her field was further recognized with the Community Service Award, presented by the Rehabilitation Sciences Institute at the University of Toronto.

Recently Chelsea was pursuing her PhD in the Speech Production Lab within the Department of Speech-Language Pathology and the UHN Toronto Rehabilitation Institute. Her research focused on the automatic analysis of speech in neurodegenerative diseases, with the goal of developing a knowledge-driven automatic screening tool for bulbar ALS. Her groundbreaking work held the promise of transforming diagnostic tools and advancing care for individuals affected by these conditions. Her published research can be found on Research Gate .

Beyond her academic and professional achievements, Chelsea was deeply committed to service. She volunteered as a speech therapist at Kids We Love Therapy Centre in the Philippines, where she helped children with special needs. As a Trainee Lead and Team Coordinator for KITE UHN's Neurorehabilitation and Neuroscience Team, she contributed to innovative research aimed at improving the lives of individuals with disabilities and chronic illnesses.

Chelsea also expressed her passion for science and technology through her blog, Nullastic, where she delved into topics like neuroscience, artificial intelligence, and cognitive science. Her articles for Quark Magazine explored cutting-edge subjects, including computational linguistics and neural networks. One of her insightful articles, How Computational Linguistics is Predicting Online Troll Attacks, can be read here .

A true polyglot fluent in English, Tagalog, Mandarin, French, and Finnish, Chelsea channeled her creativity into writing French plays, crafting poetry, and painting vibrant artwork. She found solace near bodies of water, a poignant reflection of the "sea" in her name, and took great joy in cooking colorful, nourishing meals. Despite her busy life, she maintained strong, lasting connections with her dear friends from college. Chelsea was also a clairvoyant and spiritual presence—a "soothsayer" for her loved ones, offering guidance and light.

Chelsea is survived by her parents, Custer and Natalie; her big sister, Chloe; her twin brother, Corbin; and her beloved dog, Willow. Her urn will be laid to rest in The Garden of the Divine Word Columbarium in her hometown of Manila, Philippines, where she will forever be near nature and water, surrounded by God's grace.

In her own words:

"A legacy goes on even when our bodies can't. But your legacy isn't about how you'll be presented to other people—it's how you defined your own happiness. It's how you found your own happiness. You can take the living out of the body, but you can't take the body out of living."

Chelsea's light has touched countless lives, and her legacy will continue to inspire. In her honor, we ask that you light a candle in her memory and embrace the values she held dear—creativity, bravery, and boundless love.