Raymond Cohen, editor and publisher of Abilities magazine and founder and chief executive officer of the Canadian Abilities Foundation, passed away on Friday, March 22. He was 64.

A post on Abilities.ca states that Cohen "had been struggling bravely through a heavy regimen of treatments for a hidden disability that had affected his health for many years."

Cohen was a longtime advocate for people with disabilities. In 1986 he founded the Canadian Abilities Foundation, which publishes Abilities, "Canadian's Lifestyle Magazine for People with Disabilities," as well as the monthly Abilities Bulletin e-newsletter, and Access Guide Canada, an online directory of accessible spaces in Canada.

According to a story in the Summer 2007 Ryerson Review of Journalism, Cohen got the idea for Abilities while working at a school for disabled students receiving care at Alberta Children's Hospital; Cohen wanted the support and information stream available to kids at the hospital to continue after they graduated.

The Canadian Abilities Foundation notes that Abilities will resume production shortly, as the publication schedule was affected by Cohen's illness. Donations can be made in Cohen's honour at Canada Helps, and Abilities welcomes remembrances on its Facebook group page.