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This past month WHCC welcomed a new member, the IWK Foundation located in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The IWK Foundation raises funds to support IWK Health which is renowned for its comprehensive research and healthcare services for women and children across the Maritimes and beyond.

To learn more about the IWK Foundation and the vision of its leadership for the future of women’s health, we asked Jennifer Gillivan, President + CEO about current priorities, the road ahead, and what we can do to get there. To keep reading about the IWK Foundation and IWK Health visit www.iwkfoundation.org.

What do you see as the priority areas in women’s health research today?

JG: We need to ensure there is a gender variable stream of research done across the board. Canada is one of the first countries to require gender variable to be included in research, but we don’t enforce it.  Once we have gender specific research – which is the first line of precision medicine – then, we will have the data we need to properly ensure we are treating women’s health according to their bodies.

Are there projects or initiatives happening at the IWK Foundation or IWK Health that you are particularly excited about?

JG: The IWK Foundation is working towards launching a campaign focused on women’s health which will involve sharing women’s perceptions of their health gaps, building tools to help support their specific health journeys and sharing stories that will give women a voice so we can fully understand what needs to be done to improve women’s health.

What is your vision for the future of women’s health and research? 

JG: I think we need big changes. Let’s be brave. As far as I can tell, Canada hasn’t had a women’s health strategy since 1999. We need a Canadian Women’s Health Strategy, provincial Women’s Health authorities and Ministers of Women’s Health. And let’s created a Research Institute that is world class and focused on women’s health.

We must EDUCATE and inform women so we can ADVOCATE for change and MOBILIZE to push for that change so we can EQUALIZE health care and research system. At IWK, we have set our sights not just locally, but nationally and internationally, and we are joining a global movement that is on the level of the suffragette movement that happened over one hundred years ago.

How can we all, as members of the public, support women’s health? 

JG: As a woman, share your stories. Ask for better awareness, education and support in your area. We can’t do it alone. Educate the men in your life and get them engaged as well. And if you are able to support research through fundraising campaigns, then do that. Women deserve treatment, prescriptions and care based on our bodies.

About the IWK Foundation
The IWK Foundation is a champion of excellence in women’s and children’s health and medicine and works in partnership with IWK Health to support their vision of providing quality care to women, children, youth and families in the Maritime Provinces and beyond. Our donors are passionately committed to making a difference for Maritime families, contributing over $25.2 million in support of the most urgent care priorities at the IWK last year. Funds raised also support the IWK’s global leadership in research and knowledge sharing, which in turn improves lives worldwide. Visit www.iwkfoundation.org for more information.

Making Change Together
Through intentional collaboration, our foundations and supporters bring together resources and fundraising to address the legacy of inequity in women’s health research. We collaborate with brands and organizations on mutually beneficial campaigns and opportunities that demonstrate commitment to supporting the women in our communities. WHCC also receives important contributions from individuals. When you give to WHCC, you become part of the movement to improve women’s health. By doing so, you’re investing in new medical research that will address the unique needs of women and programs that broaden the reach of care to change women’s lives. Learn more about how you can make a difference by visiting www.whcc.ca/get-involved.

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