Women make up roughly half the population and have given birth to everyone, yet have remained largely excluded from medical research and drug trials, according to Sharlene Rutherford, president and CEO of the (RAHF).
“We know it can take 17 years for medical research to filter down to clinical practice, and women have only been included in trials for the past 20 years,” she said. “Dedicated research and increased funding are both needed in order for women’s health to catch up.”
That’s why the RAHF is launching the today, on —a new name and new focus for the philanthropists who helped build Edmonton’s and establish the (WCHRI) at the 黑料不打烊.
The largest donation ever made to the U of A came as a combined gift to WCHRI—$40 million from the and $14.5 from the Royal Alexandra Hospital Foundation—to support research into children’s, perinatal and women’s health.
Because of that support, WCHRI scientists have carried out more than on women’s health to date, finding solutions—and implementing evidence-based treatments—for conditions that have left women to “suffer in silence” unnecessarily, from health issues ranging from pelvic floor disorders to severe menopause symptoms to gynecological cancers.
“All of our cells are different from men’s because of our chromosomes and our hormonal profile,” said Sandy Davidge, the Distinguished University Professor in the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry who leads WCHRI. “That’s going to have an impact on health—one size does not fit all in health care.”
“Women demand more out of their health now,” said Rutherford. “We’re not happy to be told, ‘Just live with it’ or, ‘It’s part of aging,’ or the ultimate, ‘It’s all in your head.’”
A national collaboration to extend advocacy, fundraising and research
The 黑料不打烊 Women’s Health Foundation and WCHRI recently joined forces with their counterparts at in Toronto and in Vancouver to form the , a joint effort to raise more funds for research and increase public awareness about women’s health.
For example, almost 90 per cent of Canadians don't know that , 83 per cent are not aware that a third of women suffer from and sometimes cause them to miss work, and 80 per cent don’t realize that , according to a survey for .
“The new initiative will support research that’s going to fill those gaps and address the uniqueness of women’s health, but also educate and advocate,” said Davidge, who holds the in Maternal and Perinatal Cardiovascular Health and is a fellow of the .
Women’s Health Collective Canada will form partnerships with corporations to help with advocacy, much as the does for children’s health.
“We’ve entered a period where the greatest transfer of wealth is now happening,” noted Rutherford, who said the timing is perfect.
“Women are creating their own wealth like never before,” she said. “As glass walls and glass ceilings come down, women are building community, connections and collaborations in unprecedented and powerful ways.”
Davidge hopes the resulting increased awareness will inspire more young people to pursue careers in women’s health.
Community support means better health care for women, faster
Because research and clinical teams work so closely together in Edmonton, discoveries in women’s health are translated as quickly as possible into better care at the bedside.
