Tickets are now on sale for Vitally Important: Canada’s National Women’s Health Summit, taking place March 24–25, 2026 at the Toronto Reference Library (789 Yonge St, Toronto, ON).

More than a gathering, this is a vital call to action. We invite media, partners, and the public to be part of the conversation and join our movement to change the future of women’s health in Canada and beyond. Because women’s health is vital.

Presented by Shoppers Foundation for Women’s Health™, Vitally Important will bring together distinguished health research and innovation leaders like:  

• Dr. Lori Brotto (UBC Sexual Health Laboratory and Women’s Health Research Institute)
• Rachel Bartholomew (Founder & CEO, Hyivy Health; Founder, FemTech Canada)
• Dr. Gillian Einstein (Wilfred and Joyce Posluns Chair in Women’s Brain Health and Aging at the University of Toronto)
• Dr. Marie-Renée B-Lajoie (Partner, McKinsey & Company; emergency physician)
• Dr. Kyle Bukowski (Medical Director, Hologic Canada; OB-GYN), among others, for two days of discussion, knowledge sharing, networking and collaboration.
  

Limited quantity available – secure your spot for the inaugural summit on women’s health today. Early-bird pricing available until January 23, 2026. 

This year, Women's Health Research Institute (WHRI) joins the global movement for the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence — a campaign running from November 25 to December 10, encouraging the global community to speak out against gender-based violence – including violence toward women, girls, and 2SLGBTQIA+ people.

In a recent feature, WHRI highlights critical and often overlooked aspects of intimate partner violence (IPV), including the hidden impacts of brain injuries tied to IPV, as researched by Dr. Cheryl Lea Wellington.

Her work seeks to illuminate the physiological processes involved in IPV-related brain injury and the impact that these types of brain injuries can have on both short- and long-term health outcomes. Knowledge gained through this research will inform clinical practice for diagnosing and treating IPV-related brain injuries with tailored treatment modalities and trauma-informed practice guidelines.

The article calls on healthcare providers, policymakers, and community allies to act: by raising awareness, promoting culturally safe support services, and building stronger, trauma-aware care systems. It’s a powerful reminder that gender-based violence isn’t just personal, it's systemic.

IWK Health announced an important step forward in advancing women’s and gender-diverse health with the appointment of Dr. Justine Dol as the inaugural Accelerate Research Chair in Women+ Health.

This new leadership role is dedicated to expanding IWK’s research program and strengthening innovation in women+ health. In this role, Dr. Dol will advance research that reflects the real experiences and needs of women+, with the goal of improving both short- and long-term health outcomes.

Her work includes leading the EMPOWER program, which focuses on improving access to equitable care through digital health innovation, including the Essential Coaching for Postpartum text-messaging program. With over 90 peer-reviewed publications and funding from local, national and international agencies, Dr. Dol brings both expertise and vision to the position.

The Accelerate Research Chair in Women+ Health is fully funded by the IWK Foundation and marks a significant investment in building stronger, evidence-informed care systems for women+ and gender-diverse communities.