Pan-Canadian Women’s Health Coalition Newsletter: October 2025!

Virtual Grand Rounds: Spotlight on the SHAPE Hub

The next session of our Grand Rounds Series welcomes the Sexual Health and Genito-Pelvic Pain Knowledge Empowerment (SHAPE) Hub!

SHAPE is a pan-Canadian initiative working to break the silence around sexual health and genito-pelvic pain. Their mission is to close gaps in care by promoting evidence-based knowledge, inclusivity, and culturally sensitive approaches.

Join us on October 29 at 12 p.m. EDT to learn, connect, and engage in conversation around a topic that is often overlooked in health care.

Save the date: Women-Centred HIV Care Update

On Friday, October 24, 2025, the UBC Faculty of Medicine Division of Infectious Diseases will host the Women-Centred HIV Care (WCHC) Update.

This in-person symposium will introduce the women-centred HIV care model and highlight key health priorities identified by women living with HIV in BC. Designed for clinicians and service providers, the event offers practical tools and builds skills to enhance care for women.

Smart bra could revolutionize breast cancer detection

Dr. Elijah Van Houten, funded by the Canadian Cancer Society, is developing a radiation-free smart bra that detects breast tumours with 100% accuracy in early testing. This low-cost, portable tool could make early detection easier and more accessible worldwide.

New funding for Indigenous research networks

This October opportunity supports the creation of Indigenous-led research networks rooted in community knowledge, ways of knowing, and research practices. Proposals should reflect broad, interdisciplinary collaboration across fields including social sciences, sciences, engineering, and health. 

Hub highlights

• Watch: The Hub Talk Series curated by the Women-Centred HIV Care (WCHC) Hub creates space for dialogue, reflection, and knowledge sharing on equity, women’s health, and HIV. These sessions bring together voices from research, clinical care, and community to explore how values and lived experience can shape more inclusive and responsive health systems. 
  • The next session takes place on October 8 from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. EDT, featuring Dr. Lori Chambers, a community health researcher with the Black Research Network: Activating Equity in Health Research: Applying GIPA & MEWA in HIV Work
• Learn: The IMPACT (Improving Pregnancy and Reproductive Health of People Experience Incarceration) Hub offers valuable insight into improving reproductive health for individuals affected by incarceration in Canada. By sharing research and highlighting effective approaches, the Hub supports learning around how evidence can drive better care, services, and policy for this underserved group.
  • Explore the IMPACT Hub’s resources page to learn more about reproductive health in the context of incarceration and discover evidence-informed tools and strategies that support better outcomes.
• Read: Why does medication safety matter during pregnancy? Dr. Anick Bérard is leading the Healthy Pregnancy Hub in vital research seeking to better understand how medications affect pregnant individuals. Visit this page to learn how her research will close key knowledge gaps and ensure patients and providers can make informed decisions.
• Share and apply: The JUMP IN™ challenge, brought to you by the University of Ottawa Heart Institute and the Canadian Women’s Heart Health Centre, supports vital research, education, and programs focused on women’s heart health, the leading cause of death among women.
  • This nationwide challenge invites Canadians of all ages and abilities to get active for 30 minutes a day, for 30 days. Join a welcoming community that inspires, motivates, and supports each other every step of the way.

Have news, events or stories to share? 

Submit your Hub updates or activities by the 15th of each month to be featured in our newsletter! Submissions can be made through our intake form or by contacting Sundus Khan, Manager of Evidence in Action. You can also add events to our calendar at any time.

Let us know what your Hub is up to – we would love to highlight your work!

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