We stand for women and women’s health. Disease is not restrained by borders. Fortunately, nor is the knowledge that comes from research.
The Alberta Women's Health Foundation is an initiative of the Royal Alexandra Hospital Foundation created to fill urgent gaps in women’s health research, an area historically underfunded and sometimes nonexistent.
Excellent health outcomes are the direct result of ongoing investment in health research.
It is our mission to foster equity in women’s health; close gaps in research and connect pathways from lab to life all of which advance clinical care at the Lois Hole Hospital for Women and other women's health centres across Alberta and beyond.
What do we mean by "women"?
The AWHF acknowledges that sex relates to the physical and biological features of a person at the time of birth, whereas gender is a multidimensional concept influenced by factors including cultural and behavioural norms, and self-identity. As this concept is affected by ongoing societal change, gender is constantly evolving.
The AWHF follows our partners in using the term “women” to refer to all people who identify as women.
Similarly, we use trans and non-binary as umbrella terms to refer to people
with a wide range of gender identities that are different from the gender
they were assigned at birth.
This is a living definition and we welcome feedback and discussion.