- 2023 Canadian Women’s Heart, Brain and Vascular Health Advocacy Award
- 2023 Canadian Women’s Heart, Brain and Vascular Health Investigator Award
- NEW: 2023 Canadian Women’s Heart, Brain and Vascular Health Trainee Award
- 2023 Best Rapid-Fire Oral Presentation
- 2023 Best Poster Presentation
- NEW: Women with Lived Experience Top Choice Award
2023 Canadian Women’s Heart, Brain and Vascular Health Advocacy Award
Recognizing visionary contributions as an advocate for the heart, brain and vascular health of women in Canada, through mobilizing others to increase awareness and take action to reduce women’s risk of heart, brain and vascular diseases or support their management of these diseases.
What is Advocacy?
Advocacy represents the strategies developed, actions taken and solutions proposed to influence decision-making to create positive change for people and their environment for a particular cause. It is how we transform public attitudes into action by educating, empowering and supporting individuals and communities.
Why an Advocacy Award?
The 2023 Canadian Women’s Heart, Brain and Vascular Health Advocacy Award recognizes the contributions of an individual working to improve the heart, brain and vascular health of women in Canada through advocacy, awareness, and support. The award recognizes the outstanding commitment in mobilizing women and/or health professionals to take heart, brain and vascular health seriously and act to reduce women’s risk of heart, brain and vascular disease.
The award was presented to the winning individuals during the closing ceremonies of the Canadian Women’s Heart Health Summit on Saturday, April 29 2023. The winner received a recognition plaque and a cheque for $500.
Award Categories
One winner was awarded for each of the following two categories:
- Healthcare Professional/Researcher: A clinician, researcher or clinician scientist
- Patient Advocate: A woman with lived experience includes those living with heart disease, stroke, and/or vascular conditions and caregivers of those with lived experience (family or informal caregiver/friend).
The Selection Committee evaluated nominees on the following criteria:
- Mobilizing Communities – building knowledge and skills of the community to advocate for programs and policies regarding women’s heart, brain and vascular health.
- Fostering Coalitions and Networks – engaging the community and other stakeholders in identifying key community issues that affect women’s heart, brain and vascular health.
- Promoting Community Awareness – support public awareness campaigns about women’s heart, brain and vascular health in the community.
- Changing Organizational Practices – collaborating with others to advocate for the implementation of policies and procedures about women’s heart, brain and vascular health within organizations and groups.
Application Process
Nominators completed the online submission form with the following details:
- Provide contact details for both the Nominator and Nominee.
- Describe the advocacy efforts of the nominee and explain why you believe the nominee qualifies for this award.
- Upload at least one (1) letter of support
- Letter of support criteria:
- Letter of support must not be written by a family member or relative
- Must state how they know the Nominee and for how long
- Must have knowledge of Nominee’s activities and experiences
Nominees may be healthcare professionals, researchers, and women with lived experience currently living and/or working in Canada. Previous winners will not be eligible.
Award Recipients
2023 Winner |
Shahin Jaffer, MD, MHSc, FRCPC |
2021 Winner |
Tara Sedlak, MD, FRCPC, MBA |
2018 Winner |
Marion Martell |
2016 Winner |
Sonia Anand, MD, PhD, FRCPc |
2023 Canadian Women’s Heart, Brain and Vascular Health Investigator Award
This award will recognize contributions of an investigator to the heart, brain and/or vascular health of women in Canada, through advancing inquiry and knowledge of women-specific heart, brain and vascular health issues to ultimately reduce disease risk, improve the quality of life, and prevent premature death.
Why an Investigator Award?
The 2023 Canadian Women’s Heart, Brain and Vascular Health Investigator Award recognizes the contributions of an individual working to improve the heart, brain and vascular health of women in Canada through contributions to science. The award recognizes the outstanding commitment of emerging investigators to advancing inquiry and knowledge of women’s heart, brain and vascular health with the goal of ultimately improving quality of life, and reducing disease risk and premature death.
The award will be presented to the winning individuals during the closing ceremonies of the Canadian Women’s Heart Health Summit on Saturday, April 29 2023. The winner will receive a recognition plaque and a cheque for $500.
Categories
1. Senior Investigator Award: A researcher who, at the time of application, has assumed their first independent research position more than 15 years ago.
2. Early-Career Investigator Award: A researcher who, at the time of application, has assumed their first independent, research-related appointment within five years. The date of first appointment will be based on the date listed in the Common CV (i.e., under Employment). Given that career progress for an early career investigator (ECI) is particularly vulnerable to normal life circumstances, the CWHHS Research Sub-Committee will adjust the eligibility window, as follows:
- Eligible leaves (e.g. maternity, parental, medical, family medical, bereavement) will extend ECI status (i.e. will not be counted towards the maximum) and will be credited as twice the amount of time taken;
- No adjustments are provided for professional leaves (e.g., training, sabbatical, administrative). No adjustments are provided for time spent on non-research related duties or for the pursuit of non-research related career activities.
Evaluation Criteria
The Canadian Women’s Heart Health Summit Research Sub-Committee evaluated nominees on the following criteria:
- Relevance to women's heart, brain and/or vascular health and inclusion of sex- and gender-based plus analyses.
- Novel aspect or significance of the work, other related grants and awards, and the role of collaborators.
- Impact of the research.
- Demonstration of a confirmed, full-time academic or research appointment at the time of submission
Nominees may be healthcare professionals, researchers, or organizations currently working in Canada.
Award Recipients
2023 Winner:
|
Satish R Raj, MD, MSCI, FRCPC |
2023 Winner:
|
Sandra Dumanski, MD, MSc, FRCPC |
2021 Winner
|
Jodi Edwards, PhD |
2021 Winner
|
Amy Yu, MDCM, MSc, FRCPC |
NEW: 2023 Canadian Women’s Heart, Brain and Vascular Health Trainee Award
This award recognizes scientific merit and excellence in research design and performance, as well as the presentation of the research abstract by a resident, fellow, or graduate student in a training program. Trainees must be students enrolled full-time in a program of study (medical school, health professional school, graduate studies, residency, fellowship, etc).
Evaluation Criteria
- Relevance to women's heart, brain and/or vascular health and inclusion of sex- and gender-based plus analysis (SGBA+). Refer to the CIHR modules.
- Novel aspect or significance of the work and impact of the research. Refer to CIHR guideline.
Application Process
Trainees will be able to select whether they would like their abstract to be considered for the Trainee Award within the online abstract submission process. Trainees are asked to evaluate the percentage (%) of their contribution to the research based on the following categories: Design, Analysis, Writing, Reviewer.
Award Recipients
2023 Winner |
Rebecca Crosier, MD |
2023 Best Rapid-Fire Oral Presentation
The 2023 Canadian Women’s Heart Health Summit included an award for Best Rapid-Fire Oral Presentation. The person judged as preparing and delivering the Best-Rapid Fire Oral Presentation receives a plaque of recognition and an award of $250. Rapid Fire Oral presentations were judged by the 2023 Canadian Women’s Heart Health Summit Review Committee, based on the following criteria:
- Originality
- Design and methodology
- Supporting data
- Quality of presentation
- Presenter stays within allotted time
Award Recipients
2023 Winner |
Rebecca Crosier, MD |
2021 Winner |
Monica Parry, MEd, MSc, NP-Adult, PhD, CCN(C) |
2018 Winner |
Jodi Edwards, PhD Abstract Title: Sex Differences in the Incidence and Outcomes of Newly Diagnosed Atrial Fibrillation-Related Stroke |
2016 Winner
|
Katie Cheung Abstract Title: Sex Differences in the Growth Rates of Thoracic Aortic Aneurysms: Role of Aneurysm Etiology |
2023 Best Poster Presentation
The 2023 Canadian Women’s Heart Health Summit included an award for Best Poster Presentation. The person judged as preparing and delivering the best poster receives a plaque of recognition and an award of $250. Best Poster Presentation is selected based on the following criteria:
- Originality
- Design and methodology
- Supporting data
- Quality of presentation
Award Recipients
2023 Winner
|
Sauyeh Zamani, MSc |
2021 Winner
|
Yasmine Coovadia, MSc Abstract Title: The effect of sex on vascular function during acute stress |
2018 Winner
|
Vanessa Ha, PhD |
2016 Winner |
Mary Forhan, PhD, MHSc, BSc |
NEW: Women with Lived Experience (WWLE) Top Choice Award
We have introduced a NEW award at this year’s event titled the “Women with Lived Experience Top Choice Award” where WWLE Judges chose their top abstract presentation based on their ease of understanding, how relevant it is to women’s heart, brain and vascular health and the potential impact on the patient’s experience. The person judged as preparing and delivering the best poster receives a certificate of recognition and an award of $250. All posters were judged during the poster session on April 28, with the Top Choice Award selected based on the following criteria:
- Is the research described in clear lay terms so that it would be understood by the general public?
- Do you feel the proposed research is impactful to the field of women heart disease and/or stroke?
- Is the proposed research directly relevant to women's heart disease and/or stroke?
- How would you rate the overall quality of the presentation? (Is the poster visually appealing, and overall presentation clear)
Award Recipients
2023 Winner
|
Mayssa Moukarzel, MSc Abstract Title: Sex Differences in Stress Burden and Markers of Cardiac Inflammation — A Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study |