The Women’s Health Research Foundation of Canada Inc., (WHRFC) has had an
exciting year with efforts focused on board expansion and onboarding, fundraising
opportunities, and increased social media presence. While no in-person fundraiser
occurred, planning started for WHRFC’s first in-person fundraiser since 2020 and
COVID-19 lockdowns. Our LinkedIn, Facebook, and X social media accounts were
reactivated, collectively reaching over 2,100 impressions from 30 distinct posts.

Consistent with last year, fundraising efforts resulted in raising $6,000 thanks to the
generosity of donors and WHRFC’s loyal Target Mail respondents.

WHRFC provided four Scholarships to full-time graduate students, all researching
women’s health projects in diverse units at the University of Manitoba.
• Lara Penner-Goeke is a PhD Student in Psychology. Project Title: “Informant
Agreement of Symptoms in Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorders”.
• AmyAnne Smith is a PhD Student in Social Work. Project Title: “The Impacts of
Trial Delay on Sexual Assault Survivors”.
• Sara Crooks is an MSc Student in Biochemistry and Medical Genetics. Project
Title: “Determining the mechanism of action of L-Rham-induced cell killing in high
grade serous ovarian cancer”.
• Madison Hardman is an MA Student in Psychology. Project Title: “Exploring the
Mental Health Journeys of Women on Probation and Parole in Canada:
Symptoms and Psychological Service Utilization”.

The WHRFC continued its support as a Special Award sponsor at the Manitoba Schools
Science Symposium (MSSS), awarding four projects to young scientists that presented
their research to industry experts and scientists. The project entitled “Measuring Solid and
Liquid” was awarded in the Junior Category. Two projects in the Intermediate category
were awarded, entitled “The Effects of Subliminal Messaging on Human Behavioural
Performance” and “Grandma Remedies”. The final award was provided in the Senior
category to the project entitled “The Role of Glucose in Controlling Transcriptional
Regulators in Fibroblast Activation”.

Alekhya Lavu, a PhD student in the College of Pharmacy at the University of Manitoba,
was the WHRFC poster award winner at the June 2023 Manitoba Student Health
Research Forum where WHFRC maintained its Silver Sponsorship in support of
showcasing graduate student and postdoc health research. Alekhya’s abstract title was
“Gabapentin Use During Pregnancy and Adverse Neonatal Birth Outcomes:
A Population-Based Cohort Study”.

Visit www.whrfcinc.com to learn about WHRFC’s ongoing efforts and upcoming events.