Latest news with #IWKHealth
Yahoo
03-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Calling all women: The IWK Foundation wants to hear your health stories
The IWK Foundation has launched a survey in the hopes of better understanding women's health experiences in the Maritime provinces and to address the disparity in health outcomes between men and women. The foundation is a not-for-profit organization that raises funds to support IWK Health, a major hospital in Halifax that provides care to women, youth and children from Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. Jennifer Gillivan, president and CEO of the foundation, said the online survey invites women ages 18 and up to share their perspectives about their overall health experiences, challenges and outcomes. It also asks questions about their health in different stages of their life. "Part of our mandate is to educate and advocate for women. And so we realized — we need to hear from women. We need women's voices," said Gillivan in an interview on Thursday. "I mean, you go out to eat with your girlfriends or your family and you start talking about experiences in health, and they don't stop talking. So we thought this is a phenomenal way to kind of collect all that data and then understand where the pressure points are." The survey is anonymous. It includes questions like: "What positively or negatively impacts your overall physical health the most?" There is also a full page dedicated to sharing in detail "the good, bad or ugly" of one's health-care story. The results, which will be reviewed by a team of researchers, will help inform where women need more support and where there are gaps in the system, said Gillivan. This could include gaps in education and awareness or access to tools and information. But most importantly, it seeks to fundamentally change how women's health is understood, prioritized and delivered in a country where women spend 25 per cent more time in poor health than men, said Gillivan. "There needs to be a real push on women's research, because research informs care. It changes everything. And we need better training for doctors on women's health," she said. Gillivan said women's health has been historically under-researched and underfunded, with just seven per cent of total national research funding allocated to it, despite women making up 50 per cent of the population. She said the findings of the report will inform the IWK's own practices and operations, but will also be shared with anyone else who wants it, including governments, health authorities and other non-profits across Canada. It will also help guide efforts to educate the wider community that women's bodies are fundamentally different than men's, and their health care needs to be prioritized and researched, she said. Maggie Archibald is a patient advocate based in Halifax who has struggled with chronic pain for 18 years due to endometriosis that was only officially diagnosed two years ago. She said she often felt dismissed by the health-care system. "You symptoms are often not believed and women often have to fight harder to get help," said Archibald. "I'm really excited to see the results and what comes out of this and hopefully we can have some real change." The foundation expects to share the results publicly on Oct. 1. Click here to take the IWK Foundation's survey. MORE TOP STORIES
CBC
03-07-2025
- Health
- CBC
Calling all women: The IWK Foundation wants to hear your health stories
The IWK Foundation has launched a survey in the hopes of better understanding women's health experiences in the Maritime provinces and to address the disparity in health outcomes between men and women. The foundation is a not-for-profit organization that raises funds to support IWK Health, a major hospital in Halifax that provides care to women, youth and children from Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. Jennifer Gillivan, president and CEO of the foundation, said the online survey invites women ages 18 and up to share their perspectives about their overall health experiences, challenges and outcomes. It also asks questions about their health in different stages of their life. "Part of our mandate is to educate and advocate for women. And so we realized — we need to hear from women. We need women's voices," said Gillivan in an interview on Thursday. "I mean, you go out to eat with your girlfriends or your family and you start talking about experiences in health, and they don't stop talking. So we thought this is a phenomenal way to kind of collect all that data and then understand where the pressure points are." The survey is anonymous. It includes questions like: "What positively or negatively impacts your overall physical health the most?" There is also a full page dedicated to sharing in detail "the good, bad or ugly" of one's health-care story. The results, which will be reviewed by a team of researchers, will help inform where women need more support and where there are gaps in the system, said Gillivan. This could include gaps in education and awareness or access to tools and information. But most importantly, it seeks to fundamentally change how women's health is understood, prioritized and delivered in a country where women spend 25 per cent more time in poor health than men, said Gillivan. "There needs to be a real push on women's research, because research informs care. It changes everything. And we need better training for doctors on women's health," she said. Gillivan said women's health has been historically under-researched and underfunded, with just seven per cent of total national research funding allocated to it, despite women making up 50 per cent of the population. She said the findings of the report will inform the IWK's own practices and operations, but will also be shared with anyone else who wants it, including governments, health authorities and other non-profits across Canada. It will also help guide efforts to educate the wider community that women's bodies are fundamentally different than men's, and their health care needs to be prioritized and researched, she said. Maggie Archibald is a patient advocate based in Halifax who has struggled with chronic pain for 18 years due to endometriosis that was only officially diagnosed two years ago. She said she often felt dismissed by the health-care system. "You symptoms are often not believed and women often have to fight harder to get help," said Archibald. "I'm really excited to see the results and what comes out of this and hopefully we can have some real change." The foundation expects to share the results publicly on Oct. 1.
Global News
22-06-2025
- Health
- Global News
Cellfie Project: Young IWK patients with leukemia get to see disease at cellular level
The largest children's hospital in Atlantic Canada wants to make it easier for kids to understand their cancer diagnosis. The IWK is giving children the chance to don a lab coat for the day and see the disease at a cellular level. Dubbed the Cellfie Project, the initiative allows patients with a leukemia diagnosis to take a look at their blood and bone marrow cells under a microscope. 'I explain to them, 'Would you like to see your cancer cells, would you like to see your healthy cells? Would you like to learn more about what's happening to you?'' said Dr. Valérie Bourque-Riel, IWK Health Pediatric Hematologist-Oncologist. Get weekly health news Receive the latest medical news and health information delivered to you every Sunday. Sign up for weekly health newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'Most of the time the answer is 'Yes, I would love to go down to the lab to see my cells.'' Story continues below advertisement A visit to the lab makes the patient an honorary pathologist. They're given a white coat and a USB drive with pictures of their cells. 'It's a life-changing experience, and by life-changing I would say that some children are using the 'Cellfie Stick' at school to explain to their schoolmates what is happening to them and show them why they have a central line, why they're so pale, and losing their hair,' said Bourque-Riel. Kids are also given a new stuffy to take home with them. The crocheted buddies are donated and many of them were made by health-care staff. 'Having something to actually take home with them that's adorable and they can show their friends and everything, it's really quite wonderful,' said Allison Williams, a medical laboratory technologist. The program launched in 2022 to help take some of the uncertainty out of navigating a cancer diagnosis. Since then, it has continued to grow to help more patients. For more on this story, watch the video above.
CBC
02-06-2025
- Business
- CBC
N.S. chips away at dearth of hospital parking with new dedicated lot for health-care workers
Social Sharing Nova Scotia Health says at least 260 additional parking spots will be made free to health-care workers at Halifax's largest hospitals later this summer. Parking has been an ongoing issue for patients and staff of the Halifax Infirmary, Victoria General and IWK Health Centre, as some parkades have recently been torn down to accommodate renovations and expansions. Frustration over parking shortages spiked after the Houston government lifted parking fees at the start of May. At peak demand times, the hospitals are short some 4,000 spaces. Nova Scotia Health and the IWK have been scrambling to find more parking to dedicate to the hospitals. Up to $1M to grade, repave old paid lot To that end, Nova Scotia's Department of Public Works has awarded an untendered contract to Dexter Construction worth up to $1 million to fix up a parcel of provincially owned land on South Street, across from the IWK. The elimination of parking fees is already costing the province $19 million annually. A spokesperson for Nova Scotia Health said the land is already a parking lot and many of the users are IWK and Nova Scotia Health staff, but it's a paid lot operated by Impark. Dexter will grade and repave the lot before it's made available for staff to use free of charge. The health authority expects it to be ready Aug. 1. "Nova Scotia Health and IWK Health are tirelessly working to find additional staff parking spaces to address significant supply and demand challenges," spokesperson Brendan Elliott said in an email. Free parking at health-care facilities — an election promise from the Houston government — was sharply criticized by health-care workers who initially faced steep fees if they used spaces that were reserved for patients and families. Those charges were reversed after a few weeks of outcry, while a different fine for misuse of hospital parking was added. Anyone caught using hospital parking who isn't a patient, visitor, volunteer or staff member could face a $500 ticket. Health Minister Michelle Thompson told reporters last week that so far, violators are receiving warnings only. "We're looking at a very small group of individuals who are parking inappropriately in hospital parking sites," she said.
CTV News
02-06-2025
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Record breaking weekend at IWK Telethon
Atlantic Watch More than $8.3 million was raised at the 41st annual IWK Telethon in Halifax. The annual event on CTV shares powerful stories of courage and care.
