VANCOUVER, BC, March 5, 2026 /CNW/ - Women's Health Research Month, launched by BC Women's Health Foundation, is a province-wide call to action to elevate the conversation around the health of women, girls and gender-diverse people and accelerate the research that drives better care. The initiative shines a provincial spotlight on the critical role women's health research plays in improving outcomes for women and families across British Columbia, and the urgent need for philanthropic investment to close the women's health gap.

BC Women's Health Foundation is pleased to announce that March 2026 has been formally proclaimed as Women's Health Research Month in B.C. during the Foundation's annual Illuminations Luncheon presented by RBC Wealth Management. The proclamation marks an important step forward in recognizing women's health research as a provincial priority.

"Women, girls and gender-diverse people experience health differently, and our health system must reflect those realities," said Josie Osborne, Minister of Health. "By proclaiming March as Women's Health Research Month, we reaffirm our commitment to equitable, high-quality care informed by strong evidence. Through continued partnerships in research and collaboration across British Columbia, we are strengthening services, improving outcomes and helping more people in B.C. access the care they need at every stage of life."

For too long, women's health has been underfunded and under-researched. Women are 51% of the population but only 7% of national health research funding is directed to women's health research. Canadian women spend 24% more of their lives in poor health compared to men.

Closing this gap will not happen by chance. It will happen through bold philanthropic leadership.

"Women's Health Research Month elevates the importance of advancing research focused on women's health," said Cally Wesson, President and CEO of BC Women's Health Foundation. "We are deeply grateful for the proclamation, which strengthens the conversation across our province and underscores the vital role philanthropy plays in closing the women's health gap. When we invest in research, we improve care — ensuring women live healthier lives and communities across British Columbia thrive."

Philanthropic BC Action Plan for Women's Health

BC Women's Health Foundation has developed the Philanthropic BC Action Plan for Women's Health, a strategic roadmap positioning philanthropy as the catalyst to close the women's health research gap, fuel innovation, and ensure research leads to better, evidence-based care for women across the province. The plan is informed by the national Blueprint for Action: Closing the Women's Health Gap in Canada, developed by Women's Health Collective Canada with analysis by knowledge partner McKinsey & Company Canada.

Elevating the health of women, girls and gender-diverse people is not only a medical imperative, it is also an economic and social one. In British Columbia alone, investing more in women's health could unlock an estimated $5.1 billion in projected value over the next 15 years (McKinsey Health Institute, 2025), driven by improved health outcomes that support workforce participation, reduce missed days at work, expand access to preventive care, and give women more years of healthy living.

Throughout Women's Health Research Month, BC Women's Health Foundation is encouraging donors and partners to accelerate investment in women's health research. Philanthropic leadership has already helped launch life-changing breakthroughs, and with continued support we can advance research that leads to better care for women and newborns across British Columbia.

We can't close the women's health gap without philanthropy.

For more information about Women's Health Research Month and to view the Philanthropic BC Action Plan for Women's Health, visit BCWHF.org/WHRM

About BC Women's Health Foundation: BC Women's Health Foundation (BCWHF), British Columbia's largest non-profit organization dedicated to advancing women's and newborn health, drives impactful care and research through partnerships with BC Women's Hospital + Health Centre and the Women's Health Research Institute (WHRI). BCWHF's support ensures women have equitable access to high-quality healthcare whenever and wherever they need it. BC Women's Health Foundation is committed to advancing women's and newborn health through research, education and philanthropy.

The Illuminations Luncheon is an annual event that champions investment in evidence-based innovation and empowers donors to make a measurable impact in women's and newborn health research funding. Together with our Foundation supporters, the Foundation creates bright beginnings and better futures for women and families across British Columbia.

For more information, please visit bcwomensfoundation.org or follow us on Instagram at @bcwomensfdn.

SOURCE BC Women's Health Foundation