Over 300 national and international experts, health professionals, and women living with heart disease and stroke will gather this weekend to attend The Canadian Women’s Heart Health Summit. Hosted by the Canadian Women’s Heart Health Centre at the Ottawa Heart Institute and Heart & Stroke, the Summit is the largest event of its kind focused exclusively on the unique aspects of heart, brain, and vascular health in women.
“Despite significant progress to improve women’s cardiovascular health since the Canadian Women’s Heart Health Centre launched in 2014, heart disease and stroke are still the leading cause of preventable death among women in Canada,” says Dr. Kerri-Anne Mullen, director of the Canadian Women’s Heart Health Centre and co-chair of the Summit. “What’s more, heart and vascular disease in women continues to be under-researched and under-recognized, with critical disparities in care, treatment and health outcomes. The Summit has played a key role in stimulating advancement in women’s health in Canada over the past decade, but there is still more to do.”
The theme of the 2025 event is Women's Heart, Brain and Vascular Health: Reflecting on the Past, Empowering the Present, and Shaping the Future.
Reflecting on the past
The Canadian Women’s Heart Health Centre and Heart & Stroke, with the support of partners and advocates, have been instrumental in fostering collaboration, advancing research, and driving advocacy efforts to address the unique challenges of women’s heart and brain health.
Notable achievements of the past decade include:
- the development of specialized women’s heart health centres and clinics across the country
- the formation of the Canadian Women’s Heart Health Alliance
- the integration of sex and gender-based analysis and reporting requirements for funded research by major cardiovascular research funders in Canada
- public awareness campaigns like Wear Red Canada and Heart & Stroke’s women’s campaign
- the integration of women-specific evidence into practice guidelines
- millions of dollars invested in research, such as the first Women’s Heart and Brain Health Chairs, the first doctoral and postdoctoral personnel awards for women’s heart and/or brain health, and the $10 million Research Networks of Excellence in Women's Heart and/or Brain Health.
Empowering the present
This year’s event will address ongoing challenges in women’s cardiovascular care and present potential solutions. Sessions will cover topics such as advancements in diagnostics, new treatment methods, emerging care models and multidisciplinary strategies to support the care needs of women in Canada and reduce health inequities and improve health outcomes. Discussions will also explore areas such as microvascular disease, pregnancy-related complications, the brain-heart connection, and the use of artificial intelligence in improving care, with a focus on supporting underserved communities.
“The progress in women’s heart and brain health over the last decade is in large part due to significant investments in research and awareness by Heart & Stroke and partners as well as critical policy changes by research funders like CIHR,” says Dr. Christine Faubert, vice-president, health equity and mission impact, Heart & Stroke and co-chair of the Summit. “The next step is to put this ongoing research into action, which will create positive changes in clinical practice and the healthcare system. These are the conversations I am looking forward to having this week.”
Shaping the future
Looking toward the future, the Summit features a session with recommendations for achieving equity in women’s heart health care, as outlined in the Canadian Women’s Heart Health Alliance’s ATLAS publication. The event will also highlight ways to improve education, health literacy, and community engagement to better support women’s health, and catalyze multidisciplinary collaboration among existing networks and efforts.
Visit womensheartsummit.ca for more information or to review the program.
Media opportunities
Members of the media are invited to attend this unique event to learn about the latest research findings, emerging trends, and strategies and action plans required to advance women's health in Canada. The Summit takes place April 25-26, 2025, at the Rogers Centre Ottawa (formerly Shaw Centre), 55 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, Ontario.
To request access to attend a live presentation (virtually or in person), or to arrange an interview with a Summit delegate, please contact the liaisons below.
Contact information
Kate Comeau
Communications Advisor
Heart & Stroke
902-412-6523
kate.comeau@heartandstroke.ca
Leigh B. Morris
Communications Officer
University of Ottawa Heart Institute
613-316-6409
lmorris@ottawaheart.ca