A female-led grant program has launched in the province with the goal of supporting women in health care.
The Royal University Hospital Foundation's Women Leading Philanthropy is an initiative led by women doctors, healthcare practioners and researchers at Royal University Hospital and supported by women in the community.
Women will raise $100,000 each year for the grant, which will be awarded to one of three short-listed female health practioners whose project can improve women-led health practice.
Founder and CEO of Hillberg & Berk, Rachel Mielke, has been named volunteer honourary chair of the 12-member committee.
“The whole concept is women can come together as a community and to support another amazing woman who wants to do something incredible,” Mielke said. “I think that’s where magic happens.”
Dr. Mary Kinlock, the division head of anatomical pathology at the University of Saskatchewan’s College of Medical, is the volunteer program chair. Kinloch received support from the foundation in 2015 for her gynecologic pathology fellowship and her subsequent research. Saskatchewan women are now part of a national trial for women with uterine cancer.
She said the grant will help women in the health field to lead innovation and new ways of providing care to women and their families.
“We want to see something that’s out of the box that fits with the Royal University Hospital Foundation vision – that somebody whose working on the front lines has the foresight to see how they could fix things and really transform the experience for patients at Royal University Hospital,” she said.
More than 80 women have committed to helping raise the funds for this year’s grant. Applications are being accepted until June 25 and the grant will be awarded in September.
