TORONTO – Shoppers Foundation for Women’s Health, the charitable arm of Shoppers Drug Mart, is spotlighting the startling health inequities experienced by women due to a lack of education and awareness surrounding menstrual health in Canada.
These issues directly impact a woman’s ability to identify and understand their own symptoms and advocate for appropriate treatment. As the country recognizes Menstrual Health Day, Shoppers Foundation for Women’s Health is calling for greater support and focus on menstrual health to help close the gap on these issues in women's health.
Much more complex than a monthly cycle, menstrual health is foundational to a woman’s overall well-being and includes the full spectrum of reproductive health concerns, from hormone regulation to chronic conditions such as Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), endometriosis and infertility. Due to a lack of understanding, many women don’t recognize the severity of their own symptoms and end up experiencing delayed diagnosis and treatment, highlighting the urgent need for increased research and education to improve outcomes for those living with menstrual health conditions.
To better understand the reality of menstrual health in Canada, Shoppers Foundation for Women’s Health commissioned a national research survey, revealing:
- More than one-in-four people experience irregular or missed periods and heavy or prolonged menstrual bleeding.
- Three-in-five women with menstrual health conditions, such as infertility or PCOS, describe their diagnosis journey as difficult.
- 85% of women found it difficult to get an endometriosis diagnosis.
“Making women’s health a greater priority means recognizing menstrual health, an often-overlooked part of the conversation, as absolutely critical to women’s well-being,” said Paulette Minard, director, Community Investment at Shoppers Foundation for Women's Health. “Our survey findings reflect more than numbers - they reveal real experiences of pain, delay and dismissal that Canadian women face every day. Shoppers Foundation for Women’s HealthTM is committed to challenging the status quo in women’s health - to close gaps in care, amplify women’s voices and ensure they have the right knowledge and tools to advocate for themselves.”
Since 2022, Shoppers Foundation for Women’s Health has donated more than $2.6 million in funds and supplies to expand access to menstrual products and care through partners like Moon Time Connections, The Period Purse, and others across Canada. In that same time, Shoppers Drug Mart and Shoppers Foundation for Women’s Health have committed to donate more than 69 million period care products to schools and community organizations in Ontario, Manitoba, Newfoundland and Saskatchewan so people who menstruate can access necessary care while continuing to attend class and other activities.
To learn more about the Foundation’s initiatives and how to get involved, visit shoppersfoundation.ca
