Royal Alexandra Hospital Foundation

PRESS RELEASE

The LOVE YOU by Shoppers Drug Mart™ Program Announces the 10^th Annual Run for Women in Support of Women’s Mental Health at the Lois Hole Hospital and Beyond

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(NOTE: online registration has closed but in-person registration is still available)

CLICK HERE FOR A PDF OF THE OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE 

May 9, 2022

EDMONTON, AB—The Royal Alexandra Hospital Foundation and Shoppers Drug Mart are proud to announce the 10th annual LOVE YOU by Shoppers Drug Mart™ Run for Women, for the first time ever happening both virtually or in-person on May 28^th at Sir Wilfrid Laurier Park in Edmonton. As always, the run will support women’s mental health programs across the country, with funds going to support the Lois Hole Hospital for Women, among many other programs. The timing is critical, as the pandemic has exacerbated and exposed serious inequities in women’s mental health.

“We know women’s health is community health, and women need our continued support,” says Sharlene Rutherford, President and CEO of the Royal Alexandra Hospital Foundation. “We know from the Finding the Fractures report from the Alberta Women’s Health Foundation (AWHF) that: seven out of 10 women reported added stress due to the pandemic; more than six out of 10 reported pandemic stress was affecting their physical health in a negative way, and more than one in 10 had experienced thoughts of harming themselves. This support from Shoppers Drug Mart is more important—and more appreciated—than ever.”

The Royal Alexandra Hospital is proud to support the Lois Hole Hospital for Women Cross-Provincial Chair in Women’s Mental Health Research, held by Dr. Dawn Kingston. The flagship work of Dr. Kingston’s team is the creation and expansion of the HOPE Digital Mental Health Platform. Originally an e-therapy tool designed to help women before, during and after pregnancy to better self-manage their mental health, the platform is reaching its third iteration and a notable upgrade—‘HOPE 3.0’ is designed to offer all the components of good mental healthcare, which include screening, referral, and treatment, for women across the entire life course.

Proceeds from the registration fee for Edmonton-area participants go directly to the Lois Hole Hospital for Women. The Royal Alexandra Hospital Foundation is pleased to share that, since 2014, nearly $1.6 million has been raised for the Lois Hole Hospital for Women by the LOVE YOU by Shoppers Drug Mart Run for Women, and extends their deepest gratitude to Shoppers Drug Mart for this enormous support.

Make a difference for the women in your community and join in on the fun by signing up at RunForWomen.ca. Every dollar raised by the LOVE YOU by Shoppers Drug Mart Run for Women supports mothers, daughters and friends in our community. Registration also includes a legendary Run for Women Finisher Swag Bag worth over $100, a Special Edition 10th Anniversary Technical T-Shirt, and Bracelet.

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For media inquiries or more information, please contact:

        Lindsay Robertson
        Director of Communications, Royal Alexandra Hospital Foundation
        Email: LRobertson@royalalex.org | Phone: 780-217-2613


About the Royal Alexandra Hospital Foundation

Established in 1984, the Royal Alexandra Hospital Foundation is committed to supporting improved healthcare outcomes for the hundreds of thousands of people who seek treatment at the Royal Alexandra Hospital every year. The Foundation funds ground-breaking education, cutting-edge research, next-generation technologies and facility enhancements. It also supports a growing number of specialized centres of healthcare excellence located at the Royal Alexandra Hospital campus, including the Lois Hole Hospital for Women, the CK Hui Heart Centre, the Orthopedic Surgery Centre and the Eye Institute of Alberta.

Stay up to date with RAHF news at royalalex.org. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @RAHFoundation

About Run for Women

The Run for Women is a celebration of the healing power of a loving community. We also celebrate the power of loving ourselves. Run for Women is a 5K Run/Walk, and 10K Run that takes place in 18 cities across Canada. Since 2012, over 150,000 participants have helped raise approximately $14 million for women’s mental health programs across Canada. Research shows that running and walking are as effective as taking medication for mild to moderate depression and anxiety.
 

About LOVE YOU by Shoppers Drug Mart™

Shoppers Drug Mart is committed to putting women's health first through the LOVE YOU by Shoppers Drug Mart™ program, celebrating its 11th anniversary this year. Every woman has a right to the care and support she needs to be healthy and safe, but many face challenges that are tough to overcome alone. That's why the LOVE YOU by Shoppers Drug Mart™ program raises funds to help support women's health, women's mental health and women's shelters focusing on local needs and organizations. Since 2011, the LOVE YOU by Shoppers Drug Mart™ program has supported more than 450 women's charities annually across Canada, thanks to the unwavering support of Canadians from coast to coast.

 

NOTE: Story image was taken during the 2019 Run for Women.