CROWNING US
A national project connecting communities, researchers, clinicians, and lived experience to improve heart and brain health for women facing unequal access and outcomes in Canada.
We need women, across backgrounds and experiences, to help shape better research and better care.
We focus on women, intersex, gender-diverse, and underserved populations who have historically been underrepresented in research and care.
CROWNING US is a national, co-led initiative bringing together the Canadian Women’s Heart Health Alliance (CWHHA), Council of Agencies Serving South Asians (CASSA), Sickle Cell Awareness Group of Ontario (SCAGO), and the University of Toronto.
CROWNING US: Cardiovascular Risk AcrOss the lifespan with WomeN, INtersex, Gender diverse and other Under-Served people in Canada
Why This Work Matters
In Canada, not everyone has the same opportunity for good heart and brain health.
Some communities face:
- Higher risk of heart disease and stroke
- Delays in diagnosis and treatment
- Barriers to accessing care and information
Inequities are shaped by factors like:
- Sex and gender
- Race and ethnicity
- Geography (including rural and remote communities)
- Income and access to care
For example:
- Gender diverse women face more than double the risk of heart attack compared to cisgender women
- Black and South Asian communities experience earlier and higher rates of cardiovascular disease
These are not random differences. They reflect gaps in how research and healthcare systems have been designed.
What We're Doing About It
CROWNING US is changing how research is done. Instead of doing research on people, we do research with people. This is called Patient-Oriented Research.
People with lived and living experience are partners, not just participants. They help:
- Identify what questions matter most
- Shape research priorities
- Guide solutions that reflect real needs
How You Can Take Part
Your experience, voice, and perspective matter. We welcome individuals, community groups, and organizations from across Canada. (You do not need a research or healthcare background to get involved.)
- Share your lived or living experience
- Join community conversations or advisory groups
- Help shape research priorities
- Partner with us through your organization or network
- Share resources within your community
Our approach includes:
- Partnering with communities across Canada
- Building trust-based relationships
- Engaging people with lived experience as equal partners
- Co-developing research priorities and solutions
- Creating practical, inclusive resources
- Strengthening long-term collaboration between communities and researchers
- Form community advisory groups
Educational Webinars
We have launched a growing series of evidence-based webinars designed to:
- Increase awareness of heart and brain health
- Highlight sex- and gender-specific risk factors
- Address knowledge gaps across diverse communities
- Provide practical, easy-to-understand information
Dementia risk in South Asian women
South Asian women face a higher risk of dementia, yet this risk is often not widely discussed.
Pregnancy’s hidden impact on heart health
Learn how certain pregnancy-related conditions can affect heart health later in life.
Women Driving Change for Heart, Brain & Vascular Health
Exploring pregnancy, menopause, and the everyday practices that keep women’s hearts strong.
CROWNING US is funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. This funding supports a national effort to advance more inclusive and equitable cardiovascular research in Canada.