CROWNING US
A national project focused on underserved communities to address gaps in heart disease research and improve access to care, including women, intersex, trans, gender diverse, and queer communities, and those from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds.
This initiative is co-led by 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.
In Canada, not everyone has the same opportunity for good heart and brain health.
Some communities are more likely to develop heart disease and stroke, wait longer to be diagnosed and treated, and face challenges getting the care and information they need.
These differences are influenced by factors like sex and gender, race and ethnicity, where someone lives (rural/remote areas), income, and access to care.
These differences highlight gaps in how research and health care systems have been designed and delivered.
CROWNING US is changing how research is done.
Instead of doing research on people, we are doing research with people.
This approach is called Patient-Oriented Research.
By working with the communities directly affected by these gaps, this helps:
- Identify the questions that matter most
- Shape research priorities
- Guide solutions that reflect real needs
How To Get Involved
Your experience and perspective matter. We welcome individuals, community groups, researchers, clinicians, people with lived and living experience and organizations representing underserved populations across Canada to connect with us.
You do not need a research or healthcare background to get involved.
Here’s how you can take part:
Women Driving Change for Heart and Brain Health
These workshops will bring together community members, researchers, clinicians and people with lived and living experience (PWLLE) all with a shared goal: to improve future care for groups that are often overlooked or underserved.
Who Should Attend:
- Anyone interested in improving heart and brain health.
- People who identify as women or intersex, and those from trans, gender diverse, and queer communities, racial, and ethnic backgrounds (including Black, South Asian, East Asian, and 2SLGBTQI+ communities).
- Space is limited, and priority will be given to individuals from underserved communities, including those listed above.
Cost: Free
Toronto, ON
Date: Wednesday, June 3, 2026
Time: 11:00 – 2:00PM EST
Location: Centennial College Event Centre, Toronto, Ontario
Hosted by Council for Agencies Serving South Asians (CASSA).
Surrey, BC
Date: June 20, 2026
Time: 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM PST
Location: RADIUS at Simon Fraser University (308 W Hastings St #200, Vancouver, BC V6B 2N4)
Hosted in collaboration with the Health Equity Lab at Simon Fraser University and members of the Canadian Women’s Heart Health Alliance
National (Virtual)
Date: Monday, June 22, 2026
Time: 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Location: Zoom (link will be provided upon registration)
Hosted in collaboration with Rainbow Allyship and members of the Canadian Women’s Heart Health Alliance (CWHHA).
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
Women Driving Change for Heart, Brain & Vascular Health
Exploring pregnancy, menopause, and the everyday practices that keep women’s hearts strong.
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.
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.