Each year, The Canadian Foundation for Women’s Health awards grants that promote and support research initiatives in the field of women’s health. Please join us in congratulating the 2024 recipients:
CFWH General Research Grant
Sonia Grandi for her project “BIOlogic drug use to inform a National pharmacoepidemiologIC safety study in pregnant WOMEN (BIONIC-WOMEN).”
Sonia Grandi is a Scientist at SickKids Research Institute and an Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto in the Division of Epidemiology at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health. She completed her PhD in Epidemiology at McGill University in the Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Occupational Health and a postdoctoral fellowship at the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institutes of Child Health and Human Development at the National Institutes of Health. Her work focused on the consequences of pregnancy complications on long-term maternal cardiovascular disease and mortality and strategies for early identification and screening of at-risk women.
Dr. Grandi’s research focuses on the short- and long-term influence of preconception and perinatal exposures on the health of mothers and children, with a focus on cardiometabolic health. Her research interests include understanding how pregnancy complications and interventions designed to reduce those complications, impact the health of mothers and infants, the safety and effectiveness of medications taken during pregnancy on the health of mothers and their children among women with chronic conditions, and understanding inequities in severe maternal morbidity and mortality and strategies to identify women at highest risk. As a methodologist, Dr. Grandi is interested in the application of contemporary methods and leveraging administrative health data to help inform clinical practice.
The Kitty Carr Research Grant
Bronte Johnston for her project “Engaging International and Canadian Stakeholders to Co-design the Canadian Obstetric Survey Systems for Reducing Maternal Mortality and Morbidity.”
Bronte Johnston is currently a PhD student at the School of Population and Public Health at the University of British Columbia, set to be completed in 2026. Prior to her PhD, she completed a Master of Science in Health Sciences Education, Midwifery at McMaster University in 2021, as well as her Bachelor of Health Sciences Honours in 2019, where she currently resides as a Parttime Instructor. She is also a Graduate Teaching Assistant at the University of British Columbia, where she is a part of the Contraception and Abortion Research Team.
Bronte is also a Part-time Research Assistant, in the department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at McMaster University, where she is actively involved with the FLOURISH research team at the D’Souza Lab, where her work focuses on youth access to contraceptives and encompasses broader interests in perinatal and reproductive health education. She is currently working with FLOURISH to evaluate the impacts of the International Network of Obstetrical Survey Systems (INOSS) – a global network of countries that have established or are in the process of establishing Enhanced Obstetric Survey Systems (EOSS). This project will help inform the development of Canada’s own EOSS – CanOSS.
The Dawn Walker Grant
Marnie Lightfoot for her project “Call to Action – A Regional Strategy for Perinatal Mental Health Care.”
Marnie Lightfoot has a diverse work experience in the healthcare industry. Marnie is currently serving as the Regional Director of Women and Children’s Health Network at Orillia Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital from November 2021. Prior to that, they worked at Georgian Bay General Hospital as the Director of Patient Care Services from November 2017 to October 2021. Additionally, Marnie also held various roles at Orillia Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital, including Project Clinical Consultant for GBGH/OSMH Birthing Partnership from April 2017 to November 2017, and Program Manager from February 2013 to November 2017.
Marnie Lightfoot’s education history starts in 1999, when they enrolled at the University of Guelph. Marnie completed their Bachelor of Science degree in Biomedical Science in 2003. Following that, from 2004 to 2006, they pursued a Bachelor of Nursing degree at the University of Toronto. Marnie’s educational journey continued, and in 2008, they obtained a Master of Nursing degree from the same institution, specializing as a Nurse Practitioner. Recently, in 2022, Marnie enrolled in the Athabasca University Faculty of Business and is currently pursuing their Master of Business Administration – MBA (c) degree.