Putting Women’s Health First

Living life’s journey to the fullest can sometimes distract you from your own health.  That’s why Shoppers Drug Mart is building on its track record as the national leader in women’s health by launching the new Shoppers LOVE YOU program.

“Our support of women’s health has never been stronger. The new Shoppers LOVE YOU program is about helping women to stay focused on being their best – because we believe you’re at your best when you love you,” said Lisa Gibbs, Director of Community of Investment at Shoppers Drug Mart.

The launch of the new Shoppers LOVE YOU program will help women stay focused on making their own health a priority.  Over the past five years, Shoppers Drug Mart has put women’s health first by contributing more than $57 million on behalf of its customers, associate owners and their store teams to local, regional and national women’s health initiatives – benefitting more than 1.5 million Canadian women.

The Shoppers LOVE YOU program will connect women in support of women’s health initiatives through events like:

• Shoppers LOVE YOU Run for Women, supporting local women’s mental health in 12 communities across Canada this past year;
• Twice-annual Beauty Galas held at Shoppers Drug Mart, in support of cancer patients and breast cancer screening; and
• Growing Women’s Health (formerly Tree of Life) campaign in support of community women’s health programs.

To mark the launch of the new program, Shoppers Drug Mart is announcing a new $1 million partnership with Osteoporosis Canada.

“We’re sharing the expertise of our partners at leading women’s health organizations – like Osteoporosis Canada – so that we can help women stay focused on making their own health a priority,” said Ms. Gibbs.

The new three-year partnership with Osteoporosis Canada aims to build awareness among Shoppers Drug Mart customers about how to reduce the risk of osteoporosis and the broken bones it can cause.  It will also support continuing education for Shoppers Drug Mart pharmacists on how to help patients slow the progression of this bone disease through medication, vitamin supplementation and lifestyle changes.  Newly created educational resources will be available to Canadians starting in early 2016.

“Pharmacists are an accessible yet untapped resource who can help advise women on lifestyle changes, vitamin supplementation and medication adherence to prevent broken bones due to osteoporosis,” said Dr. Famida Jiwa, President and CEO of Osteoporosis Canada. “We are optimistic that our new partnership with the Shoppers LOVE YOU program will help reduce the risk of osteoporosis for women who need extra guidance to improve their bone health.”

Here are some facts you may not know about Osteoporosis:

• At least 1 in 3 women will break a bone because of osteoporosis.
• 80 per cent of Canadians who break a bone as a result of osteoporosis are never diagnosed with the condition.
• Each year in Canada, a broken bone caused by osteoporosis is more common than heart attack, stroke and breast cancer combined.
• Osteoporosis and the fractures it causes cost the health care system $2.3 billion each year.

To find out more about the new Shoppers LOVE YOU program, go to www.shoppersloveyou.ca.