Lauren Dayes wearing a white coat and smiling

Lauren Dayes, Rx2022, is the first recipient of this new award

Winifred Walker obtained her pharmacy degree back in 1938, a remarkable achievement for a woman at the time. Today, Winifred’s memory lives on through a new award established by her daughter Alison.

“Obtaining her pharmacy degree in Edinburgh back in 1938 was quite remarkable,” says Alison. “My mother very quickly used her training to manage a pharmacy. Moving to Canada and having a young family in those days meant she only practiced as a pharmacist until she got married. Times have changed and hopefully this award will help other students obtain their degrees and enjoy long and successful careers in this exciting field of medicine.”

The award, valued at $2,500, recognizes one third-year pharmacy student with a history of strong academic achievement and an enduring commitment to championing the health of women. Alison established the award through the Canadian Federation of University Women Kitchener-Waterloo Charitable Fund (CFUW K-W).

“I have been involved with the CFUW K-W Charitable Fund for several years, and when my mother passed away a few years ago, it felt like the perfect way to honour her memory,” Alison says.

The inaugural winner of this award is Lauren Dayes. Lauren’s commitment to women’s health spans her educational pursuits to work experience to volunteering roles. She’s sought out specific educational opportunities on this topic, hosted women’s health focused info nights on co-op terms, and writes regularly about women’s health in pharmacy blog The Dosette.

“In pharmacy school, I learned how effectively caring for women requires a holistic approach,” Lauren says. “Women have been historically excluded from major drug trials, which means that many treatment recommendations are based on potentially misleading findings. One person cannot single-handedly overcome such deep-rooted inequity, but I believe that by engaging in continuing education and advocating for women’s health, I can push myself to be a better pharmacist.”

Lauren’s dedication to women’s health inspired her to participate in numerous interprofessional events, including those led by women who’ve faced barriers accessing health care in Canada. Participating in these patient advocacy events has been eye-opening for her:

“By expanding my learning from textbooks to real patient stories, I’ve gained valuable insights into the problems many women in our community face,” she says. “I’ve learned, for example, that many new mothers lack access to breastfeeding support, and so I’ve enrolled in an advanced lactation course and intend to incorporate this support in my future pharmacy career.”

Lauren’s adept at identifying gaps in services and working to address them. She’s done this on co-op where she designed women’s health presentations for colleagues, and she also volunteers with the Oxalosis and Hyperoxaluria Foundation as an advocate for patient-friendly resources for women with rare kidney diseases.

“I am so grateful to Alison Watson and the CFUW K-W Charitable Fund for establishing the Winifred Walker award. It is an honour to receive this recognition, and I have no doubt that Winifred’s legacy will inspire many future cohorts of pharmacy students.”

Lauren also appreciates the mentors she has connected with through the University of Waterloo’s co-operative education program, who demonstrate their devotion to patient care and education every day.