News & Events

FALL 2006 NEWSLETTER

From the desk of Grace Betts
Chairwoman and President
The DIVA Foundation

The 2005-2006 season has been another highly successful one for The DIVA Foundation.

DIVA has delivered its seventh annual Speakers Series program of five presentations that focused on prevention of illness and disease, healthy life style choices and alternative approaches to conventional treatment for diseases affecting women.

In our local community, the National Capital Region, we have supported the S. E. Greenberg Women's Health Centre, the Ottawa Hospital, Harmony House and the Ottawa Police Force Spousal Abuse Investigation Unit.

In terms of our national mandate we have supported the Canadian Cancer Society and the Osteoporosis Society. In addition and under the leadership of Nicole Kreamer, president of the Montreal chapter, a successful educational breakfast was delivered in support of Ovarian Cancer Canada.

In 2005-2006 DIVA has concentrated on revising and updating its infrastructure to include the revision of the Foundation's policies, communications plan, standard operating procedures, speakers' series guidelines and membership database.

This past year, as in all years since DIVA was founded in 1997, we are deeply indebted to our partners and sponsors. DIVA supporters share a belief in the importance of readily available, professional health and social educational opportunities for women of all ages as well the importance of rewarding those who achieve excellence in the areas of research and delivery. The DIVA Foundation thanks the Shirley E. Greenberg Woman's Health Centre, the Ottawa Hospital, Ray and Berndtson, The Ottawa Citizen, Rogers Television and Industrial Media for their valuable support. A complete list of our partners and sponsors is published on our web site at www.divafoundation.org. Our web site is still under revision but should be ready for review by the end of November.

In 2005-2006, DIVA welcomed Alice Holst and Nancy Averill to the Board of Directors. The Foundation is excited about the skills, knowledge and professionalism that Alice and Nancy bring to the Board and we believe they will play an important role in the development and advancement of the Foundation.

The DIVA Foundation prides itself on being a creative and innovative organization. To that end, and in order to concentrate on the exploration and development of new education and rewards programs, DIVA will stand down the Speakers Series for 2006-2007.

DIVA is very excited to have Karen Morrison of Sakamor & Associates Inc. working with the Board in a volunteer capacity as an advisor in the area of strategic planning and program development.

The DIVA Foundation is a not-for-profit, charitable organization and everyone involved is a volunteer. In closing, we want to express our deep appreciation to the wonderful women of DIVA. We thank each one of the volunteers for their commitment, energy and loyalty. The DIVA Foundation strives to improve the health and well being of women and it is through cooperation and collaboration that we move closer to...healthy women, healthy world.