Lumeca Health Expands Executive Team

Appoints Leah Olson-Friesen Chief Operating Officer 

REGINA, Nov. 28, 2019 /CNW/ - Lumeca Health, one of Canada's leading virtual healthcare platforms, is proud to announce the appointment of Leah Olson-Friesen to the role of Chief Operating Officer. With extensive management experience spanning over two decades, Olson-Friesen brings valuable leadership to Lumeca's executive team during a period of hyper-growth. As COO, Olson-Friesen will lead the company's finance and operational functions.

"Leah joins Lumeca with a wealth of management experience at both early-stage tech start-ups and mid-sized companies," said Shawn Hazen, Lumeca's founder & CEO. "We are thrilled to have a steady hand at the operational helm as we continue to expand our healthcare platform and broaden our customer base globally."

Prior to joining Lumeca, Olson-Friesen built and lead high performing teams in the private and public sectors across Canada. Olson-Friesen was CEO of DOT Technology Corp and CEO of SeedMaster Manufacturing. Beyond operations and finance management, she was responsible for all aspects of strategic planning, product development and customer service. Prior to the aforementioned, Olson-Friesen held successive positions as President of the Agricultural Manufacturers of Canada and Marketing and Communications Lead for Pfizer Canada. She is a board member of Ag West Bio and Intelliconn.

"Lumeca is experiencing accelerated growth with the success of its existing virtual healthcare platform and its planned expansion providing its virtual hospital unit (VHU) pilot program," said Olson-Friesen. "I am very excited to join Shawn who is an experienced entrepreneur and look forward to helping people who are looking for efficient and timely means to access healthcare services that meet their unique needs."

Olson-Friesen was recently nominated as one of Concordia University's top 50 under 50 shaping business for her leadership in technology and entrepreneurship. Olson-Friesen holds an MBA in Finance from Queens' University and a master's degree in Public Policy and Public Administration from Concordia University. Olson-Friesen is an avid runner and level II nationally certified rugby coach.

About Lumeca Health 

Lumeca Health, one of Canada's leading virtual healthcare platforms, offering integrated healthcare services that connects people to our team of doctors, specialists, mental health professionals and hospitals 24/7. 

Lumeca serves some of the world's leading employers, insurers, hospitals, pharmacies and healthcare systems while continually innovating healthcare access and improving outcomes making high-quality, patient-friendly healthcare a reality. Founded in 2016, Lumeca Health is proudly headquartered in Regina, Saskatchewan.

To learn more about Lumeca, visit https://lumeca.com 

SOURCE Lumeca Health Inc.

Health Canada approves OFEV® (nintedanib), the first and only therapy in Canada to slow the rate of decline in pulmonary function in patients with systemic sclerosis associated ILD(1)

BURLINGTON, ON, Nov. 27, 2019 /CNW/ - Boehringer Ingelheim (Canada) Ltd. announced today that Health Canada has approved OFEV® (nintedanib) as the first and only treatment indicated to slow the rate of decline in pulmonary function in patients with systemic sclerosis associated interstitial lung disease (SSc-ILD).² Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is the leading cause of death related to systemic sclerosis (SSc) or scleroderma, accounting for 35 per cent of all disease-related deaths.³ This new approval changes the treatment paradigm for SSc-ILD, giving patients an opportunity to slow the progression of decline in lung function where no Health Canada approved options previously existed.

"Medical advancements, like the approval of OFEV®, are a rare thing when it comes to treating conditions like systemic sclerosis," said Dr. Martin Kolb, Respirologist at St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton and Director, Division of Respirology at McMaster University. "We now have the unprecedented opportunity to care for our patients in a different way that offers hope by slowing down the progression of this disease." 

Systemic sclerosis is a rare disease estimated to affect up to 40,000 Canadians.⁴  Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is the leading cause of death among people with systemic sclerosis (SSc) or scleroderma.⁵ Because scleroderma affects the connective tissue, symptoms can occur in any area of the body including the skin, muscles, blood vessels and internal organs, making it difficult to diagnose.^{6, 7, 8} More than 80 per cent of patients are women between the ages of 30 to 50.⁹

"When systemic sclerosis involves the lungs, it can be incredibly debilitating. For years I've watched my patients' disease progress and have been frustrated by the fact that there weren't any approved treatments to slow the disease from progressing," said Dr. Sindhu Johnson, Director of the Toronto Scleroderma Program and Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Toronto. "I am excited to now be able to offer patients OFEV, which, by slowing the deterioration (or worsening) of the lungs, can help patients to continue to live well despite their disease."   

OFEV® is currently approved in Canada and more than 70 countries for the treatment of patients living with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), and has been shown to slow IPF progression by reducing the annual rate of decline in lung function, as measured by forced vital capacity (FVC).¹⁰ Both IPF and SSc-ILD are conditions known as pulmonary fibrosis, which is when the lungs become scarred and stiff.¹¹

"With OFEV® being the first therapy available in Canada to slow the rate of decline in pulmonary function for patients with SSc-ILD, it provides hope for these patients and their loved ones," said Dr. Uli Brödl, Vice President, Medical and Regulatory Affairs, Boehringer Ingelheim (Canada) Ltd. "This approval is supported by positive evidence from the Phase III SENSCIS study that showed that OFEV significantly slowed the progression of lung disease in this patient population."

The SENSCIS® Trial 
The approval was based on results of SENSCIS®, a Phase III double-blind randomized, placebo-controlled trial, that involved 576 patients across 32 countries, including Canada. The primary endpoint was the annual rate of decline in FVC in patients with SSc-ILD.¹² Results show that OFEV® slowed the loss of pulmonary function by 44% (41 mL/year) in patients with SSc-ILD relative to placebo, as measured by FVC over 52 weeks.¹³

Results also showed the safety and tolerability of OFEV® in SSc-ILD patients. The most common adverse events (occurring in greater than or equal to 3%) in OFEV®-treated patients compared to placebo included: diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, liver enzyme elevation, weight decreased, fatigue, decreased appetite, pneumonia, musculoskeletal pain, dizziness and hypertension.¹⁴ 

Both the FDA and Health Canada have granted approval for the application of nintedanib in SSc-ILD. This approval is a part of the company's ongoing commitment to improving the lives of people living with SSc-ILD.

Boehringer Ingelheim (Canada) Ltd. 
Improving the health of humans and animals is the goal of Boehringer Ingelheim, a research-driven pharmaceutical company. In doing so, the focus is on diseases for which no satisfactory treatment option exists to date. The company therefore concentrates on developing innovative therapies that can extend patients' lives. In animal health, Boehringer Ingelheim stands for advanced prevention. 

Family-owned since it was established in 1885, Boehringer Ingelheim is one of the top 20 companies in the pharmaceutical industry. Some 50,000 employees create value through innovation daily for the three business areas of human pharmaceuticals, animal health and biopharmaceuticals. In 2018, Boehringer Ingelheim achieved net sales of around 17.5 billion euros. R&D expenditure of almost 3.2 billion euros, corresponded to 18.1 per cent of net sales. 

As a family-owned company, Boehringer Ingelheim plans in generations and focuses on long-term success. The company therefore aims at organic growth from its own resources with simultaneous openness to partnerships and strategic alliances in research. In everything it does, Boehringer Ingelheim naturally adopts responsibility towards mankind and the environment. 

The Canadian headquarters of Boehringer Ingelheim was established in 1972 in Montreal, Quebec and is now located in Burlington, Ontario. Boehringer Ingelheim employs approximately 600 people across Canada.

More information about Boehringer Ingelheim can be found at www.boehringer-ingelheim.ca or in our annual report: http://annualreport.boehringer-ingelheim.com/.

For more information, please contact: 

Sara McClelland 
Boehringer Ingelheim (Canada) Ltd. 
sara.mcclelland@boehringer-ingelheim.com 
(905) 631-4713 

Robbyn Walsh 
Proof Inc. 
rwalsh@getproof.com 
(416) 969-2759 

References

_________________
¹ Ofev® Product Monograph. Boehringer Ingelheim (Canada) Ltd. November 21, 2019.
² Ofev® Product Monograph. Boehringer Ingelheim (Canada) Ltd. November 21, 2019.
³ Silver KC, Silver RM. Management of Systemic Sclerosis-Associated Interstitial Lung Disease. Rheum Dis Clin North Am. 2015 Aug; 41(3): 439–457. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4515778/ 
⁴ Scleroderma Society of Canada. Scleroderma Overview. Available at https://fhs.mcmaster.ca/purr/documents/Scleroderma-Overview.pdf 
⁵ Tyndall AJ et al. "Causes and risk factors for death in systemic sclerosis: a study from the EULAR Scleroderma Trials and Research (EUSTAR) database." Ann Rheum Dis. 2010 Oct;69(10):1809-15. doi: 10.1136/ard.2009.114264.
⁶ Denton, CP, Khanna D. Systemic Sclerosis. Lancet 2017; 390: 1685-99.
⁷ Cottin V, et al. Interstitial lung disease associated with systemic sclerosis (SSc-ILD). Respir. Res. 2019;20(1):13.
⁸ US National Library of Medicine. Systemic Scleroderma. Available at: https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/systemic-scleroderma#genes 
⁹ Scleroderma Society of Canada. Scleroderma Overview. Available at https://fhs.mcmaster.ca/purr/documents/Scleroderma-Overview.pdf 
¹⁰ Ofev® Product Monograph. Boehringer Ingelheim (Canada) Ltd. November 21, 2019. 
¹¹ Canadian Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation. Understanding PF – What is Pulmonary Fibrosis? Available at https://cpff.ca/understanding-pf/what-is-pulmonary-fibrosis/ 
¹² Distler O, et al. Nintedanib for Systemic Sclerosis – Associated Interstitial Lung Disease. New England Journal of Medicine. 2019; 1-11.
¹³ Distler O, et al. Nintedanib for Systemic Sclerosis – Associated Interstitial Lung Disease. New England Journal of Medicine. 2019; 1-11.
¹⁴ Ofev® Product Monograph. Boehringer Ingelheim (Canada) Ltd. November 21, 2019.

SOURCE Boehringer Ingelheim (Canada) Ltd.

The Stand Ahead™ Challenge for Women's Brain Health

Turn yourself upside down to support the first Women's Brain Health Day, December 2

TORONTO, Nov. 28, 2019 /CNW/ - It is a social media challenge that will upend the way we look at dementia and other brain-aging disorders that disproportionately affect women. Literally. 

Thousands of supporters of Women's Brain Health Initiative (WBHI) across Canada, the United States, and around the globe are doing headstands to support the cause and raise money for vital sex-based research and preventative health education. 

The organization is launching the campaign on the first-ever Women's Brain Health Day, December 2, which has just been officially proclaimed by the Government of Canada.  

Participants in the Stand Ahead™ Challenge will post videos or pictures on social media in which they speak about the importance of standing up against research bias and standing ahead for women's brain health. They do a headstand, then challenge two people to do the same within 48 hours and make a donation to WBHI. Their posts include the hashtag #StandAhead. 

As part of the campaign, WBHI unveiled a powerful video in which public figures deliver passionate appeals to support the cause.  Participants include Jeanne Becker, Pooja Handa, Cheryl Hickey, Sean Jones, Anne-Marie Mediwake, Dina Pugliese, Jennifer Valentyne, Paul Godfrey and Karman Wong. Watch the video here.

Not everyone can or should do a headstand, but you can designate a friend to do one on your behalf. 

Here is some advice on how to do a supported headstand safely.

Here's why the Stand Ahead™ Challenge matters:

• Almost 70% of people with Alzheimer's are women; 
• Women suffer from depression, stress, and anxiety twice as much as men; 
• More woman die from stroke and more women are worse off after stroke.

YET the vast majority of research into these disorders is focused on men. 

WBHI is a national charity that strives to correct the imbalance. It funds cutting edge research that explore the differences between female and male brains. WBHI also creates innovative education programs, based on science, to teach us how we can best protect our brain health. 

"We hope that the Stand Ahead Challenge will spark an important conversation about brain health and about how researchers need to explore the reasons why women suffer from dementia and other brain-aging disorders more than men," said WBHI Founder and CEO Lynn Posluns.  

Ms. Posluns said that WBHI is deeply grateful for the support of Brain Canada, which will be matching donations for women's brain health research through its partnership with Health Canada, up to $250,000, effectively doubling the value of each contribution.

"To date, Brain Canada has invested more than $3.25 million in six research programs across Canada with a sex and/or gender component, and we are delighted to be committing matching funds for the Stand Ahead Challenge.  This will enable us to expand our support of women's brain health research, through a long-standing partnership with Women's Brain Health Initiative. In addition to our focus on sex and gender, Brain Canada's goal is to consider diversity in all its forms.  Only then can research ultimately benefit all of society," said Inez Jabalpurwala, President and CEO of Brain Canada Foundation.

Headstands are more than just a playground stunt for kids. In yoga this pose is known as sirsasana, the "king" of poses, an energizing inversion that strengthens the upper body and the core and is believed to improve circulation.  The editors of Yoga Journal say the pose calms the brain and reduces stress.

For more information about the challenge and how to donate:  http://standahead.org

Learn more about WBHI, its research programs and brain health:  https://womensbrainhealth.org

SOURCE Women's Brain Health Initiative (WBHI)

Beverage producers to benefit if FDA attack on CBD leads to stronger regulation and more research, says GlobalData

Following the news that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has questioned using cannabidiol (CBD) as an ingredient;

Andy Morton, Deputy Editor at GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company, provides his view:

“In declining to define CBD as a Generally Recognised as Safe (GRAS) ingredient, and sending warning letters to 15 companies selling products containing CBD, the US FDA has seemingly thrown the nascent CBD beverage category into doubt.

“However, rather than censuring the FDA for its actions this week, CBD beverage producers should welcome the move as it suggests the organization is finally ready to define its rules for hemp-related and cannabis-related products.

“Currently, US regulation on CBD is vague and unfocused. The FDA said this week that many food and beverage manufacturers who use CBD in their products are doing so illegally - this is after the US Farm Bill, which was supposed to give clarity on the production of industrial hemp, was updated at the end of last year. This regulatory confusion isn’t helping consumers understand the ingredient, as GlobalData’s 2019 Q3 survey highlighted when 37% of global consumers claimed that they were not familiar enough with CBD when asked if they thought the ingredient was positive or negative for their health. 

“Weak regulation has allowed the CBD market to become something of a Wild West, with products of questionable quality and efficacy. Yes, this week's FDA announcement is alarming, with the group even questioning whether CBD can affect male reproductive toxicity in humans, as has been reported in animals. However, much of its alarm is over the lack of research into CBD. Hemp trade groups and supporters all over the world will point to the plant's history of being ingested in various forms by humans for thousands of years with little ill-effect.

“The FDA still needs to give clearer guidance, but this week's announcement could signal better times ahead. Reputable CBD beverage firms that want to build the category with quality products can only benefit from stronger regulatory oversight and more research.”

Top technology companies manufacturing fitness trackers and smartwatches, identified by GlobalData

The wearable tech market is expected to reach approximately $54bn in value by 2023, witnessing a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 19%, according to GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

The company’s latest report, ‘Wearable Technology in Healthcare – Thematic Research’, notes that over 10% of the adult population in the US are expected to adopt smartwatches in 2019, and competition in the segment is vastly increasing. Wearables collect large amounts of data and are easily paired with software systems for analysis. Big tech companies such as Google are developing algorithms that interpret large collections of data from wearable sensors.

Listed below are the leading technology companies that manufacture fitness trackers and smartwatches, where their products can be useful in the healthcare sector, as identified by GlobalData.

Apple

Apple leads the market after entering in 2015 with its first smartwatch. The company has since expanded into hearables with the Apple AirPods in 2016. The company is adopting newer technologies to drive operability of its devices, such as long-term evolution (LTE) capability on Apple Watches and Siri on Apple AirPods.

Facebook

Facebook’s in-house engineers are working on a wearable band that can teach people how to feel words. Inspired by Braille and Tadoma, the band enables the wearer to ‘read’ incoming smartphone messages in the form of vibrations.

Fitbit

Fitbit is a pioneer in wearable technologies, offering a range of connected health and fitness devices ranging from smartwatches to wristbands, activity trackers and wireless headphones. The company offers a personalised online dashboard and mobile apps that sync automatically with and display real-time data from wearable devices.

Garmin

Garmin offers a range of products designed for use in fitness and activity tracking. The company’s fitness trackers and ruggedised GPS smartwatches are marketed worldwide. The company also offers Garmin Connect and Garmin Connect Mobile platforms for users to track, analyze and share their fitness and wellness data.

Google (Alphabet)

Despite being a front-runner in developing wearable technologies, Google encountered challenges in positioning its devices in the marketplace. The company’s Wear OS has been termed as an underperformer when compared to Apple’s watchOS.

The Wear OS, however, still remains the preferred choice for numerous smartwatch original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). It is anticipated to undergo an overhaul when Google initiates the development of the long-awaited Pixel Watch.

HTC

HTC is a Taiwan-based consumer electronics company that is recognised as a leader in the virtual reality (VR) sector. The company plans to invest more aggressively in their VR competencies. It has designed VR devices for Steam users in partnership with Valve Corporation.

Huawei

Huawei offers low-cost fitness trackers and smartwatches in the global wearables market. Backwards integration initiatives to develop its own smartwatch chips and OS have reduced the company’s dependency on other vendors.

The latest Huawei Watch GT includes its own custom silicon chips and features the Lite OS replacing the Wear OS.

Microsoft

Despite being an early entrant in wearables with the Microsoft Band, Microsoft’s present involvement in the sector is largely confined to smart glasses. The company also holds patents for new fitness-focussed smart rings and bands.

Qualcomm

Qualcomm is involved in developing custom silicon chips for wearable devices, primarily for OEMs utilising the Google Wear OS. In September 2018, Qualcomm introduced its latest smartwatch chipset called the Snapdragon Wear 3100.

The company has collaborated with various companies for wearables devices, including Compal Electronics and Longcheer for smartwatches, Huaqin and Thundersoft for 4G kids’ watches, and Franklin Wireless for 4G smart trackers.

Samsung

Samsung’s wearable portfolio includes smartwatches, smart fitness trackers, and VR headsets. The company uses its own Linux-based Tizen OS and initiated the development of Exynos SoC microprocessors for its smartwatches.

Samsung has expanded into the hearables segment with the Samsung Gear IconX and is promoting its smartwatches in enterprise applications.

Sony

Sony’s wearable offerings include smartwatches, activity trackers and VR headsets. The company’s SmartBand activity tracker series, however, falls short of the latest healthcare-focused functionalities. Sony integrated calling capabilities in the activity tracker and relaunched it as SmartBand Talk.

In 2019, Sony introduced the Sony Wena straps, which enable watch-based contactless payment, basic fitness tracking, and notification access.

Vuzix

Vuzix, an emerging brand in the wearables market, offers display technologies and software products. The company partnered with Blackberry to develop enterprise-specific smart glasses. It is currently developing a waveguide-based head mounted display (HMD) for use in US military aircraft.

Xiaomi

Xiaomi’s product offerings include the Mi Band fitness trackers, which accounted for approximately one-quarter of the company’s shipments in Q4 2018. The company is set to introduce new wearables in 2019, which will feature its technology partner Huami’s new Huangshan -1 chip that is capable of screening the wearer’s heart rate patterns through cloud-based artificial intelligence (AI).

Living With Chronic Illness? How to Continue Working Out Despite Challenges

Chronic illnesses disengage people from the normal functions of their bodies by complicating the overall sensory mechanism. As a result, they find themselves in a fragile and weaker state, convinced that workout is no longer their ball-game. The bounties of exercising regularly demonstrates how fallacious this thought is. Exercise tends to counter debilitating symptoms and reduces stress. But it is important that ill people practice caution and work out according to their capabilities and strength.

Exercise and Chronic Disease

“Exercise gives you endorphins” is a famous saying that serves to remind people that moving their bodies in a healthy fashion actually improves their resilience and fitness. When bodies are at work, they’re not only burning calories and toning muscles but also strengthening emotional capacities. A fit lifestyle allows people to feel more in control of themselves. They experience increased positivity allowing them to manage their symptoms better and bravely confront the bane of their illnesses. Those who suffer from chronic conditions might wonder how they can exercise and which exercises are suitable for them. Patients withchronic illnessessuch as heart disease, diabetes, asthma, or arthritis can benefit from the following exercises:

Aerobic Exercise

Engaging in aerobics helps a person improve the health of his heart by creating a healthy level of endurance. Although the level of intensity can vary person to person, generally high-intensity interval training is considered safe. This can be carried out by alternating between high and low levels of intensity. Aerobic exercises are reported to have fared well for patients with heart diseases.

Strength Training

Strength training can work as a force against debilitating symptoms by improving muscle strength, endurance, and the overall physical capacity of the body. This allows patients to participate in daily activities, delay declines in their health, and boost stability in their joints.

Flexibility Workout

Flexibility improvement is best for patients with restricted movement. Poor mobility in a person is a result of compromising his optimal range of motion due to long existing conditions like arthritis. Flexibility workout can somewhat restore the joint’s function by stabilizing movement and ultimately strengthening muscles to support any strains in the joint area.

To be on the safe side, it is best to consult a physical therapist before starting workout as each exercise is applicable to different conditions and with different intensity levels. Primary caregivers might also recommend specific exercises to patients that best correspond with their health. In addition, people can also incorporate the Pure Canned Oxygen Supplementin their workout plans to further assist in energizing themselves.

Fitness is a strategy that enables people to stay healthy and retain the quality of their lives. It naturally leads people to associate bodily comfort with good psychological progress. To stay motivated, it is best for people to choose activities that they prefer and find fun. 

Canadian organizations in the spotlight for leading workplace wellness programs

GoodLife Health & Wellness Leadership Awards celebrate best practices, encourage happier, healthier employees, positive work environments

TORONTO, Nov. 27, 2019 /CNW/ - Five leading Canadian organizations were recognized this week for their efforts to foster healthier, more inclusive workplaces as part of the GoodLife Fitness Health & Wellness Leadership Awards. 

Allstate Insurance Company of Canada, MOBIA Technology Innovations, Isaac Operations, The Regional Municipality of York and Flight Centre Travel Group all received awards for exceptional efforts to foster cultures of workplace wellness through continuous improvement in fitness, activity, nutrition, education and employee behavioural change.

"The GoodLife Fitness Health & Wellness Leadership Awards celebrate some of the most innovative workplace wellness programs in the country with the goal of contributing to a healthier, more productive workforce across Canada," said Tammy Brazier, Senior Director of Corporate and Business Development with GoodLife Fitness. "In all cases, the winning organizations implemented employee-driven programs that reached team members with the right information in a format that works best for them. These kinds of programs change lives by promoting physical and mental wellness, inclusive working conditions and financial awareness." 

The GoodLife Fitness Health & Wellness Leadership Awards recognize four aspects of workplace wellness programs – Leadership & Innovation, Culture & Engagement, Rewards & Recognition, and Personal Growth – and celebrate organizational initiatives across all sectors and sizes in Canada. 

Allstate Insurance Company of Canada (Gold Award)
Allstate Insurance Company of Canada is a leading home and auto insurer focused on providing prevention and protection products and services for every stage of life. Serving Canadians since 1953, Allstate strives to keep both customers and employees in "Good Hands®" and is proud to have been named a Best Employer in Canada for eight consecutive years.

With more than 2,600 agents and employees across Canada, Allstate delivers a comprehensive workplace wellness program that addresses health and lifestyle practices, physical environment and occupational health and safety and workplace culture. The Gold Award recognizes Allstate Canada's third year receiving an award. Examples of Allstate Canada's wellness initiatives include: 

• A Healthy Workplace Champion program recognizing employees who believe in healthy habits and put them into practice during their workday. 
• Mental health training for all leaders. 
• Regular events celebrating diversity to create an inclusive and comfortable space for all employees. 
• A comprehensive online wellness platform that provides employees and their families with videos, podcasts, live chats and blog posts on a wide range of wellness topics. 
• Employee Healthy Potluck Days to share recipes and healthy eating ideas. 
• Initiatives supporting Financial Literacy month, including videos from senior management.

MOBIA Technology Innovations 
MOBIA Technology Innovations is a systems integration and technology consulting firm working in the telecommunications, healthcare and enterprise sectors. What began as a small family business in Dartmouth, NS, has grown to 325+ employees in many locations across Canada while maintaining a focus on a family feel and culture.  As a growing company in the technology space, MOBIA has shown commitment to employee physical and mental health, as well as to creating healthy conditions in its office locations, including these initiatives: 

• Encouraging one-on-one mentoring and coaching for new employees to foster collaboration among employees, to provide on the job training, and to help develop top performers as they grow in their careers. 
• Fun wellness events and resources for employees including a Superfood Potluck, participating in the Windsor Corporate Challenge, annual on-site flu clinics and wellness webinars on various topics. 
• A newly designed head office space to create a comfortable customizable workplace, featuring sit-stand desks and upgraded lighting with dimming capability for those with light sensitivities. 
• Sponsoring 'Women in Technology' scholarships at Dalhousie University to encourage more women to pursue technology careers in order to increase diversity and inclusion.

Isaac Operations 
Isaac Operations specializes in hands-on, front-line operational and financial performance improvement. The team of experienced, highly qualified engineers works closely with companies to improve their operations and supply chain. Based out of Toronto's Liberty Village, Isaac's consultants often travel to and work long hours at client sites. To foster physical and mental wellness and create a healthy, inclusive culture, Isaac Operations has established some innovative initiatives for employee engagement and wellness, including: 

• Five weeks' vacation for all employees, regardless of how long they've been with the company 
• Personal wellness budget of $800 annually (in addition to our standard benefits package) 
• Twice annual 'Activity Days' for employees to get together and be active outside the office. 
• Funding for 'Isaac Weekends' where employees who plan a weekend adventure with a least 5 peers are sponsored for half the cost. 
• Weekly 'Motivation and Happiness' meetings where everyone in the company (including the CEO) discusses work-life balance to monitor employee well-being. 

The Regional Municipality of York 
The Regional Municipality of York is located in the heart of the Greater Toronto Area. Comprised of nine cities and towns, it provides a variety of programs and services to 1.2 million residents and 52,000 businesses employing more than 636,000 people. York Region employs more than 4,400 people and is working to mitigate health risks, prevent disease, promote health, and identify and respond to the needs of a diverse and decentralized workforce. It delivers an employee-driven workplace wellness program including:

• A dedicated Corporate Wellness Committee with 40 wellness ambassadors representing a variety of roles 
• Online internal employee communications (e.g. 'Wellness Wednesday bi-weekly health tips, telework health and safety tips) 
• Mental-health training for all staff including supervisors, managers and directors 
• Access to a wide range of online wellness content through a social wellness engagement platform and library of well-being tutorials, as well as a dedicated wellness space on the employee intranet to highlight events, programs and content tailored to employees 
• Cardiovascular and biometric health screenings, health risk assessments and ergonomic assessments

Flight Centre Travel Group – Healthwise Canada
After starting with one shop in the early 1980s, Flight Centre Travel Group (FCTG) has grown into one of the world's largest travel agency groups with company-owned operations in 23 countries and a corporate travel management network that spans more than 90 countries. Flight Centre Travel Group employs more than 20,000 people globally and has a total of almost 2,800 businesses. The company has a dedicated Healthwise corporate health & wellness division that drives initiatives based on employee preferences, including: 

• Fun, free challenges focusing on fitness, nutrition & wellness (e.g. sleep challenge, 7 Days of Salads challenge, Winter Immunity program, Mend Your Mind challenge, Deskercise program) 
• Whenever Canadian president John Beauvais sets a personal wellness goal, the company creates a 'Join Johnny B challenge' to motivate employees to join their leader and post on social media about their efforts. 
• 'Laugh, Stretch and De-Stress' videos that run in Flight Centre retail shops to encourage staff to get up and move throughout the day 
• A flexible benefits program, regular face to face contact with management and a customized Healthwise mobile app. 
• Personal consults for employees in BioAge, Full Health & Wellness, Quick Vitals and Ergonomics. 

The winning organizations received their awards and took part in a panel discussion at the GoodLife Fitness Health & Wellness Leadership Summit in Toronto November 26, 2019. For more information about the GoodLife Fitness Health & Wellness Leadership Awards, please visit www.glfwellness.com. 

About GoodLife Fitness
Proudly Canadian since 1979, GoodLife is the largest group of fitness club chains in Canada and the fourth largest overall in the world. With almost 500 Clubs from coast-to-coast, over 12,000 employees and more than 1.5 million members, GoodLife is helping to transform the health and fitness of 1 in 25 Canadians every day.  The GoodLife group of clubs includes GoodLife Fitness, Fit4Less, and ÉconoFitness. 

SOURCE GoodLife Fitness

NEW PODCAST PRESENTS STORIES OF ALL THE WAYS LEGAL CANNABIS MAKES A DIFFERENCE IN OUR LIVES

“How to Do the Pot” equips women with the information they need to understand the legal cannabis market and the plant's potential. 

This Green Wednesday, listen to How to Do the Pot, a new seasonal narrative podcast that answers some of the most common questions women secretly Google about cannabis. The show will inform, educate and demystify cannabis. 

How to Do the Pot  is hosted by April Pride, co-founder Of Like Minds, a new cannabis education platform for women. Pride is an original innovator in the cannabis industry and founded one of North America’s most recognized cannabis lifestyle companies, Van der Pop. Through her work, Pride quickly realized that women were an underserved and fast-growing market who desired information about cannabis, especially as legalization and positive acceptance of it continues to spread across the United States. 

“When I started my first company that designed discerning products for cannabis, I underestimated the need for education. While women appreciated my products, many were not confident in their knowledge about how to buy cannabis and how it could serve them,” said Pride. “So my partner and friend, Ellen Scanlon, and I decided to form Of Like Minds, a business with a mission to equip women with the information they need to understand cannabis. We decided that a podcast would be one of the best first steps to provide quality information and promote discreet discovery for women still uncertain about the plant and its effects.”  

How to Do the Pot’s first season will focus on topics relevant to the health and happiness of women such as pregnancy, sleep and auto-immune conditions - of which women account for 8 out of 10 diagnoses. Listeners will hear from a diverse array of industry experts and professionals who have incorporated cannabis in their lives. Guests will include a professional athlete who uses CBD in training, a retiree who uses cannabis for pain management, a medical doctor who advises pregnant women, and a felon turned entrepreneur. 

“The industry has long been male-led, which overlooked the needs of women, the fastest growing consumer segment,” says Ellen Scanlon, co-founder Of Like Minds. “How to Do the Pot is our opportunity to share the best stories in cannabis, change hearts and minds, and help women feel more confident in their choices.” 

How to Do the Pot is produced by award-winning Western Sound, a Los Angeles-based production studio and Gina Delvic, the founding producer of Call Your Girlfriend. 

Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. For more information, visit Of Like Minds and follow the company on Instagram @of.like.minds. April Pride can also be found on Instagram at @AprilPride. 

About April: 

April Pride co-founded Of Like Minds (OLM) with Ellen Scanlon in 2019. A serial creative entrepreneur, April spent time in the worlds of architecture, fashion, and design before finding her way to cannabis. In 2016, she launched Van der Pop, a woman focused brand offering stylish accessories to store, smoke, and share cannabis. April soon realized the need for education and quickly added an education division to Van der Pop. The company quickly became one of North America’s most recognized cannabis brands for women and was acquired in 2018, by Canopy Growth Corporation, the world's largest cannabis company. With OLM, April continues her work educating women on the potential of cannabis for their personal health and happiness. April is a graduate of the University of Virginia's School of Architecture and earned her M.A. at Parsons School of Design.

About Ellen: 

Ellen Scanlon co-founded Of Like Minds (OLM) with April Pride in 2019. She comes to cannabis with experience in finance, healthcare, and startups. In 2014, she founded Magellen Ventures, a strategy and marketing consultancy working with entrepreneurs and business leaders across a range of fast-growing industries. Ellen has also served as director of marketing for a venture-backed startup offering healthcare to women. Ellen also spent fifteen years in financial services and the investment industry, focusing on strategy, leadership, and change management. Ellen holds an MBA from the University of Virginia's Darden Graduate School of Business as well as a BA in English Literature from UVA.

About Of Like Minds:

Of Like Minds is a cannabis education platform for women founded by April Pride and Ellen Scanlon in 2019. Its mission is to equip women with the information they need to understand the legal cannabis market and the plant's potential. OLM wants every woman to feel confident in her choices around cannabis.