CAYA Health Centre
Vancouver, Mainland/Southwest
CAYA Health Centre
Vancouver, Mainland/Southwest
CAYA Health Centre, also known as Come As You Are Health Centre, is a multidisciplinary medical and allied health clinic located in Vancouver, British Columbia. Founded in 2023 by Registered Psychologist, Dr. Veronica Li and Registered Dietitian, Ms. Stephanie Dang, CAYA is dedicated to serving all women, trans, and non-binary individuals. We started the clinic to address the gap in healthcare for those marginalized based on gender, this also includes those who have been historically neglected in the healthcare space including 2SLGBTQIA individuals. Healthcare is already challenging enough to access and we wanted to create a safe space for individuals to access care without the fears of being re-traumatized, misgendered, or made to feel like they are not heard. At CAYA, we provide a welcoming space where individuals are treated with care and respect, regardless of their race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, or presentation. Our approach prioritizes care that is trauma-informed, weight-neutral, and gender-affirming. We are one of the only clinics in Vancouver that offers this multidisciplinary medical and allied health model catered for this population. Our team includes medical doctors, psychologists, clinical counsellors, dietitians, pelvic floor physiotherapists, physiotherapists, acupuncturists, and massage therapists. By offering a comprehensive range of practitioners under one roof, we aim to streamline the healthcare experience for our patients and clients. We know that seeking healthcare can often feel intimidating and we hoped to create a space that decreases barriers. By having all of our practitioners working together, we aimed to reduce the number of times a patient has to retell a painful story and to help create a community of providers they trust. Our mission is to deliver safe, inclusive, and evidence-based healthcare to all women, trans, and non-binary individuals. We are committed to fostering an environment where everyone feels valued and supported on their journey towards health and wellness.
Nominations
Read below to find out why they deserve your vote in each category.
Best Youth Entrepreneur
What motivated you to start your business and what is your vision for the future of the company?
Women, racialized people, and individuals in the 2SLGBTQIA+ community experience an overall lower quality of healthcare, less access to services, and worse health outcomes than the general population. We started CAYA Health Centre to address this gap in healthcare and to create a safe space to empower and support people in their journeys toward better mental, physical, and social health. Establishing a healthcare facility like CAYA goes beyond entrepreneurial pursuits; it is a conscious effort to address pressing healthcare disparities experienced by women, racialized individuals, and those in the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. As healthcare workers, we heard repeated stories of dismissal and neglect from our clients. Hearing these stories left us feeling helpless and discouraged by the current system. Our decision to start the clinic was motivated by a perceived deficiency in conventional healthcare models, which failed to adequately address the diverse needs of these populations. Our vision for the future is not only to open more clinics to increase healthcare access for people across the province but also to encourage other clinics to adopt similar models to support all women, trans, and non-binary health. We were told that we were the first in British Columbia to open a multidisciplinary medical and allied health clinic specifically for women, trans, and non-binary individuals but we do not want to be the only clinic with these approaches. We hope for a world where trauma-informed, weight-neutral, and gender-affirming care is the standard.
Why do you deserve to win the Best Youth Entrepreneur Award?
Our journey with CAYA demonstrates a willingness to take significant risks, a commitment to inclusivity, and a dedication to addressing healthcare disparities. From the start, we faced skepticism and doubt within the healthcare industry, with many cautioning us that our unique vision for a clinic was a risky pursuit. Despite these doubts, we persisted in our commitment to our goals. As women of colour, representation and inclusivity in healthcare are deeply important to us. CAYA stands as a symbol of a space where individuals from diverse backgrounds can find healthcare providers who understand their unique experiences. We believe we deserve the Best Youth Entrepreneur Award because we genuinely care about bridging the healthcare gap for women, trans, and non-binary individuals and we channeled this care into building a clinic that serves this population. If you haven't personally faced issues like misdiagnosis, dismissal, or feeling unheard in healthcare, it's likely someone you know has. These problems can lead to anxiety about healthcare, avoidance, isolation, and even life-threatening situations. As young women entrepreneurs, we recognized these issues and worked tirelessly to create a space that addresses them. We strive to ensure people feel heard and receive compassionate care without judgment based on weight, sexual orientation, presentation, or gender. Our goal is not only to bridge this healthcare gap but also to inspire other young women of colour to pursue their visions for change. We want to show that it's possible to turn a passion into a business that supports both ourselves and our communities.