CHAES (Canadian Hereditary Angioedema Society) the predecessor to HAE Canada was formed through the hard work of Dr. Tom Bowen and Jeanne Burnham, the mother of two children with hereditary angioedema.

CHAES, with funding from CSL Behring, hosted a conference in Toronto which resulted in two key outcomes for HAE patients:

1. An international consensus algorithm for the diagnosis, therapy and management of hereditary angioedema; and
2. The formation of the Network of Rare Blood Disorder Organization (NRBDO).

The Network of Rare Blood Disorder Organization (NRBDO), led by the Canadian Hemophilia Society (CHS) and with funding from the Public Health Agency of Canada, sponsored a Conference on Comprehensive Care for Rare Blood Disorders. Consensus was reached on the components of comprehensive care for rare blood disorders and that the NRBDO, collectively and its member groups, individually, would work towards the establishment of comprehensive care clinics and the development of national data base registries for rare blood disorders.

In the fall of 2007, after the dissolution of CHAES, a group of physicians formed the Canadian Hereditary Angioedema Network (CHAEN). Their first meeting was held in conjunction with the Canadian Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (CSACI) annual meeting.

In May, CHAEN hosted a meeting in Toronto, where an international consensus was formed on the diagnosis and treatment of hereditary angioedema. Henrik Boysen, Executive Director for HAE International, approached the Canadian patients present about starting a Canadian hereditary angioedema patient group. In September, a small patient group led by Della Cogar was formed under the name HAE Canada.

Driven from the vision of Dr. Tom Bowen and inspired by the success of Dr. Bruce Ritchie, HAE Canada worked on “Building a Strong Foundation”, the first stage in its five-year strategic plan. With the “Poised for Success” conference held in Winnipeg in November and the launch of the HAE Canada website, the second stage of the strategic plan, “Building HAE Canada’s Community” began.