Why are 70% of Alzheimer's patients women?

Is it genetics or age that causes more women to have Alzheimer's? It's more complicated than that. Studies show that of every three patients with Alzheimer's, two are women even after accounting for longevity. Researchers are now only learning the importance of hormones in brain health and it's par…

Why EDS is more than "just loose joints"

In July 2023, Sydney Gesualdi was rear-ended at a red light. She was told by her doctors that she had whiplash and tissue damage, but instead of getting better - she got worse. Her mobility began to suffer, her motor skills disappeared, and she felt like she was forgetting how to breathe and swallo…

Is FemTech the answer to women's health?

Femtech focuses on technological innovation within the women's health space. Innovations can include everything from a new version of the speculum to a bra that can track heart health. But innovators face hurdles in a market where funders still find the word "vagina" a challenge. To find out more, …

The Report: Women's health and its connection to the economy

Did you know that women in Canada spend 24% more time in ill health compared to men? That's just one of the findings from The McKinsey Health Institute's report "Closing the women's health gap: Canada's $37 billion opportunity." Nam Kiwanuka speaks with one of the report's authors Marie-Renée B-Laj…

What's it like to live with endometriosis?

According to the World Health Organization, it can take 4 to 12 years to be diagnosed with endometriosis. In Canada, it's 5 years, and in the U.K., 9 years. We speak to Evelyn Scott, who is from the U.K., about her experience with endometriosis. It took 15 years for her to receive a diagnosis, and …

Why weren't women included in clinical trials?

Women were excluded from clinical trials until 1993 in the United States and until 1997 in Canada. Nam Kiwanuka speaks to Dr. Michelle Cohen, a family physician and an assistant professor of medicine at Queen's University, about why women were excluded and the historical harms that were caused by n…

The Report: Black women and girl's health in Canada

Nam Kiwanuka speaks with Kearie Daniel, the executive director and founder of The Black Women's Institute for Health about a first-of-its-kind survey on Black Canadian women and girls about their their health and experiences with the healthcare system. Read the report: https://bwhealthinstitute.co…

How patient stories are changing PCOS research

Kendall Soucie, an associate professor at the University of Windsor, has spoken with many people suffering with polycystic ovarian syndrome. She explains that in Canada, it can take anywhere from 5 to 15 years for a diagnosis. She tells us why studying the lived experiences of people with PCOS is a…

Dispelling the myths of a 'lazy girl's diagnosis'

There's a good chance you've heard of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). By some estimates, nearly 1.4 million Canadians have it, but did you know it's sometimes called a 'lazy girl's disease'?   Nam Kiwanuka discusses what it's like to have PCOS with actress and producer Andrea Lewis. They talk ab…

"I want to live as if I'm alive"

By 2050, global cancer rates are set to increase by 75 per cent, but the human impact is already being felt. Nam Kiwanuka speaks with Farrah Khan who was diagnosed with not one but two forms of cancer at the same time. They discuss what Farrah's diagnoses meant for her life, her young family, and h…