Lived Experience

‘I’m proud of how far I’ve come’: Using sports to overcome mental, physical challenges

"I went from not wanting to be an amputee to really appreciating that I am an amputee. I take pride in the things that it has allowed me to do – travelled the world on the national para-ski racing team and public speaking."

The wellness profiteers of virtual health care

The virtual care industry has boomed in part due to the decline of primary care. But with it has come a host of wellness scams blurring the lines between evidence-based and unproven health-care remedies.

Uninsured health cuts and pregnancy: Why all Canadians should care

Many of the funding cuts to the uninsured will impact pregnant people. These health cuts are costly - not just to the burdens of the health-care system, but to our sense of humanity and fundamental Canadian values.

Delirium prevention: Up close and personal

Despite being the third most common cause of unintended harm as a result of medical treatment, delirium is still widely misunderstood. This is what the public, patients, and health-care workers all need to know about the condition.

What will happen to Ontario’s uninsured? Experts weigh in

Adding to the list of lifted pandemic policies, Ontario will no longer cover the cost hospital services and physicians fees for the previously uninsured. Without OHIP for these groups, what can we expect to see? Is this the right move? Experts weigh in.

Royal College’s deal with RBC an ethical lapse

The Royal College of Surgeons of Canada has long received large donations from Canada's biggest bank, RBC. But RBC is also the number one world financier of fossil fuels. One plastic surgeon reflects on the ethics of this relationship.

Surviving sepsis: A life and career changing experience

Before my near-death experience, I had no idea what the word sepsis meant. And I certainly didn’t know what the long-term effects would be for my family and me.

‘I’d love to see us rethink what we’re doing’: A Q&A in family medicine with Tara Kiran

Dr. Tara Kiran sits down to talk about Indigenous health, all things family medicine and the nation-wide OurCare survey results.

Viral response to alcohol guidelines highlights need for harm-reduction messaging

Highlighting the harm reduction aspects of the new alcohol intake guidelines could go a long way in helping consumers make better choices and help bridge the gap between patients and clinicians.

Cancer survival rates have significantly improved. Now we must pay attention to rehabilitation

Cancer survivors should not be left to feel like they need to manage their impairments on their own. There are models for cancer centres across Canada that can provide timely and comprehensive rehabilitation services.

Making time for love and compassion in clinical encounters

What if we were to look at the five love languages in the context of the doctor-patient relationship. What if we replace the word “love” with “compassion?” How might this look within our dealings with patients?

Paying tribute to the good in our health-care system

There is immense work to be done in our fragile health-care system. But in honor of this World Health Worker Week, one patient living with bipolar disorder wants to pay tribute to all the goodness in health-care workers' hearts.

Emergency brain surgery showed me the best of Ontario health care – and the worst

It’s true that when faced with a crisis, some of the best health-care professionals in the world are available to care for us. But that system is at its breaking point.

Team-based care key to alleviating primary-care crisis

Primary care is in crisis and there aren't enough doctors to go around. Done right, team-based care can expand the capacity of family doctors to care for more patients.

Having breast cancer impacts sexuality: Why don’t we talk about it?

It's common for women to struggle with sexual health issues after breast cancer. But it isn’t just our bodies that change; the experience of cancer changes our relationship with time, aging and even the arc of life that we imagine for ourselves.

Give me a primary-care provider who understands me

What do Canadians want in a primary care doctor? The OurCare survey results highlight that an ongoing relationship between a clinician and patient is key.

Virtual care must be integrated into public system, not driven by profit

Virtual care is here to stay. But how it should be used and who should own the services are important to patients, OurCare survey shows.

Odds are there is a woman in your life living with diabetes – she deserves better research

As the world celebrates another International Women’s Day, we should reflect on what gender equality really means. Science and research needs to adequately address women's health needs.

Food and mental health: Happy gut, happy mind

The food we eat every day is the subject of an ongoing conversation between the bacteria in our gut and our immune cells. This conversation dictates whether we are taking one step closer to health or one step closer to disease.

Comparing health-care systems – a personal journey

During my professional career, my family and I lived in four different countries (including Canada). Each country has significant differences in the delivery of health care and how it is paid for. This is an essay about my experiences in each of those countries.