Folgen
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Unlike a broken arm, you can't see chronic pain. This makes it complicated to treat or diagnose because it's subjective. This has led chronic pain to be called a "silent epidemic" and while 70% of chronic pain sufferers are women, historically the majority of pain studies have been done on men or male mice. Many people with conditions like endometriosis, PMOS, migraines, fibroids and painful periods, live with chronic pain. And the World Health Organization officially classified it as a disease in 2022.
On the final episode of season 1, Nam Kiwanuka take a deeper dive on the history of pain research, what it is, the implicit bias towards women in medicine, and the research that's being done to combat that right here in Canada.
Nam speaks with Dr. Tania Di Renna, the president of the Canadian Pain Society (CPS) and Medical Director of the Toronto Academic Pain Medicine Institute (TAPMI) and Jennifer Daly-Cyr who has lived with chronic pain for more than a decade and is also co-chair of the Person with Lived Experience committee at the CPS.
Research links
Being A Woman Doesn’t Have To Be A (Chronic) Pain https://www.forbes.com/sites/evaepker/2023/04/05/why-is-being-a-woman-a-chronic-pain/
Women and pain: Disparities in experience and treatment: https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/women-and-pain-disparities-in-experience-and-treatment-2017100912562
Mi'kmaw nurse explains how Indigenous pain often misunderstood: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/mi-kmaw-nurse-1.5130067
Myths about physical racial differences were used to justify slavery — and are still believed by doctors today: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/08/14/magazine/racial-differences-doctors.html
Racial bias in pain assessment and treatment recommendations, and false beliefs about biological differences between blacks and whites: https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1516047113
Sex differences in the transition to chronic pain: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12126234/
“Brave Men” and “Emotional Women”: A Theory-Guided Literature Review on Gender Bias in Health Care and Gendered Norms towards Patients with Chronic Pain: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1155/2018/6358624
Yale psychologists find that adults take girls’ pain less seriously: https://news.yale.edu/2019/01/24/yale-psychologists-find-adults-take-girls-pain-less-seriously
Pain medication finally recommended in U.S. for IUD use. What about Canada?: https://globalnews.ca/news/10687785/iud-insertion-pain-management-guidance/
The science that changed how we study pain: https://www.mcgill.ca/science/channels/news/science-changed-how-we-study-pain-372651
Action On Pain podcast takes a closer look at the implementation of An Action Plan for Pain in Canada: https://redcircle.com/shows/action-on-pain
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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A recent study shows that autism is almost as prevalent in girls as it is in boys - so why have we been led to believe that autism is something that mostly impacts boys and men? The February 2026 study suggests that the difference, in part, is that girls are often diagnosed much later in life.
On today's episode, host and producer Nam Kiwanuka speaks with Julie M. Green about what it was like to be diagnosed with autism as a mother at age 44, while also raising a child on the spectrum. She documents this experience in her book, "Motherness: A Memoir of Generational Autism, Parenthood and Radical Acceptance."
Links:
Towards the equal recognition of autism in girls and women https://www.bmj.com/content/392/bmj.s120.full Everyone thought autism mostly affected boys. This study says otherwise https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/02/260210082921.htm “I was always on the outside, watching quietly”: Autistic women reflect on school experiences https://www.nature.com/articles/s41599-024-03632-y Hans Asperger 'collaborated with Nazis' in WWII https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-43820794 About Autism https://www.autismontario.com/about-autism Finding the True Number of Females with Autistic Spectrum Disorder by Estimating the Biases in Initial Recognition and Clinical Diagnosis https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8870038/ From the CDC: Understanding Autism Spectrum Disorder https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8214927/ Camouflaging and suicide behavior in adults with autism spectrum condition: A mixed methods systematic review https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S3050656525000124 8 Health Conditions Commonly Linked to Autism https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/women-autism-spectrum-disorder/202108/8-health-conditions-commonly-linked-autism 10. A Systematic Review of the Relationship Between Neurodiversity and Psychosexual Functioning in Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) or Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10243356/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Fehlende Folgen?
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A bill looking to establish a national framework for women's health is making its way through the Senate. What does Bill S-243 look to implement?
In Canada women represent 50% of the population, nearly half of the labour workforce, and make up 75% of health care professionals. But somehow when it comes to women's health, it's considered to be a niche topic. Not only has women's health been historically under researched, underfunded, and misunderstood, women working in healthcare also face additional barriers.
Under the leadership of Senator Danièle Henkel, a coalition of professionals in healthcare, FemTech, and research have come together to try to address gaps in women's health with this new bill.
Today, host and producer Nam Kiwanuka speaks with Dr. Jennifer Blake from the Pan-Canadian Women's Health Coalition about the bill, why Canada needs a national framework for women's health, the gaps that currently exist, and why women's health continues to be seen as niche.
Links:
‘It’s not my bill, it’s our bill’: Senator Henkel and 50 advocacy groups push for law calling for women’s health framework https://www.hilltimes.com/2026/03/01/its-not-my-bill-its-our-bill-senator-henkel-and-50-advocacy-groups-push-for-law-calling-for-womens-health-framework/493464/ New study finds female family doctors spend more time caring for patients, yet earn less https://www.oma.org/newsroom/news-releases/2026/january/new-study-finds-female-family-doctors-spend-more-time-caring-for-patients-yet-earn-less/ Health workforce in Canada: Overview https://www.cihi.ca/en/health-workforce-in-canada-overview What’s the plan? New bill before Senate aims to provide a framework for women’s health https://canadianhealthcarenetwork.ca/whats-plan-new-bill-senate-aims-provide-framework-womens-health Federal health minister to launch strategy on men’s and boys’ health in 2026 https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/article/federal-health-minister-to-launch-strategy-on-mens-and-boys-health-in-2026/ Opinion: Canada’s blind spot on drug safety in pregnancy https://montrealgazette.com/opinion/op-eds/opinion-canadas-blind-spot-on-drug-safety-in-pregnancy/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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What's it like to navigate fertility care as it becomes increasingly profit-driven in Ontario?
Infertility is considered a medical condition by the World Health Organization and in Canada, it's defined by age. A study from 2023 shows that a fifth of men believe that fertility is a "woman's problem," but the science says otherwise. Approximately one third of infertility is attributed to male factors, another third is attributed to female factors, and in one third of couples, there is no cause identified. This is known as unexplained infertility.
One of the key medical interventions for infertility is called in-vitro fertilization – or IVF. IVF has become a big business. In 2023, it was estimated at $50 billion and is projected to double in the next decade.
Today, host and producer Nam Kiwanuka is joined by journalist Caitlin Walsh-Miller and Irene Darrell-Austin, a Toronto-resident with lived experience navigating fertility care. They talk about how infertility impacts families, the growing disparity of who can access treatments and why this industry needs to be regulated.
The High Price of Hope https://torontolife.com/deep-dives/inside-torontos-white-hot-fertility-market/ Private equity piles into Canada's fertility clinics https://financialpost.com/feature/private-equity-piles-into-canada-fertility-clinics Disturbing errors at Ontario fertility clinics destroy couples’ baby dreams years after province abandoned oversight plans https://www.thestar.com/news/investigations/disturbing-errors-at-ontario-fertility-clinics-destroy-couples-baby-dreams-years-after-province-abandoned-oversight/article_502ba774-1f20-4fb0-b2e3-4fb7780e3e82.html#tncms-source=login Fertility is not just a 'women’s problem' but a fifth of men think it is, a new study finds https://www.euronews.com/health/2023/06/10/fertility-is-not-just-a-womens-problem-yet-a-fifth-of-men-think-it-is-study-finds Male Infertility is a Women’s Health Issue—Research and Clinical Evaluation of Male Infertility Is Needed https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7226946/ Yes, men have a biological clock too. But it’s not just age that affects male fertility https://theconversation.com/yes-men-have-a-biological-clock-too-but-its-not-just-age-that-affects-male-fertility-268298 The female scientist who changed human fertility forever https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200103-the-female-scientist-who-changed-human-fertility-forever Where Is the First ‘Test-Tube Baby’ Now? All About Louise Joy Brown, the First Child Ever Born via IVF https://people.com/where-is-louise-joy-brown-the-first-ivf-baby-now-8748006 IVF: The women who helped make it happen https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6352853/ The Vatican’s Secret Role in the Science of IVF https://www.vanityfair.com/style/story/pope-secret-history-ivf?src=longreads How IVF has led to a record number of single moms in their 40s https://www.npr.org/2026/01/12/nx-s1-5647761/ivf-fertility-motherhood-40s-cost-donor-decision Ontario Connecting More Families to Fertility Supports https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/1007375/ontario-connecting-more-families-to-fertility-supports Celebs IVF: All the celebrities who had IVF, from Kourtney Kardashian to Jennifer Aniston https://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/body/g39990713/celebs-ivf/
Links:See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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In this country, midwives "were once a cornerstone of every Indigenous community." What happened?
Before the 20th century, midwifery was essential for communities throughout Europe, Africa, Asia, and America. With the growth of western medicine in the late 1800s to early 1900s, midwives were instead accused of being unsanitary and unscientific. Midwifery became known as "the Midwife problem," and the practice was phased out and operated in legal "grey zones."
In 1994, after decades of midwives pushing back, Ontario became the first province in Canada to recognize and legalize midwives. In 2024, PEI became the final province in Canada to officially recognize midwifery. If the history of midwives is this complicated in the Global North, what is it like to practice as a midwife in places experiencing civil unrest or conflict?
A new documentary follows five midwives who are doing that work. On today's episode, host and producer Nam Kiwanuka speaks to two midwives, Ximena Rojas Garcia and Jay MacGillivray, as well as Nance Ackerman, the director of "The Delivery Line: Midwives on the Frontlines." Together, they speak about the challenges of the work that these midwives do, but also about the joy of catching a baby.
Links:
Midwifery: A Woman's Labour, A Woman's Choice, 1994 CanLIIDocs 506 https://www.canlii.org/en/commentary/doc/1994CanLIIDocs506#!fragment//BQCwhgziBcwMYgK4DsDWszIQewE4BUBTADwBdoByCgSgBpltTCIBFRQ3AT0otokLC4EbDtyp8BQkAGU8pAELcASgFEAMioBqAQQByAYRW1SYAEbRS2ONWpA British Columbia to let midwives prescribe abortion pill and other drugs https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/british-columbia/british-columbia-to-let-midwives-prescribe-abortion-pill-and-other-drugs/article_f4b5639a-847f-5038-98a1-b82fb4208b00.html#tncms-source=login Indigenous communities across Canada have always had midwives https://indigenousmidwifery.ca/history-strategic-plan/ A Brief History of Midwifery in America
https://www.ohsu.edu/womens-health/brief-history-midwifery-america THE MIDWIFE PROBLEM IN THE UNITED STATES
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/236051 Why Are We Asking Doctors If Women Should Have Midwives?
https://pathwaystofamilywellness.org/holistic-healthcare/why-are-we-asking-doctors-if-women-should-have-midwives.html Childbirth evacuation among rural and remote Indigenous communities in Canada: A scoping review
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S187151922100038X 25 years on: What midwifery in Canada has achieved and what it still needs https://theconversation.com/25-years-on-what-midwifery-in-canada-has-achieved-and-what-it-still-needs-120210 The Destruction of Canadian Midwifery during the 20th Century
https://birthinternational.com/the-re-emergence-of-canadian-midwifery/?srsltid=AfmBOoq9ax0eNorpdo1FISNUjB2sOB7TlOFK1Mo79rbISeZ9DLcxZhHN After decades-long push, P.E.I. now offers midwifery to oversee pregnancies https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-midwifery-services-offered-1.7102229 Georgia bans many midwives from practicing. Now, several are suing the state https://www.nbcnews.com/health/womens-health/midwives-sue-challenge-state-restrictions-rcna264951 Facing rural realities and mistrust in hospitals, these women turned to home births
https://www.cbc.ca/radio/thecurrent/freebirthing-rural-maternal-medicine-9.7172199See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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This episode is about forced and coerced sterilization of Indigenous women and girls in Canada. Please listen with care.
In 2025, Senator Yvonne Boyer, Ontario's first Indigenous senator, proposed a bill to criminalize forced and coerced sterilization. If passed, Bill S-228 will amend the Criminal Code to ensure that forced sterilization would be included in the definition of aggravated assault, punishable by up to 14 years in prison.
The bill follows Canada's Truth and Reconciliation Commission - the TRC. The TRC was meant to bring a "fair and lasting" resolution to the legacy of Indian residential schools, and by extension, Canadian colonialism. One of the Calls to Action from the TRC was for Canada to hold a national inquiry into the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls. That Inquiry dealt with a wide range of concerns, including forced and coerced sterilizations.
This Red Dress Day, host and producer Nam Kiwanuka features Harmony Redsky from the Survivors Circle for Reproductive Justice. Harmony reveals how one survivor was sterilized as recently as 2024. The episode discusses the history of forced and coerced sterilization, the organization's survivor-led initiatives, and the current push for legislative change to criminalize these violations.
Special thanks to Pam Palmeter for production support.
Got a question or comment? Email us at: [email protected]
If you, or someone you know, is struggling with mental health, visit any of the following resources for support: Canada.ca/mental-health Kids Help Phone Call 1-800-668-6868 (toll-free) or text CONNECT to 686868.
Research links:
Survivors Circle for Reproductive Justice
https://www.reproductivejusticesurvivors.ca/ Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement
https://www.rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca/eng/1100100015576/1571581687074 UN Special Rapporteurs Highlight Forced Sterilization of Indigenous Women in Canada
https://cglj.org/2019/07/18/un-special-rapporteurs-highlight-forced-sterilization-of-indigenous-women-in-canada/ Canada indigenous women were coerced into sterilisations, lawsuit says
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/oct/27/canada-indigenous-women-sterilisation-lawsuit National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls
https://www.rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca/eng/1448633299414/1534526479029 Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action
https://nctr.ca/about/truth-and-reconciliation-commission-of-canada-calls-to-action/ Hundreds gather to celebrate Murray Sinclair's legacy with round dance in Winnipeg
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/murray-sinclair-round-dance-9.7059423 Report of the Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment
https://documents.un.org/doc/undoc/gen/g16/000/97/pdf/g1600097.pdf?OpenElement A legacy of colonialism: Senate Bill S-228 aims to criminalize the forced sterilization of women
https://www.ipolitics.ca/2025/08/07/a-legacy-of-colonialism-senate-bill-s-228-aims-to-criminalize-the-forced-sterilization-of-women/ Rather than a ‘chilling effect’, Bill S-228 provides protection from forced sterilization
https://healthydebate.ca/2026/04/topic/bill-s228-protection-forced-sterilization/ A federal bill aimed at protecting women could actually cause harm
https://healthydebate.ca/2026/03/topic/bill-s228-sterilization-womens-health/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Only 3% of studies in neuroscience examine a female-only population, even though women make up 50% of the population. When it comes to neuroscience, research on women's brain health is greatly lacking.
Host and producer Nam Kiwanuka speaks with two scientists who are leading the research, not only on women's brain health but how hormonal changes impact women's brain health. Nam asks the experts about the latest findings, the gaps in research in this field, and the challenges that neuroscientists face when trying to get their work funded in the first place. Is Canada falling behind in women's brain health research? What opportunities are there in this research space?
In collaboration with MaRS Impact Health and recorded in front of a live audience at a conference putting women's health at the forefront, Nam interviews Dr. Liisa Galea from CAMH, The Galea Lab and Dr. Natasha Rajah from the Brain Health Equity in Aging and Memory (BHEAM) Lab at Toronto Metropolitan University.
Links:
The Lab of Behavioral Neuroendocrinology: https://www.galealab.com/ The Brain Health Equity in Aging & Memory (BHEAM) lab: https://www.bheamlab.ca/ Mind the Gap: Hormonal Contraceptives and Brain Health
https://womenshealthresearchcluster.com/professional-development/conferences/mind-the-gap/ Estradiol-based Menopausal Hormone Therapy is associated with improved episodic and prospective memory scores in the Canadian Longitudinal Study of Aging
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.01.13.25320471v1 Biological sex & menopause effects on vascular health and rsFMRI connectivity in middle-aged adults
https://www.bheamlab.ca/downloads/AAIC_abstract_Kearley_2025.pdfSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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In the U.S., Black women are more than three times as likely to die during childbirth as white women. In the U.K., Black women are more than twice as likely to die in childbirth, and babies born to Black mothers are at an increased risk of stillbirth. Here in Canada, stats to better understand health outcomes for Black mothers aren't even available. While there are provinces in Canada that collect race-based data, historically, this country hasn't tracked health outcomes by race, which means the picture for what Black maternal health looks like across the country is unclear. However, if statistics from other jurisdictions are any indication, birthing and pregnancy are a greater risk to Black mothers, no matter where they live or what their socioeconomic background is. On this episode, we speak with Jennifer Dockery and Jenelle Ambrose Dash about the work that the Black Maternal Health Collective is doing, including Toronto's Black Maternal Health Week taking place April 11-17th. We also talk about accountability, the concerns of collecting race-based data in Canada, and what action looks like.
Got a question or comment? Email us at: [email protected]
If you, or someone you know, is struggling with mental health, visit any of the following resources for support: Canada.ca/mental-health Kids Help Phone Call 1-800-668-6868 (toll-free) or text CONNECT to 686868.
Research links:
The weathering hypothesis and the health of African-American women and infants: evidence and speculations
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1467758/ Weathering” and Age Patterns of Allostatic Load Scores Among Blacks and Whites in the United States
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1470581/ Black Women Excluded from Critical Studies Due to ‘Weathering’
https://medicine.yale.edu/news-article/black-women-excluded-from-critical-studies-due-to-weathering/ Childbirth Is Deadlier for Black Families Even When They’re Rich, Expansive Study Finds
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/02/12/upshot/child-maternal-mortality-rich-poor.html Black midwife's death highlights racial gap in maternal mortality
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/black-midwifes-death-highlights-racial-gap-in-maternal-mortality "Colorblind Care" Is Costing Lives. Meet The Woman Who Started Toronto’s First Black Maternal Health Week To Change That
https://www.essence.com/news/toronto-first-black-maternal-health-week/ Racial variations of adverse perinatal outcomes: A population-based retrospective cohort study in Ontario, Canada
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9246499/ Black Maternal Morbidity and Mortality
https://www.bornontario.ca/initiatives-resources/health-equity-and-indigenous-health/black-maternal-morbidity-and-mortality/ Beyonce opens up about pregnancy complications with twins
https://abcnews.com/GMA/Culture/beyonce-opens-pregnancy-complications-twins/story?id=62480855 Serena Williams: What my life-threatening experience taught me about giving birth
https://www.cnn.com/2018/02/20/opinions/protect-mother-pregnancy-williams-opinion Systemic racism affects maternity care for black women in England, say MPs
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/sep/17/systemic-racism-affects-maternity-care-for-black-women-in-england-say-mps https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/u-s-maternal-deaths-more-than-doubled-over-20-years-heres-who-fared-the-worst https://www.npr.org/2024/05/28/nx-s1-4977627/rachel-somerstein-invisible-labor-c-section https://sph.umich.edu/pursuit/2020posts/state-of-maternal-mortality-the-inequitable-burden-on-black-mothers.html https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667193X22002253 https://www.communitysolutions.com/resources/medical-bias-weathering-deadly-impact-black-mothers https://nationalpost.com/news/maternal-death-injury-in-canada https://www.cbc.ca/documentaries/i-made-a-documentary-about-the-black-maternal-health-crisis-then-i-experienced-it-1.7101607 https://www.cdc.gov/womens-health/features/maternal-mortality.html?CDC_AAref_Val=https://www.cdc.gov/healthequity/features/maternal-mortality/index.html https://www.mckinsey.com/institute-for-economic-mobility/our-insights/closing-the-black-maternal-health-gap-healthier-lives-stronger-economies https://www.milwaukeeindependent.com/newswire/black-maternal-mortality-rate-reaches-3-5-times-white-women-racial-gap-childbirth-widens/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Doctors are calling for action. Cervical cancer is one of the most preventable cancers, and rates in Canada had been dropping for years. Canada had even pledged to eliminate it completely by 2040. Not anymore. Rates have plateaued, and cervical cancer is the fourth most diagnosed cancer and fourth leading cause of cancer death among females worldwide. Is Canada still on track? On this episode, we talk about the causes of cervical cancer, how prevention strategies fall short because of vaccine hesitancy, how under-served communities are at risk and what jurisdictions around the world are on track to eliminate cervical cancer. Guests: Michelle Halligan Director of the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer and Nakia Lee-Foon, a Health equity researcher at the Institute for Better Health, Trillium Health Partners.
Research links:
Disparities in the allocation of research funding to gynecologic cancers by Funding to Lethality scores
https://www.gynecologiconcology-online.net/article/S0090-8258(18)31302-7/abstract Denmark could eradicate cervical cancer by 2040: study https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/article/denmark-could-eradicate-cervical-cancer-by-2040-study/ Addressing Anxiety and Fear during the Female Pelvic Examination
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2150132721992195 Researchers redesign vaginal speculum to ease fear and pain
https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/article/researchers-redesign-vaginal-speculum-to-ease-fear-and-pain/ New vaginal speculum design might motivate women to go for health checkups
https://www.tudelft.nl/en/ide/delft-design-stories/new-vaginal-speculum-design-might-motivate-women-to-go-for-health-checkups Cervical cancer is ‘fastest-rising’ form in Canada as doctors urge action
https://globalnews.ca/news/11698821/cervical-cancer-cases-rising-canada/ Progress Against Cervical Cancer in Canada
https://health-infobase.canada.ca/cancer/progress-against-cancers/reports.html?type=1 New Canadian Cancer Statistics report suggests Canada may fall short of its 2040 goal to eliminate cervical cancer
https://cancer.ca/en/about-us/media-releases/2025/canadian-cancer-statistics-2025 https://www.instituteforbetterhealth.com/member/lee-foon-nakia/ https://www.partnershipagainstcancer.ca/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Pregnancy loss affects millions each year – so why do so many women have to suffer in silence after a miscarriage or stillbirth? According to a 2021 Lancet Study, an estimated 23 million miscarriages occur every year worldwide: 44 pregnancy losses each minute. For those who have experienced a miscarriage or a stillbirth, the joy of welcoming a child into the world can quickly turn into a nightmare of loss and isolation. On today's episode, host and producer Nam Kiwanuka speaks to Idalina Leandro about the motivations for her documentary, "An Open Conversation," which aims to destigmatize pregnancy and infant loss. The conversation explores how the silence around pregnancy loss impacts parents differently, why mothers blame themselves and how the healthcare system fails to support grieving families.
Got a question or comment? Email us at: [email protected]
If you, or someone you know, is struggling with mental health, visit any of the following resources for support: Canada.ca/mental-health Kids Help Phone Call 1-800-668-6868 (toll-free) or text CONNECT to 686868.
Research Links:
Canadian gynecologists group issues new compassionate care guidelines for miscarriage patients https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-new-guidelines-early-pregnancy-loss-patients/ Idalina Leandro’s ‘An Open Conversation’ Aims To Destigmatize Pregnancy & Infant Loss https://www.shedoesthecity.com/idalina-leandros-an-open-conversation-aims-to-de-stigmatize-pregnancy-infant-loss/ Pregnancy, Infant & Child Loss Support Centre https://pilsc.org/ Why those suffering miscarriages could benefit from specialized clinics https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/pregnancy-loss-sogc-1.7563527 My wife and I were left on our own after miscarriage https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/mothers-day-miscarriage-pregnancy-loss-first-person-1.6836319 New Zealand approves paid leave following miscarriage or still birth https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/new-zealand-paid-leave-miscarriage-still-birth-1.5964604 Thousands of Canadians miscarry every year. For them, Mother's Day can be a reminder of loss https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/mothers-day-grief-loss-1.7532302 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0015028223017193 https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(21)00682-6/abstract https://www.jogc.com/article/S1701-2163(25)00154-9/fulltextSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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You may know Viagra as the "blue pill" but what about Addyi, the "pink pill"?
Addyi was first approved in the U.S. in 2015 to treat hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) – the medical term for women experiencing low libidos. According to the National Institutes of Health, it is "the most commonly identified sexual problem among women." It was first identified in 1977 but getting drugs to market for women's sexual health faces unique challenges. Addyi is one of two approved drugs that help improve women's low libido, while 26 drugs have been approved for male sexual health by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. On this episode, host and producer Nam Kiwanuka speaks with Aisling Chin-Yee about the history of how Addyi came to market and what making her documentary, "The Pink Pill: Sex, Drugs & Who Has Control", has taught her about how this pink pill is changing the conversation about women's libido.
Links:
How U.S. Tried but Failed to Wipe Out 70 Years of Global Consent on Women’s Rights
https://msmagazine.com/2026/03/19/usa-csw-70-women/
A Pill for Sexual Desire Reaches a New Group of Women
https://time.com/7341012/sexual-desire-pill-addyi-cindy-eckert/
The Pink Pill : New documentary exposes the long battle to bring Addyi — the first libido drug for women — to market
https://theconversation.com/the-pink-pill-new-documentary-exposes-the-long-battle-to-bring-addyi-th…
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8673442/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32301355/
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/414363
https://www.sproutpharmaceuticals.com/
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Because the male body has been the default in medicine, conditions that primarily impact women, like PCOS and endometriosis, are under researched, misunderstood and under funded. Even conditions that are commonly understood in men like autism, ADHD and cardiovascular disease are misunderstood, misdiagnosed and under diagnosed in women. On today's episode we speak with journalist Tracey Lindeman about her book, "Bleed: Destroying Myths and Misogyny in Endometriosis Care". We talk to her about how her pain was dismissed for decades and how it took 24 years to be diagnosed with endometriosis and adenomyosis.
Got a question or comment? Email us at: [email protected]
If you, or someone you know, is struggling with mental health, visit any of the following resources for support: Canada.ca/mental-health Kids Help Phone Call 1-800-668-6868 (toll-free) or text CONNECT to 686868.
Research links:
Endometriosis and Misogyny With Tracey Lindeman
https://canadianwomen.org/blog/endometriosis-and-misogyny-with-tracey-lindeman/
https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/women-health-second-opinion-1.7531876https://www.ellecanada.com/culture/society/the-gender-health-gap-misogyny-in-medicine
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/polycystic-ovary-syndrome
https://www.cfp.ca/content/72/1/e17
https://www.oma.org/newsroom/news-releases/2026/january/new-study-finds-female-family-doctors-spend-more-time-caring-for-patients-yet-earn-less/
https://m-power.mecca.com/blog/what-is----medical-misogyny----and-how-is-it-impacting-women---s-health-
https://www.bmj.com/content/387/bmj.q2780.full
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/women-pain-dismissed-1.7390686
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In the last few years, menopause has become a big business and the global market for it is worth billions of dollars. Yet the people who need care during this transition are still struggling to get the help they need.
In a special live episode of (MIS)Treated, we talk about how women's health is having a moment. We talk about surgical menopause, the impact the family doctor crisis is having on those in the menopause transition, why one guest used AI to self-diagnose their cancer and the harms caused by misinformation in women's health.
Got a question or comment? Email us at: [email protected]
If you, or someone you know, is struggling with mental health, visit any of the following resources for support: Canada.ca/mental-health Kids Help Phone Call 1-800-668-6868 (toll-free) or text CONNECT to 686868.
The Government of Ontario's Mental Health Support Resources: https://www.ontario.ca/page/find-mental-health-support
Follow TVO on social: https://www.youtube.com/theagenda https://www.instagram.com/mistreatedtvo
Join our newsletter: https://www.tvo.org/newsletters
Visit the TVO Today website for current affairs journalism, documentaries and podcasts: https://www.tvo.org
Research links
The menopause gap: why some women suffer more and get less care: https://theconversation.com/the-menopause-gap-why-some-women-suffer-more-and-get-less-care-272753
What You Should Know About the Non-White Experience of Menopause: https://katiecouric.com/health/wellness/non-white-menopause-healthcare-gap/
Menopause: our study revealed how it affects the brain, cognition and mental health: https://theconversation.com/menopause-our-study-revealed-how-it-affects-the-brain-cognition-and-mental-health-275329
After Decades of Misunderstanding, Menopause is Finally Having Its Moment: https://medicine.yale.edu/news-article/after-decades-of-misunderstanding-menopause-is-finally-having-its-moment/
Managing menopause after cancer: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(23)02802-7/fulltext
https://menopauseandcancer.org/alternatives-to-hrt-during-menopause-after-cancer-what-you-need-to-know/
https://obgyn.utoronto.ca/faculty/marie-christakis
https://possibilityseeds.ca/team/farrah-khan-she-her/
https://theconversation.com/profiles/michelle-cohen-1025333
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Until recently, menopause was a whisper between friends and trusted ones. And if you were going through it, there was an unspoken secrecy about saying that you were. This stigma still exists in some communities. But menopause is more than just hot flashes. It is associated with increased risks of long-term health issues such as osteoporosis, heart disease, diabetes and impacts brain health.
Nam Kiwanuka speaks to Dr. Wendy Wolfman, a pioneer in Canada and an internationally renowned menopause expert, about the lack of funding in women's health, the impact of the Women's Health Initiative study and how Canada can become a world leader in women's health.
Got a question or comment? Email us at: [email protected]
If you, or someone you know, is struggling with mental health, visit any of the following resources for support: Canada.ca/mental-health Kids Help Phone Call 1-800-668-6868 (toll-free) or text CONNECT to 686868.
The Government of Ontario's Mental Health Support Resources: https://www.ontario.ca/page/find-mental-health-support
Follow TVO on social: https://www.youtube.com/theagenda https://www.instagram.com/mistreatedtvo
Join our newsletter: https://www.tvo.org/newsletters
Visit the TVO Today website for current affairs journalism, documentaries and podcasts: https://www.tvo.org
Research links
Behind the scenes with Dr. Wendy Wolfman: https://sinaimaturewomenshealth.ca/behind-the-scenes-with-dr-wendy-wolfman
Menopause: our study revealed how it affects the brain, cognition and mental health: https://theconversation.com/menopause-our-study-revealed-how-it-affects-the-brain-cognition-and-mental-health-275329
Halle Berry shouts 'I'm in menopause' on Capitol Hill as she fights for funding to improve women's care: https://abcnews.com/GMA/Wellness/halle-berry-shouts-im-menopause-capitol-hill-fights/story?id=109881356
After Decades of Misunderstanding, Menopause is Finally Having Its Moment: https://medicine.yale.edu/news-article/after-decades-of-misunderstanding-menopause-is-finally-having-its-moment/
What to know about menopause hormone therapy after FDA removed 'black box' warnings: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/what-to-know-about-menopause-hormone-therapy-after-fda-removed-black-box-warnings
Hormones for menopause are safe, study finds. Here's what changed: https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2024/05/01/1248525256/hormones-menopause-hormone-therapy-hot-flashes
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Women are diagnosed on average 2 to 4 years later than men in over 1300 different disorders. These include conditions like depression and anxiety, and Alzheimer's disease, which disproportionately impact women. Most of our medical knowledge, including how to diagnose someone, is based mostly on symptoms for males or the experiences of men.
Nam Kiwanuka speaks to world-renowned neuroscientist, Dr. Liisa Galea from CAMH, the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, about why researching sex and gender differences in health matters and how hormones influence the female brain, especially during pregnancy and postpartum.
Got a question or comment? Email us at: [email protected]
If you, or someone you know, is struggling with mental health, visit any of the following resources for support: Canada.ca/mental-health Kids Help Phone Call 1-800-668-6868 (toll-free) or text CONNECT to 686868.
The Government of Ontario's Mental Health Support Resources: https://www.ontario.ca/page/find-mental-health-support
Follow TVO on social: https://www.youtube.com/theagenda https://www.instagram.com/mistreatedtvo
Join our newsletter: https://www.tvo.org/newsletters
Visit the TVO Today website for current affairs journalism, documentaries and podcasts: https://www.tvo.org
Research links
Dr. Liisa Galea bio https://ims.utoronto.ca/faculty/liisa...
Women’s Health Research Cluster https://womenshealthresearchcluster.c...
Study: Across Diseases, Women Are Diagnosed Later Than Men https://www.cpr.ku.dk/cpr-news/2019/s...
Proper funding for women’s health research could save lives during pandemic https://policyoptions.irpp.org/2020/0...
Why women are bearing more of the impact of dementia https://www.alzheimersresearchuk.org/...
Women are diagnosed years later than men for same diseases, study finds https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health...
5 conditions that highlight the women’s health gap https://www.gavi.org/vaccineswork/5-c...
New report identifies a blueprint to close the womens health gap https://www.mckinsey.com/mhi/media-ce...
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In Ontario, family doctors are the gateway to the healthcare system, including providing a referral for a specialist. If you are one of the nearly 2 million Ontarians without a family doctor and need to see a specialist, say a gynaecologist, it can be incredibly challenging to get the care you need.
Nam Kiwanuka speaks to Dr. Zainab Abdurrahman, the president of the Ontario Medical Association about the crisis in public healthcare.
Got a question or comment? Email us at: [email protected]
If you, or someone you know, is struggling with mental health, visit any of the following resources for support: Canada.ca/mental-health Kids Help Phone Call 1-800-668-6868 (toll-free) or text CONNECT to 686868.
The Government of Ontario's Mental Health Support Resources: https://www.ontario.ca/page/find-mental-health-support
Follow TVO on social: https://www.youtube.com/theagenda https://www.instagram.com/mistreatedtvo
Join our newsletter: https://www.tvo.org/newsletters
Visit the TVO Today website for current affairs journalism, documentaries and podcasts: https://www.tvo.org
Research links
Meet the first Black woman elected to represent Ontario doctors: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/london/meet-the-first-black-woman-elected-to-represent-ontario-doctors-1.7525349
Gynecologic Surgery Delayed for Up to 3 Years in Canada: https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/gynecologic-surgery-delayed-3-years-canada-2025a1000iev?form=fpf
A Toronto-area doctor spent 10 days caring for a dying baby without pay. Here’s why she’s speaking up: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/doctors-ontario-ohip-billing-rejected-9.6958953
Ontario, medical association near new compensation deal they say will help retain, recruit family
Ontario Government and Ontario Medical Association Confirm Funding Increase That Will Protect Provincial Health Care: https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/1005805/ontario-government-and-ontario-medical-association-confirm-funding-increase-that-will-protect-provincial-health-care
Ontario, medical association near new compensation deal they say will help retain, recruit family doctors: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-family-doctors-new-contract-1.7602189
Province's response:
Ontario's Medical Claims Payment System (MCPS) efficiently processed more than 200 million claims annually. To be clear, over 99% of these claims are paid automatically, exactly as submitted, reflecting the system's productivity.
Only a small fraction, 0.58%, of all claims are sent for manual review, and even among these, more than 95% are resolved within 30 days. In general, two thirds of these claims are categorized as Complex Surgical Claims, where there are multiple procedures performed, and where a three-tier review process, as is used in a manual review, is fitting.
Claims are reviewed in three tiers. A Claims Assessor handles the initial review, and if deemed necessary, it is escalated to an Assessment Officer, who further evaluates the claim and supporting context. More nuanced cases go to a Medical Advisor, a physician, for final review. Outcomes include full payment, partial payment, or return to the provider, and physicians can appeal with additional information.
This reliable, structured process ensures that claims subjected to manual review comprehensively align with the payment requirements of the Schedule of Benefits.
It’s ultimately disappointing that the OMA is choosing to focus on .58% of OHIP claims, rather than highlighting the real progress we’ve made together to support physicians.
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Until the early 1900s if a woman had symptoms like cramps, depression, or a headache, a doctor would probably diagnose her with hysteria, which was removed as a medical diagnosis in 1980 by the American Psychiatric Association.
When you consider that women weren’t included in clinical trials until 1993, how much do we really know about women’s mental health? We speak to science researcher Misty Pratt about this and her book “All in Her Head: How Gender Bias Harms Women’s Mental Health.”
Got a question or comment? Email us at: [email protected]
If you, or someone you know, is struggling with mental health, visit any of the following resources for support: Canada.ca/mental-health Kids Help Phone Call 1-800-668-6868 (toll-free) or text CONNECT to 686868.
The Government of Ontario's Mental Health Support Resources: https://www.ontario.ca/page/find-mental-health-support
Follow TVO on social: https://www.youtube.com/theagenda https://www.instagram.com/mistreatedtvo
Join our newsletter: https://www.tvo.org/newsletters
Visit the TVO Today website for current affairs journalism, documentaries and podcasts: https://www.tvo.org
Research links
https://quillandquire.com/authors/misty-pratts-own-experiences-inspired-her-book-on-women-and-the-mental-health-care-system
https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/history-quackery/history-hysteria
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/for-some-women-with-serious-physical-ailments-mental-illness-has-become-a-scapegoat-diagnosis-180986203
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aso/databank/entries/bhchar.html
https://www.plannedparenthood.org/planned-parenthood-florida/blog/the-history-of-hysteria-and-how-it-impacts-you
https://theconversation.com/inaccurate-and-misogynistic-why-we-need-to-make-the-term-hysterectomy-history-257972#:~:text=From%20the%20defunct%20condition%20'hysteria,link%20the%20uterus%20to%20hysteria.
https://medicine.yale.edu/news/yale-medicine-magazine/article/from-hysteria-to-empowerment/
https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/advances-in-psychiatric-treatment/article/conversion-disorder-the-modern-hysteria/73F77976DFC9802B4C0E3EC7CA88F1A9
https://adaa.org/find-help-for/women/anxiety
https://www.relationalpsych.group/articles/adhd-in-women-why-its-often-misdiagnosed
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32007945
https://www.uchealth.com/en/media-room/wellness/suicide-risk-women
https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/the-leading-edge/202505/why-womens-mental-health-needs-special-attention
Charcot argues that hysteria isn't just a gynaecological issue but neurological disorder: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21154220/#:~:text=Results:%20In%201870%20the%20interpretation,transformed%20into%20a%20neurological%20disorder
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39186636
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Consider that while the symptoms of ADHD were first identified back in 1798, it wasn’t until the 1990s that science began to study how ADHD presents in girls and how it might be affecting them.
Nam Kiwanuka speaks to writer Carla Ciccone, who became one of the growing numbers of women to be diagnosed with ADHD during the pandemic. She speaks to her about the challenges she felt in school as a young child and why she wrote the book “Nowhere Girl: Life as a Member of ADHD's Lost Generation”.
Got a question or comment? Email us at: [email protected]
If you, or someone you know, is struggling with mental health, visit any of the following resources for support: Canada.ca/mental-health
Kids Help Phone Call 1-800-668-6868 (toll-free) or text CONNECT to 686868.
The Government of Ontario's Mental Health Support Resources: https://www.ontario.ca/page/find-mental-health-support
Follow TVO on social: https://www.youtube.com/theagenda
https://www.instagram.com/mistreatedtvo
Join our newsletter: https://www.tvo.org/newsletters
Visit the TVO Today website for current affairs journalism, documentaries and podcasts: https://www.tvo.org
Research links
How ADHD Shaped My Life Without Me Knowing It: https://www.elle.com/culture/books/a65994230/nowhere-girls-book-excerpt-women-adhd-2025
The “devastating” findings of a decades-long ADHD study: https://www.understood.org/en/podcasts/hyperfocus/the-devastating-findings-of-a-decades-long-adhd-study
The history of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3000907
Children with ADHD Avoid Failure and Punishment More Than Others, Study Says: https://www.additudemag.com/children-with-adhd-avoid-failure-punishment/?srsltid=AfmBOorSMFFUiJhgFMZ00QNIHdj4V63WDJfrC3o7jgSKOqkF604tYl-1
The History of ADHD: A Timeline: https://www.healthline.com/health/adhd/history#1902
Does ADHD Need a New Name?: https://www.additudemag.com/other-names-for-adhd-add/?srsltid=AfmBOoqhu7TMDAktkX9L6iyuBVwg7eoXjHvER_bZZ0MMixwlC7kF9Adr
Miss. Diagnosis: A Systematic Review of ADHD in Adult Women: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/10870547231161533#:~:text=There%20is%20also%20gender%20bias%20in%20the,participants%20being%20male%20and%20only%2019%25%20female
What Lies Behind the Rise in ADHD Diagnoses?: https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/brain-curiosities/202505/the-truth-about-the-adhd-epidemic
ADHD in Women vs. Men: Does Gender Play a Role in Symptoms?: https://psychcentral.com/adhd/adhd-and-gender#prevalence
Obstetric complications in mothers with ADHD: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/reproductive-health/articles/10.3389/frph.2022.1040824/full
Screening for Adult ADHD in Patients with Fibromyalgia Syndrome: https://academic.oup.com/painmedicine/article-abstract/19/9/1825/4584482?redirectedFrom=PDF
Life expectancy and years of life lost for adults with diagnosed ADHD in the UK: matched cohort study: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/the-british-journal-of-psychiatry/article/life-expectancy-and-years-of-life-lost-for-adults-with-diagnosed-adhd-in-the-uk-matched-cohort-study/30B8B109DF2BB33CC51F72FD1C953739
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Much of gynaecology was built on surgical experiments conducted on enslaved African women. These procedures were done by Doctor James Marion Sims, who has been called the "father of modern gynaecology". His legacy lives on today with the Sims position, the speculum and the surgical technique to treat vaginal fistula. So how to reconcile that history with what happened to those young women, with the advances in gynaecology?
Got a question or comment? Email us at: [email protected]
If you, or someone you know, is struggling with mental health, visit any of the following resources for support: Canada.ca/mental-health
Kids Help Phone Call 1-800-668-6868 (toll-free) or text CONNECT to 686868.
The Government of Ontario's Mental Health Support Resources: https://www.ontario.ca/page/find-mental-health-support
Follow TVO on social: https://www.youtube.com/theagenda
https://www.instagram.com/mistreatedtvo
Join our newsletter: https://www.tvo.org/newsletters
Visit the TVO Today website for current affairs journalism, documentaries and podcasts: https://www.tvo.org
Research links:
"Father of Modern Gynaecology" J. Marion Sims: https://www.history.com/articles/the-father-of-modern-gynecology-performed-shocking-experiments-on-slaves
https://www.npr.org/2016/02/16/466942135/remembering-anarcha-lucy-and-betsey-the-mothers-of-modern-gynecology
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/cancer-detectives-brief-history-speculum/
https://news.berkeley.edu/2020/02/17/historian-uncovers-gynecologys-brutal-roots-in-slavery/#:~:text=James%20Marion%20Sims%2C%20who%20was,same%20capacity%20as%20white%20men
https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2023/03/how-lucy-betsey-and-anarcha-became-foremothers-of-gynecology/
Operating on poor Irish women: https://ugapress.manifoldapp.org/read/medical-bondage/section/403f560a-7f2d-4def-8bdf-a5767588b78b
https://www.healthinnowest.net/news/join-the-movement-to-rename-the-sims-speculum/
First record of use of anesthesia: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26828088/#:~:text=Abstract,labor%20and%20recovery%20from%20surgery.
The pain these women suffered: https://drjengunter.com/2017/09/08/dr-sims-built-a-lab-and-experimented-on-enslaved-women-take-down-his-statues
Documentary on Anarcha: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjLL-fEj0fw
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11682838/ https://www.ogmagazine.org.au/23/4-23/lucys-legacy-why-sims-speculum-needs-a-different-name
https://www.npr.org/2018/04/22/604789513/controversial-statue-of-19th-century-gynecologist-removed-from-central-park
https://archives.icahn.mssm.edu/disappearing-hospitals-where-did-they-go-womans-hospital
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Join Nam Kiwanuka January 20th on (MIS)Treated to hear real life stories and expert interviews on how the mistreatment and misdiagnosis of women affects us all.
Got a question or comment? Email us at: [email protected]
If you, or someone you know, is struggling with mental health, visit any of the following resources for support: Canada.ca/mental-health
Kids Help Phone Call 1-800-668-6868 (toll-free) or text CONNECT to 686868.
The Government of Ontario's Mental Health Support Resources: https://www.ontario.ca/page/find-mental-health-support
Follow TVO on social: https://www.youtube.com/theagenda
https://www.instagram.com/mistreatedtvo
Join our newsletter: https://www.tvo.org/newsletters
Visit the TVO Today website for current affairs journalism, documentaries and podcasts: https://www.tvo.org
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