My name is Antonio and I suffer from spinal muscular atrophy (SMA, for friends). My life expectancy was only a few years when I was born, almost half a century ago. And all because I “got” a rare, neurodegenerative disease, which is among the genetic diseases with the highest associated mortality. What happens, simply put, is that […]
Few words are needed to understand the essence of the Water Strider Float, the smiles of children safely enjoying time in the water with their families tell the whole story. That started as a graduate research project has evolved into the early stages of a device that has the potential to help children with neuromotor […]
Celiac Canada (CCA) Providing education, resources, services and advocacy and to support for people who requires a gluten-free diet, Celiac Canada’s vision is to have every person with celiac disease diagnosed and empowered (1.9% of the population, more than men). As an organization, the CCA has brought provincial organizations together and been able to interact […]
Decriminalizing “Medical Assistance in Dying” (MAiD) in 2016 apparently confirmed a powerful social bias in favour of personal freedom. Presented as a free choice—affecting no one else – euthanasia seemed acceptable to most Canadians. However, this tells only part of the story, for euthanasia is not only about death by choice; it is also defined […]
Huntington’s plus A ground-breaking study has identified a single molecule of a toxic protein segment called PolyQ as the trigger for Huntington’s disease. By flooding cells with specific proteins that counteract its effects, they were able to prevent its spread. This promising finding paves the way for the development of potential drugs to slow the […]
Pageboy By Elliott Page Full of behind the scenes details and interrogations on sex, love, trauma, and Hollywood, Pageboy is the story of a life pushed to the brink. But at its core, this beautifully written, journey of what it means to untangle ourselves from the expectations of others is an ode to stepping into who we […]
Mental health risks rise in places where incomes are most unequal, a study finds. Income inequality has been linked to poor physical and mental health in past research, but more recent evidence suggests the issue of income inequality may be much more severe than previously expected. While completing my PhD in epidemiology at the University […]
The Safari Concept: An African Framework for End-Of-Life Care By Dr. Christian Ntizimira Using animal architypes as metaphors, Dr. Christian Ntizmira, shares a compassionate and practical framework for others to understand the suffering of seriously ill patients. It’s a ground-breaking approach to palliative care that transcends cultural and linguistic barriers this
IBBY Collection for Young People living with disabilities The International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) is a non-profit that supports a collection for youngsters living with disabilities at Toronto’s North York Central Library. There are over 4,000 titles in over 50 languages including tactile and textile books and specialized format such as Braille, […]
Menopause is something that almost all women go through Let’s make a noise about what needs to change. If menopause were on Yelp, it would have one star. I could imagine reviews like… This establishment has temperature control issues. Drenching heat followed by terrible chills. Defies the laws of thermodynamics. Would not recommend. Awful, awful, […]
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