In this episode of Impact Gap, we chat with Laura Dicredico. Laura is the mother of two beautiful daughters, her youngest being neurodiverse, and is a parent advocate for neurodiverse individuals being self-empowered and advocating for their healthcare and education needs. Laura touches on crucial topics such as her difficult and exhaustive experience accessing and receiving supports in Ontario for her neurodiverse child, the inexperience and stigma of individuals regarding neurodiversity and autism (especially in females), and the emphasis of taking care of yourself as a parent in order to fully support and be present for your children. 

In this season 3 debut episode of Impact Gap, we are speaking with Arianna Moya. Arianna is an undergraduate student in Child and Youth Care at Toronto Metropolitan University and a young adult recently diagnosed with ADHD and other co-occurring mental health concerns. We discuss her experiences of getting diagnosed and living with ADHD as a woman, the stigma and misinterpretations of ADHD, mental health, and medication, and the importance of finding the right support and self-acceptance in today’s modern technological age. 

In this episode of the Impact Gap Podcast, we're joined by Andrew Sedmihradsky, a fellow TRP graduate student. In 2015, Andrew started Max's Big Ride in response to his son, Max, being diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. In 2015, Andrew and Max started riding their cargo bike between Hamilton and Ottawa to raise money and awareness for better outcomes for those living with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. We chat with Andrew to learn more about Duchenne muscular dystrophy, Max's Big Ride, and what's in store next for Max's Big Ride.

In this episode of Impact Gap, we sit down with Lucie Langford. Lucie is a researcher and advocate dedicated to advancing research and supporting individuals with mental illness. We discuss her experiences of training her golden retriever puppy to be a service animal, her diagnostic journey with mental illness, and the importance of centering patient voices in research.

In our season debut, Amelia and Claudia share their experiences living with Ulcerative Colitis, a type of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). Claudia Tersigni is the founder of the Young Adult Community for Crohn's and Colitis, a community which supports IBD patients transitioning from pediatric to adult care. Claudia also served as an honorary chair during the 2020 Gutsy Walk, hosted by Crohn's and Colitis Canada. Today, we discuss colonoscopies, travelling with IBD, the importance of community and support systems, and the challenges of living with an invisible illness.

Resources from this episode:

Young Adult Community for Crohn's and Colitis (YACCC): 

Email: [email protected] 

Instagram: @yaccc2021 

Claudia's Instagram:

@this.girl.has.guts

Crohn's and Colitis Canada: 

https://crohnsandcolitis.ca/ 

In this episode of Impact Gap, we sit down with Serena Thompson, a patient advocate living with sickle cell disease and Vice President of the Sickle Cell Association of Ontario. The episode explores chronic pain as a paediatric patient, the emergency department protocols for chronic pain, and the bias healthcare providers may hold and its impact on care.

To learn more about sickle cell disease and the Sickle Cell Association of Ontario, please visit https://sicklecellontario.ca/

*Due to internet connectivity issues, the audio for this episode may cut in and out at times. We apologize for this technical issue. 

This episode of Impact Gap explores cancer with Sherri Romanoski, the founder of Bag It: a non-profit organization that focuses on patient empowerment through education and how to navigate diagnosis, treatment, and life after cancer. The episode further explores the importance of patient-physician communication, being your own advocate, and survivorship.

To learn more about Bag It, please visit https://bagitcancer.org/

In this episode of Impact Gap, John Chernesky shares his personal story of living with a spinal cord injury, challenging the stigmas surrounding wheelchair use, his work at the Praxis Spinal Cord Institute, and information about the Praxis Ideation Challenge. 

You can find more information about John Chernesky and the Praxis Ideation Challenge at https://ideation.mito.utoronto.ca/?page_id=2038 

In this episode of Impact Gap, Pat Furlong shares her personal story of the impact of Duchenne muscular dystrophy, the ongoing battle for research into rare diseases, and the important role patients, caregivers, and advocates play in the healthcare system.

You can find more information about Pat Furlong and her work with Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy (PPMD) at https://www.parentprojectmd.org/  

In this episode of Impact Gap, we discuss caregiving, dementia, and the pervasive growing technology divide as well as its impact in the peri-COVID-19 Canadian healthcare system. Ron Beleno, a patient advocate highlights digital determinants of health and patient engagement, among other key areas relevant to dementia patient caregivers and advocates.