Sickboy

This week the fellas are joined by David, an author, public speaker, and endurance athlete who shares his inspiring mission to foster meaningful human connections through storytelling. He dives into his latest book, Cycle of Lives, which details the emotional journeys of 15 people who have overcome trauma, specifically cancer. David shares how the death of his sister from cancer motivated him to c...

This week the fellas chat with the fierce and fabulous Beth Ciavaglia, a physiotherapist turned long-term care administrator, who shares her story of being diagnosed with grade 3, stage 3 breast cancer just two weeks before her 40th birthday. Beth talks about the importance of patients having a voice in healthcare and how her experience with cancer opened her eyes to this need. She dives into the...

Have you ever wanted to be a nurse but were too scared to handle the pressure of real-life clinical practice? Well, fear not, because new research suggests that virtual reality (VR) training could be the answer to your fears! Speaking of fears - The Bizarre Life Cycle of a Female Adactylidium is something straight out of a horror movie. We're not clowning around here, folks! A new study has reveal...

In this episode, Bri and Jer speak with Michael Weber, a Texas police officer with 38 years of experience, including 15 years as a Crimes Against Children Detective and Investigator. Michael is a national expert on Medical Child Abuse, commonly known as Munchausen by Proxy, and a member of the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children's (APSAC) Committee on Munchausen by Proxy. They d...

This week the fellas are joined by Hailey. They dive into a deep conversation about chronic illness and how it can shape one's identity. Hailey shares her experience with stage 3 HS, a disease so advanced that even healthcare professionals were left scratching their heads. For Hailey however she absolutely MUST NOT SCRATCH OR PICK FOR THE LOVE OF GOD! Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a painful, lo...

Short Kings rise up. But first, researchers in Boston have created an AI tool called Sybil (not Sybian) that can predict whether a person will develop lung cancer in the next year with 86% to 94% accuracy. And the best part? It can detect early signs of lung cancer years before doctors would typically find it on a CT scan. Move over, Doc, Sybil's got this! A game of Monopoly in Brussels has turned...

This week the fellas are joined by Sara (an NP) and Teale (PHD in International Studies) from AccessBC. They discuss the high cost of prescription contraception in British Columbia and how it impacts access for those who need it the most. They highlight the significant cost of different methods, including the intrauterine device, oral contraceptive pills, and hormone injections. Lucky for us, Acce...

This week the fellas sit down with Jon Archambault. Jon shares his story of serving in the military for 11 years, including 5 in Special Forces, and then transitioning to a career in law enforcement. Unfortunately, Jon had to leave the uniform due to a diagnosis of CPTSD with dissociation and major depressive disorder. But Jon didn't let his mental health struggles define him. Instead, he wrote a...

Green Shirt Day is upon us! Organ donation is important and Sickboy is here to spread the word. Who knew that getting busy between the sheets can lead to such tragic consequences? In this episode, the fellas discuss the latest estimates from WHO on congenital syphilis and how it's still causing over 200,000 stillbirths and neonatal deaths every year. Also, have you ever wondered why holes feel big...

In this episode, Jer and Tay are joined by the delightful Brooke Manning, who's not just a poet, musician, and owner of the art space Likely General in Toronto, Canada. Nope, she's also a certified death doula! Brooke chats with the guys about all things death, from her Death Meditation Ceremonies (we promise it’s a lot more relaxing than it sounds) to the history of the funeral industry and how i...

In this episode, the fellas are joined by the hilarious and inspiring mental health podcaster and advocate, Kyle Moore. Growing up in rural Atlantic Canada, Kyle learned the hard way that mental health stigma is alive and well, especially for young men. But after experiencing severe suicidal ideation and reaching out for help, he realized that sharing his story and experiences can be a powerful to...

The boys tackle the hilarious and often mortifying topic of the "middle-aged groan." You know the one — that strange noise you make when you bend over to pick something up, or stand up from a chair? Did you hear about the latest scientific discoveries from Beethoven's hair which has been preserved for almost 200 years? It turns out that Beethoven's chronic drinking, hepatitis B infection, and gene...

This week the fellas have the pleasure of speaking with Sean Christie, MD, FRCSC, a renowned neurosurgeon and expert in making operating rooms more environmentally sustainable. Sean is a professor, vice chair, and director of research at the division of neurosurgery at Dalhousie University. Operating rooms are known to generate large amounts of waste and consume significant amounts of energy and r...

This week Jer and Bri sit down with Dan, a survivor of not just one, but two emergency brain surgeries. At the young age of 28, Dan's life took a drastic turn when he was handed a sealed envelope after a visit to the optometrist and told to go directly to the hospital. The cause of his persistent headaches turned out to be a brain hemorrhage, and Dan was faced with a long and challenging road to r...

"Sorry kid, you're not sick enough for us anymore." This week the fellas discuss the Make-A-Wish Foundation's controversial decision to change their policy on cystic fibrosis. Apparently, medical advances have made it possible for these patients to live longer, which means they don't automatically qualify for a wish anymore. Also, did you know a year's worth of Trikafta could be made as cheap as $...

This week the fellas chat with Jon Jon Rivero, CEO & Founder of Qi Creative, a therapy practice that services children and schools of all abilities. Jon Jon is also an award-winning producer, director, and actor. We discuss his personal story of becoming an occupational therapist and how his upbringing influenced his approach to therapy. We also highlight the importance of honouring the background...

This week Bri and Jer are joined by Amanda Vegter, a 4th-year veterinary student at Colorado State University who found out she had Stage II breast cancer during her studies. She shares how she discovered a lump but didn't get it checked out because she was "too busy" (I mean, hey… Vet school is busy). After travelling to Africa and contracting tick bite fever, Amanda decided to get it checked and...

This week Jer introduces a new segment - DID YA KNOW?! Did you know Pepto Bismol makes your poop and tongue black? If you've experienced this, don't freak out - it's just because of the “bismuth” in Pepto. Just remember, Pepto Bismol may give you a dark side, but it also gives you fast and effective relief from your tummy troubles. Stay cool and let your stomach chill with Pepto Bismol! (This is n...

This week the guys sit down with Dr. Iris Gorfinkel, a well-respected family physician and clinical researcher. With over 15 years of experience in participating in clinical trials, Dr. Gorfinkel shares her insights on the current state of primary care in Canada and the impact of a shortage of family doctors. She sheds light on the pressing issue of one in five Canadians lacking a family doctor, a...

Today, the fellas are joined by Madeline Tweel, who has rare Ovarian Teratoma-Related Paraneoplastic Neurological Syndrome. Don't worry if you can't pronounce that, Jeremie will do it for ya. Madeline was halfway through medical school when she became a very sick patient. She experienced meningitis, insane headaches, and even had to resort to self-catheterization. And get this, her grandparents ga...

This week Jer and Bri take things to a whole other level of Gnar. Jeremie somehow experienced something medical that is not googleable. Spoiler alert it has to do with something lodged in his tear duct AKA the PUNCTUM! What happens to a broken bone that doesn't receive any medical intervention? The results are gag-inducing. The fellas discuss the dangerous reality of medical tourism in the United...

This week the fellas chat with Andrea Dunlop to discuss Munchausen by Proxy (MBP), a condition that has been misunderstood and misrepresented in popular culture. Andrea, an expert in the field, sheds light on the complexities of MBP and helps us understand whether it is a mental illness or a crime. Andrea explains that MBP encompasses two separate things: Factitious Disorder Imposed on Another, wh...

This week the fellas chat with Jen Kish - the former captain of Canada's Olympic bronze medal-winning rugby sevens team and now a coach on Canada's Ultimate Challenge. Jen's got some wild stories to share about her days on the sevens circuit and how she used her lightning-fast skills and tenacious defence to leave opponents in the dust. But that's just the tip of the iceberg. The guys dive into he...

Did you hear the latest relationship trend? Apparently, one in five couples are ditching the traditional shared bed and opting for separate bedrooms. According to a survey of 2,200 Americans, the reasons for this new trend include snoring, differing schedules, and general sleep disturbances caused by bed-sharing. I guess some people just can't handle the heat (or the snoring)! Sex therapists and m...

Dr. Brian Goldman takes listeners through the swinging doors of hospitals and doctors' offices, behind the curtain where the gurney lies. In this episode, you’ll hear about how it took more than a year and five delays for 16-year-old Nathan Gilson to get the scoliosis surgery he needed. As Nathan waited, the curvature to his spine got worse, making him uncomfortable and self-conscious. He was teas...