The Fifth Wave

Movement is one of the most powerful…and overlooked…tools for women’s long term health.  In this episode of The Fifth Wave, insights from sport and exercise physician Dr. Tina Atkinson, athletic trainer Kaelin Agar, strength coach Michelle MacDonald and neuroscientist Dr. Lisa Galea help to break down how every day activity can transform women’s physical, mental and cognitive well being.  From age...

Nearly 50% of young women report negative healthcare experiences.  And that is more and more visible in postpartum care.  In this episode of The Fifth Wave, Avis Favaro explores why new mothers often “fall off a cliff” once the baby arrives, what the six week check up does and doesn’t cover, and how major gaps in Canada’s healthcare system are putting maternal physical and mental health at risk. ...

Endometriosis affects 1 in 10 people who menstruate, nearly 190 million worldwide.  Yet it remains one of the most misunderstood and underdiagnosed women’s health conditions.  In this episode of The Fifth Wave, public health Dr. Martina Alberani, women’s health advocate Maggie Archibald and Jocelynn Cook of the SOGC break down what endometriosis is, why severe period pain is not normal, and how st...

This episode of The Fifth Wave dives into one of the least discussed but most consequential workplace issues today:  menopause and its massive impact on women, employers and the economy.  With nearly 2 million working women in Canada aged 45-55, unmanaged symptoms like insomnia, heavy bleeding, hot flashes and brain fog are driving burnout, reducing productivity and even pushing women out of the w...

In this episode of The Fifth Wave, we expose the deep rooted gender bias baked into women’s healthcare, from being dismissed as “emotional” to receiving later diagnoses and poorer mental health support.   Featuring insights from healthcare leaders, psychologists and researchers, we uncover how systemic bias, outdated medical norms and the invisible mental load are shaping women’s physical and ment...

In this deeply compelling episode, we hear how racism, bias and systemic inequities shape the healthcare experiences of Black, Indigenous and women of colour.  Featuring powerful conversations with entrepreneur Vivian Kaye, cancer advocate Michelle Audoin and researcher Dr. Thirusha Naidu, this episode exposes the hidden ways discrimination shows up.  From diagnostic delays to insufficient medical...

In this episode of The Fifth Wave, Avis Favaro shows us the quiet crisis in women’s health.  Underfunded research.  Outdated medical devices.  And training tools that are so inadequate, they border on the unbelievable - like teaching perineal suturing on a sponge.  Through conversations with innovators reshaping Femtech and reproductive health, including Christine Goudie of Granville Biomedical, R...

his episode explores the fast growing FemTech sector, where we talk about the technology being created to address women’s health needs.   Our guests Rachel Bartholomew and Dr. Jennifer Johnston are both FemTech founders, who created their companies in response to personal and professional frustrations with outdated tools and knowledge in women’s health.  They shed light on the persistent gender da...

Artificial Intelligence is not just here, it’s constantly advancing.  In this episode, we look at how AI can reshape women’s healthcare.  And the risks that come with it.  From smartwatches that collect gender specific data, to algorithms that are trained on male dominated data sets, we look at the promise, as well as the pitfalls of AI in a space that has long been underserved by medical research...

Where does Canada sit on the world stage when it comes to women’s healthcare?  We have some catching up to do.  In this episode of The Fifth Wave: Curing the Healthcare Bias Against Women, we look at what places like the UK, Australia and Nordic countries are doing right, and what we can learn from them.  Expert voices Dr. Jocelynn Cook and Dr. Martha Hickey weigh in on the importance of data, as...

In this episode of The Fifth Wave, host Avis Favaro sits around the virtual kitchen table with women to share deeply personal stories about gender bias.  From life threatening misdiagnosis to breaking down barriers in male dominated fields, the conversation reveals the hidden ways gender shapes women’s lived experiences.  And why talking about it matters.  Our guests, Rose Fisher and Carliegh Bell...

The conversation around menopause has exploded….but are there complications with that?  In this episode of The Fifth Wave, we explore the public discussion, celebrity branding and online influencers shaping the menopause narrative.  We get insight from guests Jennifer Barsky, Dr. Heidi Bentley and Dr. Martha Hickey as we look at the tension between empowerment and exploitation.  As women look for...

In this eye-opening episode, we step aboard “The Menopause Train” to explore the biological, emotional, and societal impact of menopause. Once whispered about as “The Change,” menopause is now entering mainstream conversation thanks to advocates like journalist Tamsen Fadal and menopause specialist Dr. Maria Migas. We unpack the reality of perimenopause and menopause, the lack of medical training...

This episode dives into the persistent gender data gap in medical research, highlighting how decades of bias have led to significant blind spots in diagnosing and treating women. We hear from leading experts, including Dr. Gillian Einstein and Dr. Jeffrey Mogil, about how medical research has historically defaulted to male subjects—resulting in treatments that often overlook or misrepresent women’...

In this first episode of The Fifth Wave, host Avis Favaro explores the pervasive issue of gender data gaps and how women have been historically excluded from research that shapes our daily lives all over the planet.  Drawing from Caroline Criado Perez’s book “Invisible Women”, this episode unpacks the systemic biases in medicine, urban planning and public policy that continue to favour men.  Featu...

In The Fifth Wave: Curing the Healthcare Bias against Women , healthcare champions, the IWK Foundation, bring to light the profound and often dangerous consequences the gap in women’s health and research has had on women. The study of human biology has defaulted to the male body, which has hindered understanding of sex-based biological differences and results in fewer available and less effective...