Freelance lifestyle and entertainment journalist
Written for Mediaplanet’s Neurological Conditions campaign published in the National Post on March 11, 2016. When some people look at seven-year-old Jaxson, they see a brain tumour survivor who is now unable to breathe, eat, or stand on his own, but Candace Breynaert simply sees her son. Jax was just a toddler when he started vomiting profusely and […]
Written for Mediaplanet’s Women’s Health campaign published in Maclean’s magazine in March 2016. In the age of hand sanitizer and antibiotics, many avoid bacteria in order to stay healthy, but research indicates that not all bacteria are bad. “A probiotic is actually a substance made by a microorganism including bacteria and even fungi,” says Dr. Marla Shapiro, an […]
Written for Mediaplanet’s Women’s Health campaign published in Maclean’s magazine in March 2016. The parasitic infection, caused by an organism called Trichomonas vaginalis, is more common than chlamydia and gonorrhea combined. In the U.S., an estimated 3.7 million people have trichomoniasis, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but only 30 percent of patients will show signs of […]
Written for Mediaplanet’s Women in Business and Tech campaign published in the Maclean’s magazine on February 10, 2016. During Kirstine Stewart’s first week at CBC as the Head of English Language Services, a co-worker stopped her in the hall and handed her a piece of paper. Assuming the new executive was an assistant, they asked, “Can you give […]
Written for Mediaplanet’s Women’s Health campaign published in Maclean’s magazine in March 2016. In 2013, Alison Salinas was in the prime of her life. The 32-year-old public relations professional had just started her own company and was looking forward to what the future held. When she went in for a doctor’s appointment on Halloween that year — following […]
Written for Mediaplanet’s industry/labour awareness campaign. Published in Maclean’s magazine in December 2015. In 2001, after working in a lumber store for more than a decade, Andrea Coulson was struggling to build the life she wanted for her young family. “The hours were crazy; it was always nights and weekends for minimal pay,” says Coulson, a […]
Written for Mediaplanet’s Future of Cancer Care campaign. Published in the Toronto Star on December 3, 2015. Immuno-oncology, also known as immunotherapy or biological therapy, is a relatively new treatment that uses the body’s immune system to fight cancerous cells. “Cancer cells can manipulate the immune system and make it ineffective,” explains Dr. Michael Smylie, professor […]
Written for Mediaplanet’s Living with Cancer campaign. Published in the Toronto Star on November 27, 2015. Acting may be his profession, but comedian Brad Garrett says his “calling” is bettering cancer and end-of-life care — issues that are close to his heart. “I lost my best friend — we were literally like brothers — and I lost […]
Written for Mediaplanet’s Bones and Joints campaign. Published in print inside the Toronto Star in September 2015. Joints in the body function like a well-oiled machine, allowing our body to move and bend with ease. However, with time, that machine can begin to wear down, causing joints to malfunction due to conditions like osteoarthritis. “Osteoarthritis is a painful […]
Ishani Nath 