Health

Beautiful Mess is a series that mines the wisdom of parents in Saskatchewan who have experienced difficult circumstances.When Dennie Fornwald got a call at work on a Friday morning that her 11-year-old hadn't shown up to school, the Regina woman felt sick to her stomach. The school, her friends and family and eventually the police were all out searching for her child. Police eventually located the Grade 6 student outside the Saskatchewan legislature. Kiké, who uses they/them pronouns, had printed off small flyers about climate change and was handing them out to people. "That day and the days before, I felt so down and hopeless," Kiké said. "I had read books that action is the best antidote for this. I felt there was nothing else I could do, so I went to the legislature alone."Fornwald was ...

Liberal Party pledges to make an access to abortion fund permanent, spend up to $20,000 for IVF treatment and invest in data collection on issues like menopause are welcomed initiatives, some women's health advocates say.But they also cautioned that the party needs to release more details, particularly on how such initiatives would be funded. While the IVF program did lay out an actual dollar amount, the party's platform does not detail how much it would invest in other reproductive health programs."I'm excited about visible commitments to women's reproductive health, women's safety, gender," said Frédérique Chabot, executive director of Action Canada for Sexual Health and Rights, an organization that advocates for sexual and reproductive health issues in Canada and globally. "There's a lo...

A London woman injured in a car crash says she's left with no choice but to pay to see a doctor in the United States after waiting almost two years for a diagnosis from an Ontario spine surgeon.Sydney Gesualdi was rear-ended at a red light in July 2023, after which she was initially diagnosed with whiplash and tissue damage. In the weeks that followed, the 25-year-old lost the ability to walk, started having trouble swallowing and speaking, and had numbness in her face and limbs. "None of these symptoms have gone away, and it's been almost two years," Gesualdi said. "I'm 25 and I can't walk."She now has to use a wheelchair and wears a neck brace at all times. Gesualdi's family physician has referred her to eight doctors at spinal clinics across the province, but so far, she's been denied a...

Ahead of the federal election, Canadians are worried about access to health care. Some private clinics, which are growing in number, charge thousands a year for primary care and out-of-pocket fees, as many people struggle with a soaring cost of living.An estimated 6.5 million Canadian adults don't have a regular health-care provider like a family doctor or nurse practitioner.Dr. Rita McCracken, a family physician in Vancouver and primary care researcher at the University of British Columbia, said the shift toward private, for-profit clinics continues while principles of the Canada Health Act hang in the balance this federal election. She was recruited by what she calls a boutique clinic, though she never joined.The Canada Health Act prohibits charging for an essential medical service like ...

A potential new law introducing involuntary drug treatment in Alberta would become the first of its kind in the country.Premier Danielle Smith says the point of the proposed Compassionate Intervention Act is to help severely addicted people who are at risk of hurting themselves or someone else. Some parents who have watched their child struggle with addiction want involuntary treatment legalized, while critics of the bill question whether it will be effective and what exactly should be done if a person cannot give informed consent to get treated.LISTEN | Alberta at Noon: Forced drug treatment in AlbertaAlberta at Noon52:40Forced drug treatment in AlbertaAlberta is one step closer to a new law allowing forced treatments for addiction, even if the patient says "no". We ask if you think it wi...

An Ontario café chain has scored a win in its fight with Canadian food regulators to keep selling Vegemite at its stores. Earlier this year, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) told Leighton Walters, an Australian-Canadian dual citizen who owns the Found Coffee chain located in Toronto and Guelph, that the batch of Vegemite he'd imported to sell at his stores was non-compliant with Health Canada regulations. That put roughly $8,000 worth of Vegemite, which Walters has already paid for, in jeopardy.But in an email to CBC News sent late Friday, the federal agency says a health risk assessment from Health Canada has since determined that the level of risk to human health from the added vitamins in Vegemite is low when consumed in suggested serving sizes. "As such, the CFIA will work wi...

The Dose22:15What do I need to know about the federal government's role in health care?Most Canadians know it's a provincial or territorial health card they carry in their wallets, not a federal one.Still, the election April 28 does present an opportunity to have a say on certain aspects of health care the federal government controls, and to hold lawmakers — and would-be lawmakers — to account, health policy experts say.Medical sociologist Amélie Quesnel-Vallée, Canada Research Chair in Policies and Health Inequalities, says the federal government can "play an important role in aligning our various health systems, especially as we are facing an aging population with increasing needs and burdens."Although tariffs and annexation threats stemming from the U.S. have eclipsed health care as a m...

The Alberta government appointed Dr. Sunil Sookram as interim chief medical officer of health Thursday amid growing measles outbreaks and after the previous top doctor left the role earlier this week.Sookram takes over for Dr. Mark Joffe, whose contract ended on Monday, after it had been extended for two weeks. Premier Danielle Smith confirmed this week that Joffe left of his own accord. He had been the province's top doctor since 2022.In a statement, the province said Sookram's temporary appointment ensures continuity while arrangements are finalized for a longer-term replacement. More information will be shared in the coming weeks as the process progresses, the province said.Sookram is currently the facility medical director and chief of medical staff at Strathcona Community Hospital in ...

The IWK Health Centre says it has been bombarded with feedback as it looks to overhaul its menu.The Halifax hospital for women and children launched a survey in March, asking current and former IWK families to weigh in on the Dial for Dining food services.It operates similar to room service at a hotel, allowing patients and their families to order off a menu around the clock.Andrea Penney, the manager of food services, said she was shocked by the response. At least 900 surveys were completed before the deadline on Friday night."This shows how important nourishment is in the patient journey and what an impact it has," she said. "We know that it's one of the items that when you're in hospital you can control."The IWK is launching a new computer system in August that will include changes to t...

You can bet politicians and party strategists know what they want the 2025 Canadian election to be about.But what about Canadian voters?You're heading to work, maybe raising kids and paying the bills. If you could set the agenda, what would you ask the candidates to talk about as they try to win your vote?This year, CBC journalists are hitting the road with a special election project we're calling What Matters.We're in communities across the country asking a simple question: What matters to you? We hope to hear more about the personal challenges, fears and hopes that are shaping your vote. We're also inviting anyone to participate through a simple email. What issue matters the most to you this federal election, and why? Share your personal stories with us at ask@cbc.ca. Drop us a line...