Columns

The words “palliative care” often frighten those of us living with a life-threatening illness. This is because the term historically has been associated with end-of-life care due to its link with hospice care. But the two terms were formally separated in 1990, when the World Health Organization officially recognized palliative…

Even in normal times, holidays can be a huge vector for illness. Viruses that thrive during the colder months, such as influenza, can cause serious problems for those with compromised immune systems or poor pulmonary function. This year, with the novel coronavirus, the…

Learning to use supplemental oxygen as a young adult was arguably the hardest part of my idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) diagnosis. My life changed once I required the help of a plastic tube with two prongs up my nose to complete basic tasks that most people take for…

I have never met a cohort of people more resilient than children. I am reminded of this every day in my career, as I am privileged to walk alongside families facing hardships and discuss with parents and caregivers how to help their children through difficult times. As a trained therapist,…

Earlier this month, I wrote a column about mental health and therapy options available during the pandemic. Hopefully, I made a strong case for giving therapy a try if you have been hesitant. I will always encourage people to try it out, but I…

Many people around the world complain about the cold, dark winter months. This is even true for Canadians who “should” be used to the frigid temperatures our country experiences every year. I know more people dislike the cold than the heat, but cold weather doesn’t pose health risks to…

Oct. 10 was World Mental Health Day. I am a bit late to the party, but with a twice-monthly publishing schedule, this is my first opportunity to share a column inspired by Mental Health Day. In previous columns, I have discussed my mental health struggles and how I use…

I began hearing the term “toxic positivity” this year, and the pandemic has illuminated the term’s meaning for me. According to The Psychology Group in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, toxic positivity refers to “the excessive and ineffective overgeneralization of a happy, optimistic state across all situations.” Since the beginning of…

Last week was the first of an eight-week Pulmonary Wellness Foundation (PWF) peer support group. I have been collaborating with the PWF since January to build this unique peer support group for patients with pulmonary fibrosis. It was surreal to finally launch it. Though I’ve always advocated for the…

People who endure a traumatic experience often divide their lives into before and after the trauma. I’ve heard this is true of those who survive a transplant in the lung disease community. Pre-transplant life is very different than post-operative life. I anticipate this will be true for me post transplant;…