Ep. 11: Alicia's story & the "productive rage" that's raised over $120,000 for ovarian cancer

Ep. 12: Melanie's story & the pelvic health conversation we need to be having

Amy is joined today by Melanie Sutherland — the CEO and founder of Body Co, a multidisciplinary clinic in Toronto. She is also a recognized pelvic health & perinatal physiotherapist. Melanie started her clinic 12 years ago because she got tired of being shuttled between different practitioners who never talked to each other. She never planned to work in pelvic health — until a humbling moment in training made her realize her own pelvic floor wasn't what she thought it was. Now she watches women suffer from untreated perimenopause and pelvic floor symptoms because they don't know the care exists, that it's covered by benefits, or what to expect. In this episode, Melanie talks about the gap between what women need and what the system offers, why kegels aren't always the answer, and what actually happens in an appointment. Key Components * How she accidentally became a pelvic health expert: Until she realized her own pelvic floor wasn't what she thought. * The gap between Canada and other countries: Why France gets 12 paid appointments after birth and we get silence. * Why half the women doing kegels are making their problems worse: Nobody checks under the hood first. * What actually happens in a pelvic health appointment: It's not what you think. * Why saying things are "common" in pelvic health actually gives women a permission slip to not investigate further. "When you look to European cultures, like France, when you have a baby, you get 12 paid pelvic health appointments afterwards. But we're so prudish here in Canada." Check out Body Co. Toronto [https://bodycotoronto.com/] Connect with Melanie on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/bodycotoronto/] 👉 Click here to join the movement at downthereaware.org [https://www.downthereaware.org/] 🩲 Subscribe, like, and share to show us you care! 🤘 Podcast produced by Binge-Worthy Studio For informational and entertainment purposes only — not medical advice. We're here to get loud, not to play doctor.

Ep. 11: Alicia's story & the "productive rage" that's raised over $120,000 for ovarian cancer

Alicia Tone is a PhD in ovarian cancer biology, the Director of Research at Ovarian Cancer Canada, and the founder of Run for Her [https://runforher.ca/]—a trail running event that's raised over $120,000 since 2020. What started as a solo half-marathon fundraiser during COVID turned into something bigger: a community-driven event that brings together patient advocates, local businesses, and women who want to change outcomes for people living with ovarian cancer. In this episode, Alicia talks about what she's seeing in women's health research funding, why her work as a scientist matters less without the human stories behind it, and the productive rage that fuels everything she does. Key Components: * How a solo fundraiser became a movement, and what happens when you just share what you're doing and let people show up. * The glaring gap in women's health research funding: Why ovarian cancer is still the underdog—and what that means for outcomes. * "Poductive rage" and what happens when you channel dismissal and frustration into action. "There's been this overarching theme of dismissing women. Dismissing women who come knowing that there's something wrong in their bodies. Unfortunately, that's the overwhelming theme anytime I survey individuals who've been diagnosed with ovarian cancer." 👟 Check out Run For Her [https://runforher.ca/]  Connect with Alicia on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/aliciaatone/] 👉 Click here to join the movement at downthereaware.org [https://www.downthereaware.org/] 🩲 Subscribe, like, and share to show us you care! 🤘 Podcast produced by Binge-Worthy Studio For informational and entertainment purposes only — not medical advice. We're here to get loud, not to play doctor.

Ep. 10: Jill's story & the nervous system piece of endometriosis nobody talks about

Jill Mueller is a pelvic floor physiotherapist from Hamilton, Ontario, and she has endometriosis. She had surgery to treat it... and it didn't work. Instead of accepting that, she went looking for answers and discovered something that changed everything about how she treats women with endo: the nervous system. Now she's not only treating patients but has co-founded an interdisciplinary program, Endometriosis360 [http://www.endometriosis360.ca], bringing together specialists who actually talk to each other. In this episode, Jill will challenge everything you think you know about pain, tells you what doctors don't tell us, and explains why the missing piece in women's healthcare might not be what you expect. Key Components: * Why your pain doesn't always match what doctors find, and what Jill learned when her surgery changed nothing. * What medical schools aren't teaching doctors about chronic pain * What happens when you have an endometriosis specialist, a pelvic physio, a psychologist, and a dietitian actually talking to each other and you stop working in silos * The conversation about your nervous system that you've probably never had, and why it matters that you have it now. "96% of medical schools have zero compulsory education in pain in North America for doctors. So they're not great at treating chronic symptoms and persistent pain." 👉 Connect with Jill on Instagram — @endotogether [https://www.instagram.com/endotogether/], @endometriosis360 [https://www.instagram.com/endometriosis360/], @oakvillephysio [https://www.instagram.com/oakvillephysio/] 👉 Check out the Endometriosis360 program [https://endometriosis360.ca/] — opening internationally to people who speak and understand English 👉 Visit the Healthy Balance Physiotherapy And Wellness [https://www.hbpw.ca/] clinic in Oakville, Ontario 👉 Click here to join the movement at downthereaware.org [https://www.downthereaware.org/] 🩲 Subscribe, like, and share to show us you care! 🤘 Podcast produced by Binge-Worthy Studio For informational and entertainment purposes only — not medical advice. We're here to get loud, not to play doctor.

Ep. 09: Marie's story and how walking with a weighted vest grew into a community of 600+ women

In this episode, Amy is joined by Marie Berry, the founder of YVO [https://www.instagram.com/yvowarrior/] — a women's wellness brand focused on bone health. It all started with an osteopenia diagnosis; Marie was active, athletic, doing triathlons and playing tennis, but a scan revealed something that didn't add up: her bone density was way lower than it should be for her age. So, she started walking with a weighted vest to build bone strength and the trend exploded. Women were asking which vest to use, and Marie realized none of them were designed for female bodies. So she built one herself—and in the process, accidentally created a thriving community of 600+ women walking weekly across the US. Join us for this episode where Marie talks about bone health, what the fitness industry got wrong about women's bodies, and how her indigenous roots shaped the brand she's building. Key Components: * The osteopenia diagnosis that didn't make sense, and how a very active woman discovered something was wrong and what that led her to research. * Existing weighted vests weren't designed for women: From spine curvature to where the weight sits to actually being washable, Marie figured out what was missing. * A thirty day challenge with friends that became 600+ women walking together. * Reconnecting with her Bolivian roots and what that has to do with the brand: The indigenous identity that shaped everything—from the name to the warrior energy woven into the design. "Find out who you are and do it on purpose. And it's easy to listen to it, but it's hard to internalize, and I think I understand it now." Connect with Marie on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/marieberry008/] Check out YVO and join The Warrior Tribe [https://yvowarrior.com/] 👉 Click here to join the movement at downthereaware.org [https://www.downthereaware.org/] 🩲 Subscribe, like, and share to show us you care! 🤘 Podcast produced by Binge-Worthy Studio For informational and entertainment purposes only — not medical advice. We're here to get loud, not to play doctor.

Ep. 08: Rashidah's story & how to build your village for postpartum

Rashidah is a registered nurse, certified nurse midwife, lactation consultant, and doula from Chicago with 30 years in women's health. She spent decades in labor and delivery, taught nursing students for 20 years, and recently retired to do what she's always wanted—be a postpartum doula and lactation consultant. But Rashidah also has her own story. She spent years managing heavy periods and fibroids, refusing surgery until Covid made the decision for her. In this episode, she talks about the village we need to build around postpartum moms, why "bouncing back" is a myth, and why women need to stop keeping their health a secret. Key Components: * A C-section is major surgery that we treat like it's nothing, and what that actually means for your body in the weeks after. * The postpartum village is not optional—it's essential. Asking for help isn't weakness, and you need people showing up before you fall apart. * How menopause can show up as a hot wave, not a flash: even surprising someone who's spent 30 years in women's health. * The advice that seems obvious but apparently still needs saying: From douching to taking up space, what women actually need to hear. "A C-section is a major surgery, and we act like it isn't because we do so many of them" 👉 Click here to join the movement at downthereaware.org [https://www.downthereaware.org/] 🩲 Subscribe, like, and share to show us you care! 🤘 Podcast produced by Binge-Worthy Studio For informational and entertainment purposes only — not medical advice. We're here to get loud, not to play doctor.