Author and physician Dr. Kathryn Mannix says health-care workers have to get comfortable with having frank conversations with patients when death is imminent, so they can be prepared.

White Coat, Black Art on CBC Radio

We need to talk more about death, says U.K. palliative care expert who's witnessed thousands die

Likening the 100-year-old hospital gown to a prisoner's orange jumpsuit, a prominent British doctor says the "alien, open-at-the-back garment" is in desperate need of a redesign.

'Undignified' 100-year-old hospital gown design in desperate need of redesign, doctor says

Dr Brian Goldman takes you into the single-room occupancy hotels of Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. His guide is Jeremy Bell, a member of TORO (Tenant Overdose Response Organizers). As a drug user and resident of a single-room occupancy hotel, Jeremy is a first-responder of a different type.

"I've saved somewhere between 750 and 800 people"

The Tucker family lives in Orillia, Ont., whose hospital is home to a clinic specializing in complex care for children living in remote parts of Ontario.

How complex care services delivered to rural areas became a 'life-changer' for this family

INTRODUCING THE DOSE: Having a high BMI is supposed to be a call to get serious about your health by losing weight. But recent studies say BMI can be inaccurate and misleading. So should you worry if your BMI is too high? To cut through the BS about BMI, Dr. Brian Goldman sits down with Dr. Arya Sharma, a professor of medicine at the University of Alberta, who just happens to be Canada’s obesity guru.

Should I worry if my BMI is too high?

Most Canadians take universal healthcare for granted - secure in the knowledge that all you have to do is walk into a clinic or hospital and you will be treated. For some half a million people who live and work amongst us, it's a different reality. This week, Dr. Brian Goldman reveals what happens to those who have no health insurance. Grace* is a 52-year-old woman who came to Canada 19 years ago to work as a nanny. She lost her access to health insurance when she lost her job. She remained in Canada, working under the table, paying for medical appointments in cash. Four months ago, she discovered a lump in her breast. She paid up front for tests that detected a tumour, but soon ran out of money. By the time she was diagnosed at a clinic for the uninsured in Toronto last month, the tumour was 3 times bigger. She now has stage 3 breast cancer, and needs life-saving surgery. Dr. Paul Caulford heads the Canadian Centre for Refugees & Immigrant Healthcare, which runs the clinic. He's fundraising for Grace's treatment and trying to find a surgeon to operate for free. Despite his best efforts, he tells Dr. Brian Goldman, the delays and lack of treatment can be deadly for some of his uninsured patients. *Note: Grace is pseudonym given to the patient who has been granted confidentiality to protect her privacy.

Pay-as-you-go health care: Uninsured people in Canada face sky-high bills, delays in treatment

Producer Lise Hosein tells her story as a patient diagnosed with papillary thyroid cancerUntil recently, treatment meant getting surgery to remove the thyroid glands. Now doctors are discovering that surgery can in many cases be safely avoided. Patients can safely choose to live with their cancer. For Lise, that seismic shift in treatment comes too late.

Choosing cancer

Lack of funding, distance, a patchwork of provincial laws and stigma are some of the barriers facing women seeking abortions in Canada, says Shannon Hardy, who volunteers as an abortion doula.

'We aren't going to hide the fact that this is what we do': How abortion doulas are breaking down stigma

In 2003, nurse Susan Sorrenti contracted SARS while working at Toronto’s Mount Sinai Hospital. As a similar virus prompts health warnings in China and around the world, Sorrenti recalls her gruelling experience and reflects on the lessons we can learn as we grapple with this new illness. Plus, an update on the emerging story from infectious disease reporter Helen Branswell of Stat News.

'Stand up for yourself': Amid coronavirus outbreak, nurse reflects on living through SARS in 2003

Nearly 3 out of 4 Canadian men live unhealthy lifestyles. The DUDES Club on Vancouver's Downtown Eastside shows that with the proper support, men can take better care of their mental and physical health no matter where they live.

The DUDES Club

Lawrence Weschler's memoir 'And How are You, Dr. Sacks' recounts his 30-plus year friendship with the famed neurologist and author, Oliver Sacks.

Writer's block, neurosis and empathy: A rare look at Dr. Oliver Sacks early career

Christine Lumilan wasn't sure she'd ever become a mother. The Toronto woman knew that having cerebral palsy, diabetes and polycystic ovaries could make pregnancy challenging. When she unexpectedly found herself pregnant, the 39-year-old woman turned to a unique clinic, and doctor to help her through her pregnancy and the birth of her son, Dawson. The Accessible Care Pregnancy Clinic and Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre has exam rooms and a birthing unit that are wheelchair accessible, as well as chairs, scales and beds that accommodate a variety of disabilities. They also coordinate specialists appointments to ensure there's a continuity in care for patients with more complicated care. But as Dr. Anne Berndl, the specialist who runs the clinic explains, the clinic is also helping women overcome another hurdle when it comes to giving birth -- attitudes from people -- even healthcare workers --- who still believe that disability is a barrier to giving birth and parenting.

'I didn't think I could have a baby': Toronto pregnancy clinic supports women with disabilities

Three guests bring a book that touched them personally, and says something important about heath care

Read two chapters and call me in the morning: The White Coat Black Art book club

CBC Radio's Dr. Brian Goldman takes listeners through the swinging doors of hospitals and doctors' offices, behind the curtain where the gurney lies.

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White Coat, Black Art on CBC Radio

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