My wife, Joanna, has been perimenopausal for several years. In this interview, we talk about the effect it had on her mental health and her body, and how she knew it was perimenopause. She shares her decision process when she was offered to take HRT (hormone replacement therapy), despite the stigma and risks that are related to it. We also talk about lifestyle changes that can help with perimenopause. Joanna emphasizes the need to raise awareness about perimenopause and the importance of talking about it, at home or more broadly.

The song Joanna chose is I wanna dance with somebody by Whitney Houston.

Mark raises critical questions about prevention in this interview, as Type 2 Diabetes can be prevented. He talks about his relationship with food and the changes he has made to his diet since his diagnosis. We discuss how the healthcare system addresses Type 2, focusing on the symptoms rather than the root cause of those symptoms. Mark shares his recommendations on lifestyle changes that can help prevent Type 2 Diabetes, in his fight to increase prevention of the disease.

Mark selected two songs: Sympathy for the Devil by the Rolling Stones and We are family by Sister Sledge.

Bianca is the mother of Lotta, who was born with Rett Syndrome. In this discussion, Bianca shares about her daughter's diagnosis, the lack of support when they received this life-changing information, and how they have adapted to it. We discuss the level of care Lotta requires and the impact on the family life. Bianca also shares the many emotions she has felt over the years, as she went through this journey with her daughter, and how caring for her has changed her.

The song Bianca chose is Easy Little Song by A.J. Jenkins.

Ataxia is a group of disorders that affect the muscles, impacting co-ordination, balance and speech. Kristy saw it affect her family before being diagnosed herself. It was hard for her to accept the diagnosis and she explains that she withdrew from society for many years, until she finally thought to herself: "no surrender". She talks about what she does now to raise awareness about ataxia and to support others who may go through a similar journey to hers.

The song Kristy chose is Defiant by VNV Nation.

Brooke was 29 when she had the first symptoms of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, commonly known as ALS. She talks about how the confirmation of her diagnosis impacted her mentally, and how she finally decided to embrace her condition and become a patient advocate. Brooke's condition does not progress as fast as it typically does, although she is fully aware that it keeps progressing. She has a positive attitude, raising awareness and advocating for people living with ALS.

The song Brooke chose is Kokomo by The Beach Boys.

Alex is Niko's dad, a 7-year old boy living with Cornelia de Lange Syndrome. In this first interview of a parent on the podcast, we talk about the worry as a parent when the fetus does not develop as expected. Alex shares about Niko's development after birth, the impact of the condition on Niko's body and the level of care they give him to make sure he grows as healthily as possible. We also discuss how Alex and his family communicate with Niko, considering he is non-verbal.

The song Alex selected is Nirvana's interpretation of Where did you sleep last night.

Hawken Miller lives with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. He has been a patient advocate for several years, raising awareness alongside the organization his parents founded, CureDuchenne. In this interview, Hawken talks about the impact of Duchenne on his body, how he still managed to take part in activities as he was growing up, and his hopes for future treatments to reduce the condition's progress. He also explains how CureDuchenne plays a crucial part in discovering new treatments for patients living with Duchenne.

The song Hawken chose is Clocks by Coldplay.

Occipital Horn Syndrome is an extremely rare disease. David Rose is only aware of a few people living with this condition. It took him many years to be diagnosed accurately, although he had been told early on that his condition was similar to Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS)*. In our discussion, David shares tips about how to look after your mental health and how to stay active when you have a rare disease. We also talk about the importance of communities, which have become more accessible through social media.

The song David chose is Mr Brightside by The Killers.

*If you want to learn more about Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, listen to episode 7 with Mackenzie Abramson.

Levi suffers from Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension (IIH), Behcet's Disease and Parkinson's Disease. In this interview, she shares about the multiple brain surgeries she has had to address her IIH and how it led to developing Parkinson's Disease. We also talked about the complexity of getting a diagnosis for Behcet's Disease, and how having three conditions impacts her ability to get a treatment that is effective.

The song Levi chose is Celestial by Ed Sheeran.

Narcolepsy is one of those conditions that people know about, mostly because media have emphasized the extreme cases where people fall asleep in the middle of a conversation. In this interview, Liz Ferguson explains that Narcolepsy is a scale that affects people differently. She shares about having cataplectic attacks that led her to her diagnosis. We also talk about how she has adapted to the condition both at work and in her day-to-day life.

The song Liz chose is Time is running out by Muse.

For this interview, Emily was lying down in bed, in a room barely lit. It was important that she found a comfortable position, which would mean she wouldn't feel the need to move. We talked about how ADHD affects her and how she manages her work around it. We also discussed depression and how difficult it was to be diagnosed accurately. Emily shared about not being medicated anymore and why she found it important to not be under medication.

The song chosen by Emily is Greatest by Sia.

Kara shares her experience of living with migraines, which can present differently in other people. She explains how her migraines used to be preceded by an aura in the first years. We talked about what she can do to reduce the risk of having a migraine, and the medication she can take to address the symptoms. We also discussed how Kara maintains a working life even when migraines can keep her bed-bound or last for several days.

The song Kara selected is Times Like These by Foo Fighters.

Anjo was working on clinical trials targeting Multiple Sclerosis (MS) when she was diagnosed with the condition. We talked about her diagnosis and why she took the news relatively well, being close to the science. She also shares how she remains active despite the illness, showing how important it is to know your body when you have a condition such as MS.

The song Anjo chose is Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd.

Ella is a patient advocate for people living with Cystic Fibrosis, a genetic condition that affects the lungs and the digestive system. Ella describes how it impacts her and what she needs to do every day to manage her condition. She shares how she feels about potentially needing a lung transplant in the future, and the implications of this procedure. We also talk about how she turned her experience as a patient into her career, as she helps pharmaceutical companies develop protocols and documents that are more easily understood by patients.

The song Ella chose is Forever by Chris Brown.

This is the first time Renato speaks openly about his condition. He was born with an extremely rare disease called Haemoglobin Bibba, which only affects two families in the world as far as he is aware. He talks about going through childhood trying to be like everyone else, and living with a condition that is not well understood. We also discuss the impact on his children and why Renato decided to open up about his condition.

The song Renato selected is Sorrento Moon by Tina Arena.

Sickle cell disease is a genetic condition that can lead to extreme pain. Dunstan shares how it affected him as he grew up, and how it has shaped who he is. Going through therapy helped him accept the disease and made him want to share about it, becoming an advocate for patients with sickle cell. We talk about how working from home makes living with a chronic disease easier to manage, how hospital visits can be traumatic, and the benefits of sharing about your health condition.

The song Dunstan chose is Pepas by Farruko.

Aaron had 21 surgeries related to his condition, Hypophosphatasia. He had to do his own research to find a potential diagnosis for himself, before it being confirmed through genetic testing. Aaron shares how the condition affected him as he was growing up. He also talks about what it is like to have a rare disease and how lengthy the diagnosis can be.

The song Aaron chose is The only exception by Paramore.

Forget what you believe you know about anorexia and listen to Dawn. She opens a window into the psychology of anorexia. She shares the social pressure she was under as a child, and how it affected her growing up. She explains why she felt like she needed to take as little space as possible. We also discussed what her path to recovery was and what she does to make sure she stays in a psychologically healthy state.

The song Dawn selected is What's going on by Marvin Gaye.

Mackenzie knew something was wrong when two different breaks wouldn't heal properly. However, it took multiple opinions before a doctor recognized the symptoms of Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS). She explains how it affects her body, her energy levels and her mental health. She also talks about two other conditions that affect her, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome and chronic fatigue syndrome.

The song Mackenzie selected is Fight Song by Rachel Platten.

Craig was aware that he might have sleep apnea, but he didn't consider it as a health issue. It's only when he was made aware of a tragic incident linked to sleep apnea that he booked an urgent appointment with his doctors. He talks about what it is like to sleep with a machine and the importance of getting checked if you think you may have sleep apnea.

The song Craig chose is Stuck in a moment you can’t get out of by U2.