The world doesn’t need another health site. That’s why we created something that’s so much more.
Welcome to Healthing,
a place for trending health news and credible information, but also a destination for inspiration, advocacy, connection and real-life stories.
We are passionate about lived experience and giving a voice to people who face illness, trauma and loss, and also recovery and survival — stories that help others move forward. Stories that spark that thing in all of us that makes us want to reach out, get loud, speak up and make change happen.
Just as important is our focus on credible, expert information to help you manage your health, and the health of the people you care about. Our top-notch journalists go grassroots, talking to those on the frontlines of disease — healthcare providers, advocates, industry, policymakers, patients and caregivers — to bring you fresh, honest, and informative firsthand perspectives on living with illness, advocating for change and shaping policy.
We also value our partnerships
. From patient and advocacy associations, educational institutions, government and industry partners, Healthing’s Verified Voices program is a growing network of resources that complement our already robust coverage of health and wellness. We are dedicated to supporting organizations that work hard to make life better for Canadians, and whether their mission is disease awareness or influencing policy, Healthing is committed to helping them tell their stories and share their knowledge — not only because you should hear about it, but because it’s the right thing to do.
Sound like we are doing a lot? Absolutely. And it’s amazing.
It’s nice to see you here.
The Healthing Team
Our editorial team
Lisa Machado, Executive Producer
Lisa is a former financial journalist who, after being diagnosed with a rare leukemia, turned her attention to the challenges faced by patients in the healthcare system. She is a leading patient and caregiver advocate, and has been interviewed writes a regular column called, SHIFT, that takes a look at life through the lens of a consumer of healthcare. In addition to her work on Healthing, she runs a non-profit organization that supports people living with
Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia
. When she’s not writing, Lisa is hanging with her two fabulously cool kids, or cuddled up with her dogs Ezekiel and Archie while listening to Springsteen on repeat.
Emma Jones, Writer/Editor
Emma Jones is a Graduate Fellow and a Master of Journalism candidate at Ryerson University, holding an Honours in Neuroscience from the University of Toronto. She was previously named a Venture Sinai Fellow for her ability to engage audiences of varying backgrounds in complex, scientific topics. As well as being the Podcast Editor for current season of the Review of Journalism podcast Pull Quotes, Emma leads Healthing’s “
What it Feels Like
” series, which tells powerful stories of courage and resilience. When she isn’t writing, Emma enjoys watching ’80s horror movies and rearranging the furniture when her partner’s back is turned. To date, Emma considers her greatest accomplishments cutting back to two cups of coffee a day and getting through the entire series of Lost — yes, even the last season.
Maija Kappler, Writer/Editor
Maija is a reporter, writer and editor who’s originally from Montreal, but is now based in Toronto. She’s previously worked at HuffPost Canada and The Canadian Press, and her work has appeared in The Globe & Mail, the Toronto Star, La Presse, Maisonneuve, The Hairpin, and The Walrus. Her name is pronounced like Maya.
Contributors
Sadaf Ahsan
is a freelance arts and culture writer and web editor. She moonlights as co-host of Frequency Podcasts’ The Reheat and as blog editor at Shameless Magazine. Her work has also appeared in Refinery29, Bitch, and Chatelaine.
Nick Beare
is a freelance writer, journalist and all around fun guy. Born and raised in the GTA, Nick lives in Toronto with his wife and dog, Mugsy, who is prominently featured in as many articles as possible. When he’s not trying out new recipes in the kitchen, Nick enjoys exploring the Toronto food scene and travelling as much as possible (mostly for the food). Also an admitted sports fanatic, Nick feeds his addiction by playing golf in one half of the year and watching the Montreal Canadiens in the other. He can be reached at
n.beare@yahoo.com
.
Maja Begovic
is a marketing and communications director at
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada
. Her work has appeared in The Globe and Mail, National Post and other Postmedia publications. Maja contributes expertly written disease awareness stories to Healthing, and helps readers find answers to their most pressing questions. Her advice column,
Asking For a Friend
, appears every Friday.
Andy De Santis
is a registered dietitian and author with a private practice in the Toronto area. He is also an avid nutrition blogger who spends his free time either eating, writing or talking about kale. Beyond writing and working with clients, Andy has a special passion for food humour, which you can find @AndyTheRD.
Vanessa Hrvatin
is a multimedia journalist, science writer, and science communications specialist. She was the 2017/2018 recipient of the Michelle Lang Fellowship, and spent a year working at the
National Post
and
Calgary Herald
on a series about Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) which was published in Postmedia newspapers across the country. Her work has also appeared in the
Globe and Mail
,
Maclean’s, Reader’s Digest,
the
Canadian Medial Association Journal News
and the
Toronto Star
, and she spent time at Global News BC as a broadcast writer.When she isn’t writing, you’ll find Vanessa curled up with a good book, hiking a mountain, or on a tennis court.
Dave Yasvinski
is a freelance writer, editor and designer with over two decades of experience in Canadian media. His most recent work has focused on the health and cannabis industries, two subjects near and dear to his heart. When not locked to his laptop, Dave enjoys long walks on the beach with his dog, quiet nights in with his wife and spending quality time with his guitar. He can be reached at
yasvinski@gmail.com
or the local dog park.
Verified Voices & Industry Partners
BioSyent
BioSyent Pharma
Inc. is based in Mississauga, Ont., and is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange (TSXV:RX). BioSyent’s products provide a distinguishable benefit to patients and their healthcare providers, and are distributed to pharmacies and hospitals throughout Canada.
BioSyent Pharma Inc. has deep expertise and experience in the iron deficiency anemia therapy and prevention market, and is the maker of
FeraMAX®
, the #1 recommended oral iron supplement in Canada by physicians and pharmacists.
Canadian Digestive Health Foundation
Canadian Digestive Health Foundation (CDHF)
is Canada’s trusted resource on digestive health. Committed to providing useful, up-to-date information and research to help Canadians better manage digestive conditions and live healthier lives.
Centre for Mindfulness Studies
The
Centre for Mindfulness Studies
is a charitable social enterprise founded in 2011 in downtown Toronto. It is the leading
professional development
and service delivery organization for
mindfulness-based interventions
in Canada. The centre provides mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), mindful self-compassion (MSC) and specialized mindfulness training to the general public, healthcare providers, and social service professionals.
Clinical Trials Ontario
Clinical Trials Ontario (CTO)
is a leading organization in the clinical trials community dedicated to strengthening, promoting and capitalizing on Ontario’s competitive advantages for conducting high-quality clinical trials. Clinical Trials Ontario works collaboratively with industry, research institutes, patients and the public and other health innovation organizations to improve the clinical trials environment and attract investment to the province, while supporting the highest ethical and quality standards.
Diabetes Canada
Diabetes Canada, formerly The Canadian Diabetes Association, is a registered charity supporting patients, caregivers and healthcare professionals, and advocating for an end to the disease. A selection of their work is shared with Healthing readers
here
.
Insulet
Insulet Corporation
is an innovative medical device company dedicated to making the lives of people with diabetes and other conditions easier through the use of its Omnipod® product platform. The Omnipod® Insulin Management System provides a unique alternative to traditional insulin delivery methods. With its simple, wearable design, the disposable Pod provides up to three days of non-stop insulin delivery, without the need to see or handle a needle. Insulet also leverages the unique design of its Pod, by tailoring its Omnipod® technology platform for the delivery of non-insulin subcutaneous drugs across multiple therapeutic areas. Founded in 2000, more than 140,000 users across the globe rely on Insulet’s Omnipod ® Insulin Management System to bring simplicity and freedom to their lives.
Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada
Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada
is the single largest voluntary health agency dedicated to blood cancers in Canada. LLSC funds lifesaving blood cancer research across the country and provides information and support services free of charge to people affected by a blood cancer and their families. Its mission is to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of Canadians affected by blood cancers.
Movember Canada
Movember Canada
is the leading charity changing the face of men’s health on a global scale, focusing on mental health and suicide prevention, prostate cancer, and testicular cancer. The charity raises funds to deliver innovative, breakthrough research and support programs that enable men to live happier, healthier, and longer lives. Committed to disrupting the status quo, millions have joined the movement, helping fund over 1,250 projects around the world.
Obesity Canada
Obesity Canada-Obésité Canada
is Canada’s authoritative voice on evidence-based approaches for obesity prevention, treatment and policy. Our mission is to improve the lives of Canadians affected by obesity through the advancement of anti-discrimination, prevention and treatment efforts.
Save Your Skin Foundation
Save Your Skin Foundation (SYSF)
is a national patient-led not-for-profit group dedicated to the fight against non-melanoma skin cancers, melanoma and ocular melanoma through nationwide education, advocacy, and awareness initiatives. Save Your Skin Foundation is committed to playing an active role in reducing the incidence of skin cancer in Canada, and to providing compassionate support for all Canadians living with skin cancers.
SUBMISSIONS
Healthing welcomes submissions for both reported stories and opinion pieces. Published work may range in length from 400 to 1,200 words. We may also consider pitches for longer essays or investigations.
Submissions should be pasted into the body of your email and include:
- A one-sentence bio outlining your expertise
- A one- to two-paragraph summary of the enclosed work or idea
- A return email and telephone number
Contributions should be for original, previously unpublished work. Facts and quotations must be attributed to original sources either in the text itself or in annotations.
Submissions may be sent to
submissions@healthing.ca
.
Unfortunately, because of the volume of email we receive we will reply only if we are interested in discussing your idea. We endeavour to respond to contributions within five business days.
What we’re looking for
Unique, well-written perspectives on what it means to live with a health challenges, or care about someone who does — including reflections on the psychology of illness and recovery, gaps in care and bold new ideas for addressing them.
Experts’ views of the current culture of care, debates about new research and treatments and insight into the critical issues shaping our future health. Diversity of experience, opinion and expertise are welcome.
Editorial Guidelines
Healthing is operated by Postmedia Network Inc., one of Canada’s largest news networks with over 120 print and digital brands including the National Post.
CONTENT
EDITORIAL CONTENT
Editorial content is designed to inform, educate, and provide value to the reader. It is written by our staff on topics of interest to a broad array of Canadians. Content posted on Healthing includes original reporting and commentary by staff, freelance contributors and columnists, as well as work created by syndicated wire services such as The Canadian Press and not-for-profit producers such as The Conversation, Healthy Debate and McMaster University’s Brighter World.
Reference material on Healthing related to specific medical symptoms, diseases and treatments is provided by A.D.A.M., a consumer and clinical health information producer. Based in the United States, A.D.A.M. is accredited by URAC (also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission), is a founding member of Hi-ethics (which stands for Health Internet Ethics) and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation.
SPONSORED CONTENT
Sponsored content is content that is paid for by an advertiser and is usually paired with content ads. It is categorized into two areas:
-
Custom Content is any article, infographic, video or dynamic web page that is commercially produced by Postmedia Content Works branded content studio on behalf of the client, which then goes through an approval process with the client before publishing.
-
Advertorial Content is content provided by the client, which is lightly edited by Content Works to ensure it adheres to Postmedia’s branding guidelines.
In collaboration with clients, we tap into the expertise of health professionals, producers, videographers and writers to craft compelling stories. For health-related content, we will submit to Ads Standards Canada for review and approval to ensure compliance with laws and Health Canada’s regulatory guidelines. Our sponsored articles are published in the pages of Postmedia’s iconic titles, next to editorial content from our trusted brands.
VERIFIED VOICES
Content from Verified Voices is non-commercial. We bring together trusted sources of content through our Verified Voice partnerships with patient associations, research institutes and healthcare industry stakeholders by providing relevant, reliable and actionable information to enable patients and caregivers to become informed and active participants in managing their healthcare. All content published under our Verified Voice partnerships has been vetted and comply with the Healthing editorial charter.
Our producers, in collaboration with Healthing’s editorial team, will review and select submitted content pieces by the partner for publication, which will live in a dedicated space on our Healthing network for the year.
ACCURACY
All editorial content posted on Healthing strives for accuracy, objectivity and balance.
Images, excerpts and quotations are clearly attributed and fairly, faithfully reproduced. Any amendments are undertaken only for clarification of meaning or context or as otherwise required by law. Amendments and corrections are explicitly noted for readers.
TRANSPARENCY
Stories expressing a specific point of view are differentiated by labels including “Advice,” “Opinion” or “Commentary.”
Educational or informational material provided by external groups — for example, patient associations, or other media partners — is identified by a byline style that includes the organizations’ name and/or logo. Further information and a link to originating content creators is also included for each story. Postmedia is not responsible for content provided by third parties. Any concerns or questions regarding licensed or supplied content should be addressed directly with the content provider.
Paid content is explicitly identified by labels such as “Sponsored by,” “Promoted by,” or a label such as “Paid advertisement.”
RESPECT
Many health stories deal with deeply personal, highly sensitive issues and may feature individuals with little or no experience speaking to the press. Contributors to Healthing must be clear with potential subjects as to why they are being approached for comment or other participation in a story and where final material may be published.
Any coverage of death by suicide must be discussed with a masthead editor. Stories should not include details on how a person has taken their own life. All material related to suicide will include information on where to seek help for those in crisis.
PRIVACY
Healthing reserves the right to keep the identity of a story subject private in cases where not doing so compromises the health, physical or emotional safety of the subject.
FAIR COMMENT
Contributors must give the primary subjects of their stories the right to reply to relevant material prior to publication. If subjects have not responded in a reasonable time frame, stories should note what efforts were made to reach them.
CORRECTIONS
Significant factual errors are flagged for immediate review by senior editors. Should fixes be required, they are acknowledged in a note added to the original story and corrected in the body of the text.
Postmedia does not “unpublish” content or remove details (names, for example) other than for legal reasons. Inquiries for a possible exception to this rule must be made in writing care of the editor-in-chief.
COMPLAINTS
Postmedia is a member of the National NewsMedia Council. A self-regulating ethics board founded in 2015, the NNC adjudicates complaints “concerning fairness of coverage, relevance, balance and accuracy of news and opinion reporting.”
TERMS OF USE
Our content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have questions or concerns about a medical issue, always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor, or 911, immediately. We believe in and support diverse and inclusive conversations — harassment, hateful and disrespectful speech will not be tolerated.
PRIVACY
Healthing is committed to protecting your privacy and safeguarding your personal information and we always strive to be transparent about the data we collect about you, how it is used and with whom it is shared. The Postmedia Privacy Policy (available here) and this Privacy Statement (collectively, the “Privacy Policy”) describe how we may collect, use and disclose Personal Information of subscribers, customers, site visitors, etc. (collectively “you” or “Users”). For more information on privacy, click here.
CONTACT US
Have a personal story to share? Click here to get in touch with our editorial team.
Want to join our team of contributors? Chat with our editors
Want to subscribe to our newsletter? Click here to sign up
Interested in becoming a Healthing Verified Voice? Click here
