Your Complex Brain

In this bonus episode, we share Adriana Salazar's powerful and emotional journey. Adriana, a 40-year-old mother and wife, first experienced the pain on her honeymoon in Portugal. The pain disappeared but returned during her pregnancy, escalating to a point where she couldn't smile or eat. Despite seeing multiple specialists, she received her diagnosis only after her daughter's birth.After undergoing microvascular decompression surgery, Adriana finally found relief. Her journey from debilitating pain and struggles with misdiagnoses to reclaiming her life highlights the resilience and strength of those battling trigeminal neuralgia.Additional ResourcesDr. Hodaie was interviewed on Season 1 of Your Complex Brain – "The most painful brain disease you've never heard of"Toronto neurosurgeon marks 1,000th operation treating 'excruciating' facial pain syndrome (CBC story)Dr. Hodaie recounts her journey from new immigrant to neurosurgeon (video)Brain Aging in Fast Forward (UHN Research article)Dr. Hodaie was a featured speaker at KBI's first-ever 'International Day of Women and Girls in Science' event (video)The Your Complex Brain production team is Heather Sherman, Jessica Schmidt, Dr. Amy Ma, Kim Perry, Alley Wilson, Sara Yuan, Meagan Anderi, Liz Chapman, and Lorna Gilfedder.The Krembil Brain Institute, part of University Health Network, in Toronto, is home to one of the world's largest and most comprehensive teams of physicians and scientists uniquely working hand-in-hand to prevent and confront problems of the brain and spine, such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, epilepsy, stroke, spinal cord injury, chronic pain, brain cancer or concussion, in their lifetime. Through state-of-the-art patient care and advanced research, we are working relentlessly toward finding new treatments and cures.Do you want to know more about the Krembil Brain Institute at UHN? Visit us at: uhn.ca/krembilTo get in touch, email us at [email protected] or message us on social media:Instagram - @krembilresearchTwitter - @KBI_UHNFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/KrembilBrainInstituteThanks for listening!

Today, we’re diving into the deeply personal journey of Julianne Hazelwood, a journalist and new mother, who has lived with epilepsy since her early teenage years. Julianne shares her transformational experience of motherhood, the challenges of managing epilepsy, and how The Lullaby Project—a group that brings together expectant mothers with songwriters to create a song for their baby—became a therapeutic outlet during her pregnancy.Additional ResourcesThe Lullaby ProjectThe Lullaby Project PlaylistJulianne Hazlewood's CBC radio documentary on White Coat Black ArtDr. Esther Bui was interviewed in Season 2 of Your Complex Brain podcast - A New Era in Women's Brain Health: Closing the Gap on Delayed DiagnosisAdvancing Women's Neurology through Education, Research and Advocacy (U of T story featuring Dr. Esther Bui & Dr. Aleksandra Pikula)Dr. Esther Bui was featured in UHN Foundation 'Know Your Heroes' seriesThe Your Complex Brain production team is Heather Sherman, Jessica Schmidt, Dr. Amy Ma, Kim Perry, Alley Wilson, Sara Yuan, Meagan Anderi, Liz Chapman, and Lorna Gilfedder.The Krembil Brain Institute, part of University Health Network, in Toronto, is home to one of the world's largest and most comprehensive teams of physicians and scientists uniquely working hand-in-hand to prevent and confront problems of the brain and spine, such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, epilepsy, stroke, spinal cord injury, chronic pain, brain cancer or concussion, in their lifetime. Through state-of-the-art patient care and advanced research, we are working relentlessly toward finding new treatments and cures.Do you want to know more about the Krembil Brain Institute at UHN? Visit us at: uhn.ca/krembilTo get in touch, email us at [email protected] or message us on social media:Instagram - @krembilresearchTwitter - @KBI_UHNFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/KrembilBrainInstituteThanks for listening!

In this powerful and inspiring bonus episode, we delve into the remarkable journey of Shruti Kothari, a 34-year-old actress and stroke survivor. On March 7, 2020, just before the pandemic shook the world, Shruti experienced a stroke while hosting friends at her apartment. Her left side went numb, and thanks to a quick-thinking friend trained in recognizing stroke symptoms, paramedics were called immediately. Shruti’s story is not just one of survival but thriving against all odds. She talks about her rehabilitation process, an innovative program that helped her regain movement in her arm, and her determination to continue her acting career. Despite the challenges, Shruti’s optimism and drive to give back to the community shine through. Additional ResourcesUHN's Stroke Prevention ClinicDr. Pikula was interviewed in the Your Complex Brain episode "The Rise of Stroke in Young Adults"UHN Foundation video "Shruti's journey back to the stage, with some help from Team UHN"Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada – Women's Digital HubWorld Stroke Academy podcast featuring Dr. LindsayThe Your Complex Brain production team is Heather Sherman, Jessica Schmidt, Dr. Amy Ma, Kim Perry, Alley Wilson, Sara Yuan, Meagan Anderi, Liz Chapman, and Lorna Gilfedder.The Krembil Brain Institute, part of University Health Network, in Toronto, is home to one of the world's largest and most comprehensive teams of physicians and scientists uniquely working hand-in-hand to prevent and confront problems of the brain and spine, such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, epilepsy, stroke, spinal cord injury, chronic pain, brain cancer or concussion, in their lifetime. Through state-of-the-art patient care and advanced research, we are working relentlessly toward finding new treatments and cures.Do you want to know more about the Krembil Brain Institute at UHN? Visit us at: uhn.ca/krembilTo get in touch, email us at [email protected] or message us on social media:Instagram - @krembilresearchTwitter - @KBI_UHNFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/KrembilBrainInstituteThanks for listening!

In this bonus episode, we dive deeper into the lived experience of Matthew Cote, a teacher and advocate for those living with learning disabilities, including reading disabilities. Matthew shares his personal journey, detailing how his reading disability impacted his early years, from struggling to decode words and feeling isolated to the turning point when he received assistive technology that transformed his learning experience. He also talks about the crucial role of support from his family, particularly his mother, and his teacher who helped him believe in himself.Additional ResourcesDr. Cathy Barr's UHN Research websiteUHN Foundation story featuring Dr. Cathy Barr – "Reading the Genome"Sick Kids Empower Reading & Learning GroupLearning Disabilities Association of OntarioThe Your Complex Brain production team is Heather Sherman, Jessica Schmidt, Dr. Amy Ma, Kim Perry, Alley Wilson, Sara Yuan, Meagan Anderi, Liz Chapman, and Lorna Gilfedder.The Krembil Brain Institute, part of University Health Network, in Toronto, is home to one of the world's largest and most comprehensive teams of physicians and scientists uniquely working hand-in-hand to prevent and confront problems of the brain and spine, such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, epilepsy, stroke, spinal cord injury, chronic pain, brain cancer or concussion, in their lifetime. Through state-of-the-art patient care and advanced research, we are working relentlessly toward finding new treatments and cures.Do you want to know more about the Krembil Brain Institute at UHN? Visit us at: uhn.ca/krembilTo get in touch, email us at [email protected] or message us on social media:Instagram - @krembilresearchTwitter - @KBI_UHNFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/KrembilBrainInstituteThanks for listening!