In an ever-evolving healthcare landscape, some voices go unheard, needs remain unmet, and individuals feel overlooked. The system, while designed for all, can inadvertently neglect certain groups, leaving them feeling marginalized and misunderstood. Despite these challenges, individuals are advocating for positive change in the healthcare system and beyond. Through their first-hand stories, we uncover the resilience and determination of Changemakers who advocate for a more inclusive and equitable healthcare system. Join us as we celebrate their efforts as they pave the way toward a brighter, healthier future for all.
Men are often reluctant to engage with the healthcare system, open up about their struggles and ask for help, held back by societal expectations of masculinity. For Indigenous men, this hesitation can be even more profound, rooted in a legacy of historical, generational, and lived trauma tied to the healthcare system. These deeply ingrained barriers make it all the more critical to address the unique challenges they face when it comes to accessing care and support.
In this episode of the Power of Change(makers), host Andrew Robertson is joined by three members of the DUDES Club, an organization founded in 2010 in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside - to help promote Indigenous men’s wellness. They discuss the impact of the DUDES Club in communities, the barriers indigenous men face to accessing healthcare, and the progress that has been made- along with what more needs to be done.
Being an elite athlete requires grit, determination, focus, and so much more. For athletes with Type 1 diabetes, managing their condition adds another layer of complexity to their training. However, living with Type 1 diabetes doesn't stop these athletes from reaching the top of the podium. In fact, many of them don't let diabetes define them. Instead, they’ve transformed their diagnosis into a source of strength, using their platforms to inspire others living with Type 1 diabetes to believe that they, too, are limitless.
Team Novo Nordisk is a professional cycling team made up entirely of athletes with Type 1 diabetes. Andrew Robertson is joined by two of the members of Team Novo Nordisk, Logan Phippen and Mandy Marquardt. They discuss these athletes’ incredible journeys, and how their diabetes has empowered them.
Did you know that only about 5% of rare diseases worldwide are recognized today? Even for individuals diagnosed with a known rare disease, finding informed healthcare professionals can be challenging, and knowing where to turn for effective treatment is often uncertain. Living with a rare disease brings unique hurdles—not only in navigating the healthcare system but also in managing daily life.
Host Andrew Robertson sits down with Durhane Wong-Rieger, President and CEO of CORD—the Canadian Organization for Rare Disorders.
Habitat for Humanity has been a vital force in Canada since 1985, consistently evolving to address the changing housing landscape and help Canadians access affordable housing. Today, Habitat is tackling unique challenges such as rising housing costs, urbanization, and the growing need for sustainable solutions.
In this episode, Andrew is joined by Eden Grodzinski, CEO of Habitat for Humanity Halton-Mississauga-Dufferin. Together, they explore the current state of affordable housing in the region, discuss why housing is fundamental to individual and community success, and highlight Habitat's national advocacy efforts and priorities for the year ahead.
Despite decades of medical progress, HIV stigma continues to isolate individuals and obstruct care. Too often, fear and misinformation speak louder than science—and silence those who most need support.
In this episode, Andrew Robertson is joined by two changemakers reshaping the HIV conversation. First, Justin Anantawan, a lived experience ambassador with CANFAR, shares how storytelling and art have helped him reclaim his voice. Then, Shriya Hari from CATIE discusses the role of education, intersectionality, and allyship in dismantling stigma.
Together, their insights reveal how confronting stigma with unordinary honesty, empathy, and advocacy can open the door to healing.
What makes a community thrive? For ParticipACTION, it’s the belief that small steps, taken together, can lead to big transformation. In 2024, their Community Challenge, presented by Novo Nordisk Canada, inspired towns and cities nationwide to reimagine what active living could look like.
In this episode, host Andrew Robertson speaks with Jon Malton, Director of Partnerships at ParticipACTION, and Courtney Fraser, a Recreation Programmer from Hay River—the community that took home the 2024 title. With creativity, collaboration, and a lot of heart, they demonstrate how unordinary drives change when communities unite around a shared goal.
For too long, women’s pain has been dismissed, misdiagnosed, or simply not taken seriously. But in recent years, the conversation around women’s health has started to shift, bringing hope for a better future. This episode explores the Pain Gap—the systemic disparities in how women’s pain is recognized and treated in healthcare.
In this episode, Andrew speaks with Dr. Tania Di Renna from Women’s College Hospital and Amy Flood of Women’s Health Collective Canada. Together, they unpack how historical patterns have shaped today’s care, why research still fails to include women equitably, and what needs to happen to truly close the gap.
Their work is rooted in the belief that unordinary drives change—and that changing the system starts with listening to those it has failed.
Access to affirming healthcare is a fundamental right, yet for many transitioning individuals in Canada, it remains out of reach due to systemic barriers. This episode explores what it means to access care as a trans person and the profound impact that accessibility, or the lack thereof, has on the community.
Joining host Andrew Robertson is Gemma Hickey, a Canadian activist and author whose personal journey of transition and advocacy work sheds light on the challenges of finding affirming care, especially in remote areas. Then, Andrew sits down with Derrick Carl Biso, Education and Operational Lead at Trans Wellness Ontario. Through their work, Derrick helps foster peer-to-peer support networks that empower trans individuals, creating spaces of care and understanding. Their journeys reflect how unordinary paths—filled with courage, community, and advocacy—are driving real change for the trans community.
Because when systems don’t work for everyone, it’s the unordinary thinkers who drive the future forward.
