WINDSOR.ESSEX. HEALTH & WELLNESS A DIVISION OF THE DRIVE MAGAZINE | ISSUE 13
THE POWER OF KNOWING Award-winning nurse Lisa Hogan is transforming fertility education and expanding access to reproductive care.
LIFESTYLE | MENTAL HEALTH | FOOD | FASHION | TRENDS
COMING FEBRUARY 2027
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Contributors
Contents
PAUL ST-PIERRE................................................................. Publisher BREANNE MCGINTY ................... Managing Editor, Director of Sales MARNIE ROBILLARD...................................................... Art Director SABINE MAIN ........................................................ Creative Director MACKENZIE COJOCAR .................................... Publication Assistant GREG EDWARDS.................................................... Graphic Designer MEL MONCZAK ......................................... Senior Account Manager NICKI BESTED...............................................Sales Account Manager
Inside this issue... 06 Know Today, Plan Tomorrow 10 When Home Becomes a Haven 14 Finding Yourself Again 18 A Word On Wellness
CONTRIBUTORS LAYAN BARAKAT.................................................................... Writer DEVAN MIGHTON.................................................................... Writer MELISSA BUZZEO................................................................... Writer HEIKE DELMORE.......................................................... Photographer TREVOR BOOTH........................................................... Photographer NICKI BESTED.............................................................. Photographer ANTHONY SHEARDOWN.............................................. Photographer ANNA STANLEY..............................................................Copy Editor
Health and wellness are deeply personal. No two journeys look quite the same, and what wellness means to one person may be entirely different for another. Yet, at the heart of it all is something we share: the desire to live healthier, happier and more fulfilling lives. In this issue of W.E. Health & Wellness, we're turning our attention to the people, professionals and organizations making a difference in the lives of those throughout Windsor-Essex. Through these stories we explore the many dimensions of health and wellness, reminding us that caring for ourselves goes beyond routine appointments and physical well-being. It's also about feeling informed and empowered to make decisions that are right for us.
A Note from our Managing Editor
As always, we're proud to share stories that connect our readers with the people and resources available right here in our community. Here's to embracing the little moments and enjoying everything this season brings. Cheers,
Breanne McGinty
Breanne McGinty Managing Editor
Follow and like us @thedrivemag
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Know Today, Plan Tomorrow From kitchen-table conversations to award winning fertility care, meet the Windsor nurse behind CReATe Fertility Centre By Layan Barakat Photos by Heike Delmore
For 30 years, Windsor-trained they needed to empower themselves. nurse Lisa Hogan has been the per- “I was a little bit surprised at how little son women can talk to. In the delivery it was talked about, both in school and room, in the fertility clinic and around sometimes in the home, because it can her own kitchen table, she has cared be an awkward, sensitive topic,” exfor patients through some of the most plains Hogan. “So that was something hopeful and hardest moments of their that always stayed in my mind.” lives, and she has never shied away Later, a young woman came into from the conversations about repro- Lisa’s office hoping to become an egg ductive health that so many of us find donor so her sister could finally have a difficult. This fall, that work earned her baby. Before anything else could hapone of the highest honours in Canadi- pen, she needed her own baseline testan fertility care, the Carole Rhéaume ing (bloodwork, an ultrasound, a rouAward from the Canadian Fertility and tine look at where things stood.) When Andrology Society. But before we get the results arrived, they revealed that into that, let’s start at the beginning. she probably couldn’t donate. FurThe seed was planted in Lisa Ho- thermore, they showed that her own gan’s mind through conversations with chances of having children one day her daughters and their friends. As a were already at risk. “She just didn’t mother of four girls, she found herself know any better,” says Hogan. “That part of conversations about fertility testing is not routine for women.” and women’s health, and she realized the current curriculum simply wasn’t giving young women the information
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Hogan spent 18 years working in labour and delivery at Windsor Regional Hospital, then two more as
I feel very lucky that my passion met my opportunity."
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will ever have, and those eggs decline in number and quality as she ages. Men, however, produce new sperm roughly every 90 days, which means lifestyle changes can often improve sperm quality within months. That second point matters to Hogan, because infertility is roughly a 50-50 split between partners. Too often, she says, the first question is still what’s wrong with the woman. Her go-to example is a newly married couple in their early thirties. “We think we have time. That is the most common misconception,” she says. Her advice is to get baseline testing done. If the results suggest it, consider IVF now and freeze embryos to transfer later, when you’re ready. Government funding is available to help. “Routine baseline testing related to fertility is not standard unless actively trying to conceive. The decline in live birth rates is due to the natural decline in egg quality with age. It’s important to have an accurate reflection of your fertility potential.” She has put it into six words she repeats often: Know today. Plan tomorrow. Protect your future. a program manager, before moving You can’t forget why you’re here in the into fertility. There, she ran treat- first place.” ment cycles and built programs from What she heard around her kitchthe ground up. Today she is Director of en table with her daughters and their Third Party and Business Development friends, and what she saw in the clinat CReATe Fertility Centre in Toronto. ic, eventually became one idea: Know She credits Windsor Regional for much Your Fertility Potential. Hogan thinks of who she became. The obstetricians of it as preventative medicine, applied on her unit, her managers and hospi- to fertility. tal leadership all took time to teach The program speaks to two groups. her. “They saw something and invested The first is college and university stuin me,” she says. “I had an umbrella of dents, up to about age 30. The second is learning there.” couples who know they want children Two decades at the bedside shaped someday but don’t feel ready. “Nobody how she builds programs now. “I’ve talks to them about the decrease in live been with patients in the good times birth with age,” she says. and the bad times,” she says. “I try to develop everything through the lens of how it’s going to affect the patient.
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The science she teaches is simple and, for many people, a surprise. A woman is born with every egg she
The gap isn’t only in what patients know. Hogan also teaches family physicians, nurse practitioners and midwives how to order fertility testing and read the results. The standard advice, she says, is still to try for six months to a year and come back if nothing happens. For many women, who already feel their reproductive health gets brushed aside, that answer is where they stop asking. Hogan wants to change that, and to lift some of the shame people carry along the way. “There’s a stigma attached to saying ‘I’m having difficulty,’ or ‘I used an egg donor,’ or ‘I used a surrogate,’” she says. “We need to destigmatize it.” As Hogan took her teaching campaigns further across the province, she
ran into a problem education alone couldn’t fix. In parts of the region, there is no local access to the ultrasounds and bloodwork fertility testing requires. Patients were driving hours each way for a single appointment. So, she built a second program, this one for remote and rural access. CReATe trains local health professionals, working within their scope of practice, to perform the testing where patients live. A technician in North Bay captures the ultrasound images, and a physician in Toronto views them, measures them and makes the diagnosis. The same approach works for testing and for treatment.
cramping or the fear of miscarriage often wait in emergency rooms, and the region is short on OB/GYNs. The clinic will offer bloodwork, ultrasound and a physician’s assessment in one visit. The third is fast access to contraception, including IUDs and hormonal implants. Combined with his obstetric practice, Polsky says, care will run “right from conception to delivery.” “Being from this area, I really feel that provincially we’re overlooked,” he says. “Providing services to the people of Windsor-Essex County is a passion and a goal of mine.” Which brings us back to the award.
It’s an overwhelming feeling, knowing I’ve accomplished something good on behalf of young women everywhere." Access, for Hogan, also means giving people more than one place to turn. She is the project manager for the development and opening of CReATe’s new Windsor satellite clinic, which will open in November under Dr. Joshua Polsky. Polsky grew up in Windsor, completing his education at the University of Windsor, then training in Toronto and London, and eventually coming back home in 2001. He has spent the 25 years since practicing obstetrics and gynecology in the city, including plenty of 3 a.m. deliveries, but he felt it was time for a change of direction.
The Carole Rhéaume Award is presented by the Canadian Fertility and Andrology Society, with support from EMD Serono, to a nurse who has made a significant impact on the patient experience, clinical practice or public awareness of reproductive health. It carries the name of Carole Rhéaume, a fertility nurse at Ovo Clinic in Montreal who was known as a tireless advocate for her patients and for better access to care. She lost her life in the winter of 2015 while stopping to help a stranded motorist.
CEO, its genetics research team and, above all, the front-line nurses who now do the patient care she once did, and who believed in her programs enough to carry them. “Nobody can do anything alone,” she says. The award, she says, felt like validation of the work, the travel, and what her family gave up so she could chase it. “I feel very lucky that my passion met my opportunity,” she says. “It’s an overwhelming feeling, knowing I’ve accomplished something good on behalf of young women everywhere.” Four of them are her daughters. The rest are the women she hopes will hear her message and trust CReATe to guide them on this journey. For information about access to fertility, email lisa.hogan@createivf.com. W.E.
In choosing Hogan, the committee pointed to her work bringing fertility education, testing and care closer to underserved and rural communities, and to the partnerships she has built across healthcare organizations to make it happen. The award is presented at the CFAS Annual Meeting and includes sponsorship for Hogan to attend an international reproductive medicine conference, a fitting next step for work that has always been about reaching further.
The clinic will focus on three areas he sees as underserved in Windsor-Essex. The first is fertility care: cycle monitoring and IUI here at home, When she f irst heard the with IVF patients travelling to Toron- news, her reaction was humility, to only for egg retrieval and embryo “I was pleasantly surprised.” transfer. The second is early pregnancy Hogan is quick to share credit. assessment. Patients facing bleeding, She points to CReATe’s founder and W.E. HEALTH & WELLNESS MAGAZINE
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Photo by Nicki Bested
When Home Becomes a Haven Thoughtful design that goes beyond aesthetics, creating spaces that support the way people live, unwind, and feel By Melissa Buzzeo
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Photo by Jesse Durocher
A home has a powerful influence on how people feel each day. It is within the home that some of life’s most important memories are made, connections with family and friends are shared, and a sense of peace is sought after a long day of work. Urbanhome Interior Design Owner and Principal Design Consultant, Jodi Mason, recognizes the important impact a home can have on one’s well-being and how it can ultimately improve a person’s quality of life. As a result, Jodi and her team are moving in a direction that focuses on “educating people about the power and influence your home can have on your overall sense of wellbeing.” Noticing that the home is often overlooked in a person’s wellness journey, she is striving to change the narrative. Jodi offers several suggestions that can help homeowners create a space that supports both their physical and emotional well-being. To begin, it is important to understand how a home should feel for the person who spends the most time in it. Start by asking the important questions: “How do I want to feel here? Calm? Energized? Grounded? Connected? Rested? That feeling should guide the layout, colours, lighting, materials and furnishings,” says Jodi. Once that feeling is established, Jodi says it is important to “reduce visual noise.” Allow areas of a room to breathe. Often, people feel that they need to fill empty spaces, when the opposite can be true. A room with a clear purpose will contribute to the calm and clarity feeling a home is meant to provide. Movement throughout a room also plays a role in creating a “clear sense of order.” When everything has a place within the home, everyday living becomes much easier. “Thoughtful storage, fewer unnecessary pieces and intentional placement can reduce the feeling of constant chaos,” says Jodi. W.E. HEALTH & WELLNESS MAGAZINE
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Photo by Jesse Durocher
The placement of furniture should also serve a purpose beyond appearance. Furniture should be positioned to encourage easy movement around the room, while its size and scale should be carefully considered. When furniture is too large, too small or improperly positioned, it can create an uncomfortable feeling. “Proper sizing and placement of furniture will create balance and make the room feel naturally settled,” says Jodi. Creating a softer atmosphere in the home can be achieved through lighting, colour and acoustics. Overhead lighting alone is not enough to create a calming environment. Ambient lighting, lamps, sconces and accent lighting can create a softer atmosphere, particularly in the evening, says Jodi. Paired with this is a calming colour palette - one that should ultimately be personal to the homeowner.
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Calm colours can be earth tones, as well as deep natural colours. It doesn’t have to be white or neutral, if they are used thoughtfully. Finally, drapery, rugs, upholstered furniture, and textiles will help soften sounds creating a more intimate and comfortable environment. Incorporating nature indoors is another important element when it comes to creating wellness in a home. Jodi says, “Natural materials, greenery, wood, stone, linen and organic textures create a grounded restorative feeling and provide that connection to the outdoors,” people need. This concept dates to ancient times when the world was not so busy. Similarly, adding spaces to unwind, such as saunas and cold plunges, adds another layer of wellness to the home. Jodi and her team are convinced there are so many benefits in this area that they have
partnered with SteemD Wellness and are now able to incorporate outdoor saunas and cold plunges into their overall designs of homes and outdoor living spaces. These tips from Jodi only scratch the surface when it comes to designing the home for wellbeing rather than simply decorating rooms. “This angle fits naturally with our upcoming Design Rehab Podcast,” says Jodi. Here, she will explain in more detail her broader philosophy of designing for beauty and wellness. At the end of the day, “the ultimate goal for a home is to support you,” says Jodi. The most important thing, she says, is that “when you come home, your surroundings should help your nervous system shift from the demands of the day, into a sense of comfort, familiarity and ease.” W.E.
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Finding Yourself Again Brentwood Recovery Home rebuilds lives in the wake of addiction By Devan Mighton
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Addiction recovery goes deeper than overcoming substance use. Addiction erodes the foundations of our lives, ending relationships, losing jobs, fostering isolation and self-loathing. However, meaningful recovery could be the bridge to rebuilding trust with family, returning to work, establishing healthy routines, and finding a sense of belonging after a difficult period in life.
Photo by Nicki Bested
Brentwood Recovery Home, located in Windsor, has been giving people facing addiction a second chance at life since being founded as Charity House in 1964. Founded by Fr. Paul Charbonneau, along with Jim and Kay Ryan, Brentwood has served more than 25,000 people, offering residential addiction treatment alongside family children growing up in households isolating. Brentwood’s approach services, medical support, and ongo- as well. Families can spend what combines professional care with feels like an eternity worrying about peer support, with the help of staff ing recovery resources. the safety of someone they love, nev- who draw on their own experiences er knowing what might happen next. with recovery, creating a connec“Families can spend years living tion with others who understand the with the uncertainty,” she explains. challenges and can make a meaningTreatment “It’s when they're constantly waiting ful difference.
saves lives. It restores families. It strengthens communities."
“We know substance use can affect parents, children, spouses, workplaces, neighbourhoods, healthcare systems, and the broader economy,” says Brentwood executive director Dr. Sonja Grbevski. “Treatment saves lives. It restores families. It strengthens communities and can reduce the enormous social and economic costs associated with untreated addictions.”
Rebuilding relationships Addiction often places strain on the family, leaving loved ones dealing with unpredictability, financial difficulties, and broken trust. The effects of addiction often extend to the W.E. HEALTH & WELLNESS MAGAZINE
for the other shoe to drop and wondering whether their loved one is going to be safe or not.”
“Recovery can be very lonely,” states Grbevski. “Often it’s through the help of other individuals and sharing with other individuals where the recovery actually happens.” That sense of connection continues through Brentwood’s alumni fellowship, which provides ongoing support after residential treatment ends. People beginning their recovery journey can learn from others who have maintained their sobriety for years, including alumni who have been in recovery for decades.
There can be so many dynamics. When it is a child in the throes of addiction, parents may feel helpless watching. Within a marriage, partners can find themselves taking on a caregiver role. Brentwood sees that families also need support when loved ones battle addiction. They offer a child and youth support group for children whose parents or grandparents are in recovery, along with support groups for family members “It is people caring for people,” and other relatives. These services explains Grbevski. “The number of recognize that recovery can affect individuals that we have that are still an entire family, not just the person part of our fellowship have 35, 45 receiving treatment. years of being clean and sober.” Their experiences offer examples of what Finding connection life can look like beyond treatment, In addiction, although seeking helping people understand that retreatment is an important step to- covery can be a continuing journey wards change, the process can feel supported by others.
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Putting in the work
boundaries while remaining com- nections, and help people find their passionate toward a loved one who place in the community again. From the outside looking in, one could easily underestimate the is struggling. Adds Grbevski, “The hardest ashard work behind the practical supAt Brentwood, the broader pur- pect is just making that decision to port within the walls of Brentwood. pose of recovery is helping people move forward, move into treatment, Alongside group sessions and re- to move forward, learn from past and letting go of the past life, learnlapse-prevention work, clients have experiences, and build a life that reaccess to many medical services, in- flects their goals. That work reach- ing from your past experiences, and cluding a psychiatrist, family doctor, es beyond the walls of the recovery then creating a life that you see yourand nursing staff—with a focus on home, and if done right, can affect self in and for those that are importhe individual as a whole, not just family relationships, strengthen con- tant to you.” W.E. the addiction. Staff members with lived experience also share their stories about the approaches they use to maintain their recovery. “Twice a day, every single day, an individual can stop in for the support and to hear a message,” says Grbevski. “They hear a message from either someone who is celebrating an anniversary of so many years of sobriety, someone who just started their recovery journey, or staff.”
Building a future If needed, Brentwood’s support doesn’t end when someone completes a three-month residential treatment program. The organization also offers transitional housing. “We allow individuals after the three-month program to stay with us for another six months,” explains Grbevski. “Whether it’s someone who wants to finish their high school diploma, help with interviews, get them ready for work, get them into housing, those are all the different elements.”
Photo by Nicki Bested
The transition back into everyday life looks different for everyone. It could means returning to work or reconnecting with loved ones. For others, it means learning to stand on their own two feet. However, the decision to seek treatment ultimately has to come from within, even when family members are encouraging someone to take that step. Grbevski also emphasizes the importance of maintaining healthy 16
Photo by Nicki Bested
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A Word On Wellness A Healthy Smile Is More Than Just Beautiful Teeth After more than 33 years in dentistry, one thing I’ve learned is that your oral health is closely connected to your overall health. Regular dental examinations don’t just protect your smile; they can also help identify early signs of disease. Prevention is always easier than treatment.
Dr. David C. Mady, DDS
Practice Principal, Mady Group of Dental Practices
Listen To Your Body A question I often hear in my practice is, or often boils down to, “what is wrong with me?” As an OMP, it is important to look at the body from the perspective of health, and where health may be restricted. My clients are often in pain, and it is important to recognize that pain is a normal physiological process. We need to understand why you are experiencing that pain, and if pain is the appropriate response for the condition we find the body. When the principles of Osteopathy are applied, we adjust the abnormal to the normal, then let the body work its magic. Au revoir pain!
Andrew Molnar
Osteopathic Manual Practitioner Thegoodstuff self-care and wellness in Amherstburg
More Than Cracking Backs MYTH: Chiropractors just “crack backs." FACT: Chiropractic care involves much more than spinal adjustments. Chiropractors assess movement, joints, muscles, posture, and overall function to develop an individualized approach to care. At Tecumseh Total Health & Chiropractic, that treatment may include hands-on techniques, exercises, education, acupuncture, shockwave, spinal decompression and more. Treatment is tailored to you.
Dr. Ryan Vandervecht, DC
Tecumseh Total Health & Chiropractic
Showing Up Is the Win Your 100% in the gym won’t look the same every day. Some days you’re rested, motivated and strong. Other days, simply showing up is the win. Stop judging every workout against your best one. Give what you have that day, stay consistent, and let those efforts add up over time.
Dan Hyatt, CPT, FST Level 1, MET
Owner, The Boozy Barbell PT Afterlab
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A Tip For Busy Moms Let your child brush first, then take a turn yourself. Children are still learning to reach every surface, especially the back teeth. Making it a two-person routine helps them build confidence while you help get the job done.
Dr. Rena Rabheru
Dentist/Owner at Hopetown Dental
Rethinking No Pain, No Gain A common misconception is that “no pain, no gain” means more pain equals better results. But when the nervous system perceives too much discomfort, it can respond by increasing muscle tension and guarding as a way to protect. Good treatment isn’t about pushing through pain, it’s about giving the body the right input to feel safe enough to release tension and move more freely.
Megan Reitzel, RMT & RYT
Limber For Life
Your Symptoms Matter We need to talk more openly about pelvic health. Too often, symptoms like bladder leakage, pelvic pain, painful intercourse, bowel concerns, or changes during pregnancy and postpartum are minimized or simply accepted. Your symptoms deserve to be heard. Ask questions, advocate for your health, and seek support—there are often more options than you realize.
Jasmine Abdallah, MScPT, HBHK
Certified in Acupuncture, Registered Physiotherapist Pelvic Health at Sorella Women’s Wellness
Strong After 50 "One of the biggest misconceptions about getting older is that we should slow down. At 50, we believe the opposite. Strength training, flexibility and regular movement become even more important as we age. You don’t have to train like you’re 25—you just have to keep moving, and staying strong enough to keep doing the things you love.”
Brandon & Krista Kersey
Owners, Kersey Kickbox Fitness Club
Give Yourself Grace At AHIMSA, we believe kindness includes how you treat yourself. Pause, take a breath, and ask: “Where could I offer myself more grace?” Set an intention rooted in that answer. Whether it’s rest, connection, or a gentler inner voice, let your next small choice put that kindness into everyday practice.
Holly Menard, Community Strategy Lead Larissa Longfield, Guest Experience Lead Gloria “Glow” McLeod, Wellness Programming Lead
AHIMSA Wellness Experience W.E. HEALTH & WELLNESS MAGAZINE
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