Collected by Unum Co. Mon, 06 Jul 2026 21:07:13 -0400 https://collectedbyunumco.buzzsprout.com en-ca © 2026 Collected by Unum Co. yes 7e31e524-fb23-5aab-bb36-05c6c1f7e0e2 Farah Meghji and Megan Marsiglio episodic false Collected by Unum Co. is a podcast about the power of lived experience—how stories can shape more human-centred systems, services, and spaces.


Each episode, hosts Megan and Farah sit down with people who are challenging the status quo, leading with empathy, and making an impact through their work and their stories.


Stories move us. They open eyes, shift systems, and remind us what really matters. Real change begins when people show up for people, and this is the space where those conversations live.

]]> Buzzsprout (https://www.buzzsprout.com) Farah Meghji and Megan Marsiglio https://storage.buzzsprout.com/0lw32vyt3ybpj0s1oga860u32tjw?.jpg Collected by Unum Co. https://collectedbyunumco.buzzsprout.com Caring for the Parent, Not Just the Baby, with Melissa Gallagher of Alma Care Caring for the Parent, Not Just the Baby, with Melissa Gallagher of Alma Care In this episode of Collected, we sit down with Melissa Gallagher, Founder & CEO of Alma Care, a company revolutionizing what postpartum care looks like for Canadian families. 

Melissa shares how her own fourth trimester sparked the question that started it all: is this really all the support there is? Just weeks into life with her first daughter, she realized the gaps she was experiencing weren't personal, they were systemic. Now, Alma Care brings hands-on, in-home postpartum support to families across Ontario and beyond, drawing on care traditions from around the world, including the practice of "sitting the month," which Melissa followed herself after her second baby.

This conversation is a must-listen for anyone who is expecting, supporting someone through the postpartum period, or working to build more human-centred maternal care.

Key Takeaways:

  • 1 in 4 women experience postpartum depression, and 40% of cases actually begin during pregnancy. Early screening could change everything
  • Strong, proactive postpartum support can reduce postpartum depression by up to 60%
  • Birth isn't the finish line, it's the start. The four to six weeks after delivery are a short window with lifelong impact
  • Most cultures outside North America protect the postpartum window. There's deep wisdom in traditions like sitting the month, from nourishing foods to true rest
  • Overnight support doesn't weaken your bond with baby. Rested parents show up more present, more connected, and more excited to snuggle that 7am cry
  • Employers are starting to step up, offering postpartum care as a benefit and shifting from reactive to proactive support for growing families

Find Alma Care at almacare.ca and follow along on Instagram

About Collected by Unum Co.

Collected by Unum Co. is a podcast about the power of lived experience; how stories can shape more human-centred systems, services, and spaces. Each episode, hosts Megan and Farah sit down with people who are challenging the status quo, leading with empathy, and making an impact through their work and their stories. Stories move us. They open eyes, shift systems, and remind us what really matters. Real change begins when people show up for people, and this is the space where those conversations live.

Created by Unum Co., a patient-experience consultancy and creative studio helping health care organizations connect with people through storytelling, strategy, and digital engagement.

🔗 Learn more at unumco.ca 💌 Connect with us on LinkedIn and Instagram

Subscribe, rate, and share the show. Your support helps more people discover these stories.

Collected by Unum Co. is a podcast about the power of lived experience, and how stories can shape more human-centred systems, services, and spaces.

Created by Unum Co., a patient-experience consultancy and creative studio helping health care organizations connect with people through storytelling, strategy, and digital engagement.

🔗 Learn more at unumco.ca

💌 Connect with us on LinkedIn
and Instagram

Subscribe, rate, and share the show. Your support helps more people discover these stories.

]]> In this episode of Collected, we sit down with Melissa Gallagher, Founder & CEO of Alma Care, a company revolutionizing what postpartum care looks like for Canadian families. 

Melissa shares how her own fourth trimester sparked the question that started it all: is this really all the support there is? Just weeks into life with her first daughter, she realized the gaps she was experiencing weren't personal, they were systemic. Now, Alma Care brings hands-on, in-home postpartum support to families across Ontario and beyond, drawing on care traditions from around the world, including the practice of "sitting the month," which Melissa followed herself after her second baby.

This conversation is a must-listen for anyone who is expecting, supporting someone through the postpartum period, or working to build more human-centred maternal care.

Key Takeaways:

  • 1 in 4 women experience postpartum depression, and 40% of cases actually begin during pregnancy. Early screening could change everything
  • Strong, proactive postpartum support can reduce postpartum depression by up to 60%
  • Birth isn't the finish line, it's the start. The four to six weeks after delivery are a short window with lifelong impact
  • Most cultures outside North America protect the postpartum window. There's deep wisdom in traditions like sitting the month, from nourishing foods to true rest
  • Overnight support doesn't weaken your bond with baby. Rested parents show up more present, more connected, and more excited to snuggle that 7am cry
  • Employers are starting to step up, offering postpartum care as a benefit and shifting from reactive to proactive support for growing families

Find Alma Care at almacare.ca and follow along on Instagram

About Collected by Unum Co.

Collected by Unum Co. is a podcast about the power of lived experience; how stories can shape more human-centred systems, services, and spaces. Each episode, hosts Megan and Farah sit down with people who are challenging the status quo, leading with empathy, and making an impact through their work and their stories. Stories move us. They open eyes, shift systems, and remind us what really matters. Real change begins when people show up for people, and this is the space where those conversations live.

Created by Unum Co., a patient-experience consultancy and creative studio helping health care organizations connect with people through storytelling, strategy, and digital engagement.

🔗 Learn more at unumco.ca 💌 Connect with us on LinkedIn and Instagram

Subscribe, rate, and share the show. Your support helps more people discover these stories.

Collected by Unum Co. is a podcast about the power of lived experience, and how stories can shape more human-centred systems, services, and spaces.

Created by Unum Co., a patient-experience consultancy and creative studio helping health care organizations connect with people through storytelling, strategy, and digital engagement.

🔗 Learn more at unumco.ca

💌 Connect with us on LinkedIn
and Instagram

Subscribe, rate, and share the show. Your support helps more people discover these stories.

]]> Farah Meghji and Megan Marsiglio Buzzsprout-19455770 Mon, 06 Jul 2026 21:00:00 -0400 2246 1 11 full false Your health travels with you: advocacy, access, and ExploreWell with Sommer Collins Your health travels with you: advocacy, access, and ExploreWell with Sommer Collins In this episode of Collected, we sit down with Sommer Collins, founder and CEO of Explore Well — a digital health platform designed to be your health-savvy local friend, no matter where in the world you are.

Sommer shares the deeply personal journey that led her to build ExploreWell, from navigating her daughter's first seizure while living as an expat in Krakow, Poland, to a New Year's Eve ER visit in Madrid, to advocating for her family's health across multiple countries and cultures. 

This conversation is a must-listen for anyone who has ever traveled — or who plans to.

Key Takeaways:

→ 30% of travellers require medical care when away from home — and the more you travel, the higher that number climbs

→ Language barriers are one of the biggest obstacles to receiving safe care abroad — and preparation can change everything

→ Knowing where to go is just as important as knowing what to do

→ Traveling with a chronic condition shouldn't mean staying home — it means being better prepared

→ Human connection and local knowledge can't be replaced by AI — but the two work best together

Calls to Action:

  • Traveling soon? Think beyond your first aid kit — know your blood type, allergies, and chronic conditions in writing before you go
  • Passionate about health and travel in your city? ExploreWell is looking for local voices — reach out to Sommer to learn about becoming an ExploreWell Local
  • Find ExploreWell at explorewell.com and follow along for city guides, wellness resources, and travel health tools
  • Follow ExploreWell on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn

About Collected by Unum Co. Collected by Unum Co. is a podcast about the power of lived experience — how stories can shape more human-centred systems, services, and spaces. Each episode, hosts Megan and Farah sit down with people who are challenging the status quo, leading with empathy, and making an impact through their work and their stories. Stories move us. They open eyes, shift systems, and remind us what really matters. Real change begins when people show up for people, and this is the space where those conversations live.

Created by Unum Co., a patient-experience consultancy and creative studio helping health care organizations connect with people through storytelling, strategy, and digital engagement.

🔗 Learn more at unumco.ca 💌 Connect with us on LinkedIn and Instagram

Subscribe, rate, and share the show. Your support helps more people discover these stories.

Collected by Unum Co. is a podcast about the power of lived experience, and how stories can shape more human-centred systems, services, and spaces.

Created by Unum Co., a patient-experience consultancy and creative studio helping health care organizations connect with people through storytelling, strategy, and digital engagement.

🔗 Learn more at unumco.ca

💌 Connect with us on LinkedIn
and Instagram

Subscribe, rate, and share the show. Your support helps more people discover these stories.

]]> In this episode of Collected, we sit down with Sommer Collins, founder and CEO of Explore Well — a digital health platform designed to be your health-savvy local friend, no matter where in the world you are.

Sommer shares the deeply personal journey that led her to build ExploreWell, from navigating her daughter's first seizure while living as an expat in Krakow, Poland, to a New Year's Eve ER visit in Madrid, to advocating for her family's health across multiple countries and cultures. 

This conversation is a must-listen for anyone who has ever traveled — or who plans to.

Key Takeaways:

→ 30% of travellers require medical care when away from home — and the more you travel, the higher that number climbs

→ Language barriers are one of the biggest obstacles to receiving safe care abroad — and preparation can change everything

→ Knowing where to go is just as important as knowing what to do

→ Traveling with a chronic condition shouldn't mean staying home — it means being better prepared

→ Human connection and local knowledge can't be replaced by AI — but the two work best together

Calls to Action:

  • Traveling soon? Think beyond your first aid kit — know your blood type, allergies, and chronic conditions in writing before you go
  • Passionate about health and travel in your city? ExploreWell is looking for local voices — reach out to Sommer to learn about becoming an ExploreWell Local
  • Find ExploreWell at explorewell.com and follow along for city guides, wellness resources, and travel health tools
  • Follow ExploreWell on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn

About Collected by Unum Co. Collected by Unum Co. is a podcast about the power of lived experience — how stories can shape more human-centred systems, services, and spaces. Each episode, hosts Megan and Farah sit down with people who are challenging the status quo, leading with empathy, and making an impact through their work and their stories. Stories move us. They open eyes, shift systems, and remind us what really matters. Real change begins when people show up for people, and this is the space where those conversations live.

Created by Unum Co., a patient-experience consultancy and creative studio helping health care organizations connect with people through storytelling, strategy, and digital engagement.

🔗 Learn more at unumco.ca 💌 Connect with us on LinkedIn and Instagram

Subscribe, rate, and share the show. Your support helps more people discover these stories.

Collected by Unum Co. is a podcast about the power of lived experience, and how stories can shape more human-centred systems, services, and spaces.

Created by Unum Co., a patient-experience consultancy and creative studio helping health care organizations connect with people through storytelling, strategy, and digital engagement.

🔗 Learn more at unumco.ca

💌 Connect with us on LinkedIn
and Instagram

Subscribe, rate, and share the show. Your support helps more people discover these stories.

]]> Farah Meghji and Megan Marsiglio Buzzsprout-19054694 Tue, 21 Apr 2026 14:00:00 -0400 2271 1 10 full false Health care changemakers: Innovation, community, and the power of stories Health care changemakers: Innovation, community, and the power of stories In this solo episode, hosts Megan and Farah reflect on the incredible conversations from Season 1 (so far) of Collected. They dive into the powerful themes that emerged from speaking with seven remarkable women who turned personal challenges into health care innovation and systemic change.

Key Takeaways:
→ The best innovations come from lived experience
→ Peer support should be standard practice in health care
→ Focus on solving the problem, not just working around it
→ Your story has power—use it to drive change

Calls to Action:
- Health care professionals: What accessibility barrier could you turn into an innovation challenge?
- Patients & advocates: Your voice matters—keep using it
- Everyone: The best ideas come from everywhere. Start somewhere.

About Collected by Unum Co.

Collected by Unum Co. is a podcast about the power of lived experience—how stories can shape more human-centred systems, services, and spaces.

Each episode, hosts Megan and Farah sit down with people who are challenging the status quo, leading with empathy, and making an impact through their work and their stories.

Stories move us. They open eyes, shift systems, and remind us what really matters. Real change begins when people show up for people, and this is the space where those conversations live.

Created by: Unum Co.

Unum Co. is a patient-experience consultancy and creative studio helping health care organizations connect with people through storytelling, strategy, and digital engagement.

🔗 Learn more at unumco.ca
💌 Connect with us on LinkedIn and Instagram

Subscribe, rate, and share the show. Your support helps more people discover these stories.

Collected by Unum Co. is a podcast about the power of lived experience, and how stories can shape more human-centred systems, services, and spaces.

Created by Unum Co., a patient-experience consultancy and creative studio helping health care organizations connect with people through storytelling, strategy, and digital engagement.

🔗 Learn more at unumco.ca

💌 Connect with us on LinkedIn
and Instagram

Subscribe, rate, and share the show. Your support helps more people discover these stories.

]]> In this solo episode, hosts Megan and Farah reflect on the incredible conversations from Season 1 (so far) of Collected. They dive into the powerful themes that emerged from speaking with seven remarkable women who turned personal challenges into health care innovation and systemic change.

Key Takeaways:
→ The best innovations come from lived experience
→ Peer support should be standard practice in health care
→ Focus on solving the problem, not just working around it
→ Your story has power—use it to drive change

Calls to Action:
- Health care professionals: What accessibility barrier could you turn into an innovation challenge?
- Patients & advocates: Your voice matters—keep using it
- Everyone: The best ideas come from everywhere. Start somewhere.

About Collected by Unum Co.

Collected by Unum Co. is a podcast about the power of lived experience—how stories can shape more human-centred systems, services, and spaces.

Each episode, hosts Megan and Farah sit down with people who are challenging the status quo, leading with empathy, and making an impact through their work and their stories.

Stories move us. They open eyes, shift systems, and remind us what really matters. Real change begins when people show up for people, and this is the space where those conversations live.

Created by: Unum Co.

Unum Co. is a patient-experience consultancy and creative studio helping health care organizations connect with people through storytelling, strategy, and digital engagement.

🔗 Learn more at unumco.ca
💌 Connect with us on LinkedIn and Instagram

Subscribe, rate, and share the show. Your support helps more people discover these stories.

Collected by Unum Co. is a podcast about the power of lived experience, and how stories can shape more human-centred systems, services, and spaces.

Created by Unum Co., a patient-experience consultancy and creative studio helping health care organizations connect with people through storytelling, strategy, and digital engagement.

🔗 Learn more at unumco.ca

💌 Connect with us on LinkedIn
and Instagram

Subscribe, rate, and share the show. Your support helps more people discover these stories.

]]> Farah Meghji and Megan Marsiglio Buzzsprout-18932754 Tue, 31 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400 1220 1 9 full false Building accessible, patient-centred women’s health care with Jennifer Patterson Building accessible, patient-centred women’s health care with Jennifer Patterson We sit down with Jennifer Patterson, CEO and Co-founder of Coven Women’s Health, to explore how lived experience can become the foundation for more compassionate, accessible women’s health care.

Jennifer shares her non-linear path from advertising and corporate strategy to entrepreneurship, and how years of navigating chronic, cyclical headaches — alongside repeated dismissal within the health care system — fundamentally shaped her understanding of what so many women are up against when seeking answers and support.

That experience ultimately led her to co-found Coven Women’s Health alongside Dr. Michelle Jacobson, with a clear and deeply personal mission: to expand access to expert, collaborative women’s health care by designing around real lives, real symptoms, and real barriers. Jennifer shares why the language we use to describe symptoms matters, how tracking data can strengthen self-advocacy, and what it truly takes to build a patient-centred care experience that listens first.

This conversation touches on medical gaslighting, perimenopause, community-driven referrals, and the power of reimagining health care systems through a human lens, reminding us that meaningful care doesn’t start with assumptions or checklists, but with belief, trust, and listening.

Learn more about Coven Women's Health here.

About Collected by Unum Co.

Collected by Unum Co. is a podcast about the power of lived experience—how stories can shape more human-centred systems, services, and spaces.

Each episode, hosts Megan and Farah sit down with people who are challenging the status quo, leading with empathy, and making an impact through their work and their stories.

Stories move us. They open eyes, shift systems, and remind us what really matters. Real change begins when people show up for people, and this is the space where those conversations live.

Created by: Unum Co.

Unum Co. is a patient-experience consultancy and creative studio helping health care organizations connect with people through storytelling, strategy, and digital engagement.

🔗 Learn more at unumco.ca
💌 Connect with us on LinkedIn and Instagram

Subscribe, rate, and share the show. Your support helps more people discover these stories.

Collected by Unum Co. is a podcast about the power of lived experience, and how stories can shape more human-centred systems, services, and spaces.

Created by Unum Co., a patient-experience consultancy and creative studio helping health care organizations connect with people through storytelling, strategy, and digital engagement.

🔗 Learn more at unumco.ca

💌 Connect with us on LinkedIn
and Instagram

Subscribe, rate, and share the show. Your support helps more people discover these stories.

]]> We sit down with Jennifer Patterson, CEO and Co-founder of Coven Women’s Health, to explore how lived experience can become the foundation for more compassionate, accessible women’s health care.

Jennifer shares her non-linear path from advertising and corporate strategy to entrepreneurship, and how years of navigating chronic, cyclical headaches — alongside repeated dismissal within the health care system — fundamentally shaped her understanding of what so many women are up against when seeking answers and support.

That experience ultimately led her to co-found Coven Women’s Health alongside Dr. Michelle Jacobson, with a clear and deeply personal mission: to expand access to expert, collaborative women’s health care by designing around real lives, real symptoms, and real barriers. Jennifer shares why the language we use to describe symptoms matters, how tracking data can strengthen self-advocacy, and what it truly takes to build a patient-centred care experience that listens first.

This conversation touches on medical gaslighting, perimenopause, community-driven referrals, and the power of reimagining health care systems through a human lens, reminding us that meaningful care doesn’t start with assumptions or checklists, but with belief, trust, and listening.

Learn more about Coven Women's Health here.

About Collected by Unum Co.

Collected by Unum Co. is a podcast about the power of lived experience—how stories can shape more human-centred systems, services, and spaces.

Each episode, hosts Megan and Farah sit down with people who are challenging the status quo, leading with empathy, and making an impact through their work and their stories.

Stories move us. They open eyes, shift systems, and remind us what really matters. Real change begins when people show up for people, and this is the space where those conversations live.

Created by: Unum Co.

Unum Co. is a patient-experience consultancy and creative studio helping health care organizations connect with people through storytelling, strategy, and digital engagement.

🔗 Learn more at unumco.ca
💌 Connect with us on LinkedIn and Instagram

Subscribe, rate, and share the show. Your support helps more people discover these stories.

Collected by Unum Co. is a podcast about the power of lived experience, and how stories can shape more human-centred systems, services, and spaces.

Created by Unum Co., a patient-experience consultancy and creative studio helping health care organizations connect with people through storytelling, strategy, and digital engagement.

🔗 Learn more at unumco.ca

💌 Connect with us on LinkedIn
and Instagram

Subscribe, rate, and share the show. Your support helps more people discover these stories.

]]> Farah Meghji and Megan Marsiglio Buzzsprout-18617693 Tue, 03 Feb 2026 09:00:00 -0500 2460 1 8 full false Nourishment, Intentionality, and Building Community with Kate Taylor Martin of Nutbar Nourishment, Intentionality, and Building Community with Kate Taylor Martin of Nutbar What if the key to better health care isn't just in hospitals, but in how we think about nourishment, space, and human connection?

In this episode of Collected, we sit down with Kate Taylor Martin, founder and CEO of nutbar, a superfood café with six locations across Toronto. Kate's journey began in an unexpected place: the hallways of St. Michael's Hospital, where she worked after university and witnessed firsthand how strained our health care system is, and how little it prioritizes healing environments and nourishing food.

That experience sparked a mission. Kate enrolled in the Institute of Holistic Nutrition and discovered her calling: to create spaces where people could feel genuinely good—not just through what they ate, but through every touchpoint of their experience.

From a basement café in Summerhill to six thriving locations, Kate has built nutbar on a foundation of unwavering integrity. No cut corners. All organic ingredients. Housemade nut milk from scratch. Beautiful, intentional design. And a tagline that says it all: feel good here.

This conversation explores:

  • How health care environments shaped Kate's thinking about wellness and design
  • Why food is medicine—and why hospital food fails patients when they need nourishment most
  • The intentionality behind every detail at nutbar
  • Building trust and community by staying true to your values, even as you scale
  • Why wellness has become "the new luxury" and what that says about modern life
  • The power of collaboration over competition in Toronto's wellness ecosystem

Kate's story is a reminder that real change doesn't always happen inside the system. Sometimes it happens when someone steps outside of it, asks "what if," and builds something better from the ground up.

If you've ever wondered how thoughtful design, quality ingredients, and genuine care can reshape an entire industry, this episode is for you.

Learn more about nutbar here: https://nutbar.co/

Follow nutbar:


About Collected by Unum Co.

Collected by Unum Co. is a podcast about the power of lived experience—how stories can shape more human-centred systems, services, and spaces.

Each episode, hosts Megan and Farah sit down with people who are challenging the status quo, leading with empathy, and making an impact through their work and their stories.

Stories move us. They open eyes, shift systems, and remind us what really matters. Real change begins when people show up for people, and this is the space where those conversations live.

Created by Unum Co.

A patient-experience consultancy and creative studio helping health care organizations connect with people through storytelling, strategy, and digital engagement.

🔗 Learn more at unumco.ca
💌 Connect with us on LinkedIn and Instagram

Subscribe, rate, and share the show. Your support helps more people discover these stories.

Collected by Unum Co. is a podcast about the power of lived experience, and how stories can shape more human-centred systems, services, and spaces.

Created by Unum Co., a patient-experience consultancy and creative studio helping health care organizations connect with people through storytelling, strategy, and digital engagement.

🔗 Learn more at unumco.ca

💌 Connect with us on LinkedIn
and Instagram

Subscribe, rate, and share the show. Your support helps more people discover these stories.

]]> What if the key to better health care isn't just in hospitals, but in how we think about nourishment, space, and human connection?

In this episode of Collected, we sit down with Kate Taylor Martin, founder and CEO of nutbar, a superfood café with six locations across Toronto. Kate's journey began in an unexpected place: the hallways of St. Michael's Hospital, where she worked after university and witnessed firsthand how strained our health care system is, and how little it prioritizes healing environments and nourishing food.

That experience sparked a mission. Kate enrolled in the Institute of Holistic Nutrition and discovered her calling: to create spaces where people could feel genuinely good—not just through what they ate, but through every touchpoint of their experience.

From a basement café in Summerhill to six thriving locations, Kate has built nutbar on a foundation of unwavering integrity. No cut corners. All organic ingredients. Housemade nut milk from scratch. Beautiful, intentional design. And a tagline that says it all: feel good here.

This conversation explores:

  • How health care environments shaped Kate's thinking about wellness and design
  • Why food is medicine—and why hospital food fails patients when they need nourishment most
  • The intentionality behind every detail at nutbar
  • Building trust and community by staying true to your values, even as you scale
  • Why wellness has become "the new luxury" and what that says about modern life
  • The power of collaboration over competition in Toronto's wellness ecosystem

Kate's story is a reminder that real change doesn't always happen inside the system. Sometimes it happens when someone steps outside of it, asks "what if," and builds something better from the ground up.

If you've ever wondered how thoughtful design, quality ingredients, and genuine care can reshape an entire industry, this episode is for you.

Learn more about nutbar here: https://nutbar.co/

Follow nutbar:


About Collected by Unum Co.

Collected by Unum Co. is a podcast about the power of lived experience—how stories can shape more human-centred systems, services, and spaces.

Each episode, hosts Megan and Farah sit down with people who are challenging the status quo, leading with empathy, and making an impact through their work and their stories.

Stories move us. They open eyes, shift systems, and remind us what really matters. Real change begins when people show up for people, and this is the space where those conversations live.

Created by Unum Co.

A patient-experience consultancy and creative studio helping health care organizations connect with people through storytelling, strategy, and digital engagement.

🔗 Learn more at unumco.ca
💌 Connect with us on LinkedIn and Instagram

Subscribe, rate, and share the show. Your support helps more people discover these stories.

Collected by Unum Co. is a podcast about the power of lived experience, and how stories can shape more human-centred systems, services, and spaces.

Created by Unum Co., a patient-experience consultancy and creative studio helping health care organizations connect with people through storytelling, strategy, and digital engagement.

🔗 Learn more at unumco.ca

💌 Connect with us on LinkedIn
and Instagram

Subscribe, rate, and share the show. Your support helps more people discover these stories.

]]> Farah Meghji and Megan Marsiglio Buzzsprout-18535219 Tue, 20 Jan 2026 06:00:00 -0500 2319 full false Survivorship, self-advocacy, and designing more human health systems with Robby Spring Survivorship, self-advocacy, and designing more human health systems with Robby Spring In this episode of Collected, we sit down with Robby Spring, a patient advocate who has been open about navigating breast cancer as a young woman, and about what it truly takes to advocate for yourself inside a complex health care system.

Robby shares her experience being diagnosed at 35, after pushing for screening following her sister’s (and mother's) diagnosis. Despite having knowledge, access, and support, she describes how difficult it was to move from diagnosis to treatment, including long wait times, uncertainty, and the pressure to make life-altering decisions quickly. Her story highlights a reality many patients face: the system often requires you to be your own strongest advocate.

Throughout the conversation, Robby reflects on:

  • advocating for timely screening and treatment
  • preparing for appointments to make decisions in real time
  • navigating fertility preservation, surgery, and survivorship
  • balancing long-term treatment with quality of life
  • the emotional and identity impact of hair loss and regrowth
  • sharing openly online to reduce isolation, and learning to set boundaries
  • why lived experience should be valued and compensated as expertise

The episode also explores where health systems continue to fall short, from fragmented health records to limited access to precision oncology tools, and why patient stories are essential for creating the context needed to drive meaningful change.

This is an honest, grounded conversation about survivorship, self-advocacy, and the invisible work patients carry long after treatment ends, and why designing more human-centred systems must start with lived experience.

🎧 Listen in to hear Robby’s story and why she believes advocacy isn’t optional; it’s essential.

Follow Robby's journey on Instagram, here.

Collected by Unum Co. is a podcast about the power of lived experience, and how stories can shape more human-centred systems, services, and spaces.

Created by Unum Co., a patient-experience consultancy and creative studio helping health care organizations connect with people through storytelling, strategy, and digital engagement.

🔗 Learn more at unumco.ca

💌 Connect with us on LinkedIn
and Instagram

Subscribe, rate, and share the show. Your support helps more people discover these stories.

]]> In this episode of Collected, we sit down with Robby Spring, a patient advocate who has been open about navigating breast cancer as a young woman, and about what it truly takes to advocate for yourself inside a complex health care system.

Robby shares her experience being diagnosed at 35, after pushing for screening following her sister’s (and mother's) diagnosis. Despite having knowledge, access, and support, she describes how difficult it was to move from diagnosis to treatment, including long wait times, uncertainty, and the pressure to make life-altering decisions quickly. Her story highlights a reality many patients face: the system often requires you to be your own strongest advocate.

Throughout the conversation, Robby reflects on:

  • advocating for timely screening and treatment
  • preparing for appointments to make decisions in real time
  • navigating fertility preservation, surgery, and survivorship
  • balancing long-term treatment with quality of life
  • the emotional and identity impact of hair loss and regrowth
  • sharing openly online to reduce isolation, and learning to set boundaries
  • why lived experience should be valued and compensated as expertise

The episode also explores where health systems continue to fall short, from fragmented health records to limited access to precision oncology tools, and why patient stories are essential for creating the context needed to drive meaningful change.

This is an honest, grounded conversation about survivorship, self-advocacy, and the invisible work patients carry long after treatment ends, and why designing more human-centred systems must start with lived experience.

🎧 Listen in to hear Robby’s story and why she believes advocacy isn’t optional; it’s essential.

Follow Robby's journey on Instagram, here.

Collected by Unum Co. is a podcast about the power of lived experience, and how stories can shape more human-centred systems, services, and spaces.

Created by Unum Co., a patient-experience consultancy and creative studio helping health care organizations connect with people through storytelling, strategy, and digital engagement.

🔗 Learn more at unumco.ca

💌 Connect with us on LinkedIn
and Instagram

Subscribe, rate, and share the show. Your support helps more people discover these stories.

]]> Farah Meghji and Megan Marsiglio Buzzsprout-18457238 Tue, 06 Jan 2026 06:00:00 -0500 3094 1 6 full false Innovating Women’s Health Advocacy with Maria Haugen of FoXX Health Innovating Women’s Health Advocacy with Maria Haugen of FoXX Health In this episode of Collected, we sit down with Maria Haugen, CEO & Founder of FoXX Health—a women’s health advocacy app designed to help patients be heard, understood, and better supported in the health care system.

Maria’s mission began with a frightening personal health experience: recurring heart-attack–like symptoms that were repeatedly dismissed as anxiety. After months of uncertainty, she finally received a diagnosis—costochondritis, a condition that mimics heart attack symptoms and is frequently overlooked, especially in women. That gap between fear and care sparked a new purpose: building tools that help women show up prepared, confident, and taken seriously in medical conversations.

Maria shares how Fox Health is:

  • reshaping doctor-patient communication through more accurate symptom tracking
  • using women-specific data (not generic health research rooted in male-dominant studies)
  • empowering patients without villainizing providers
  • building community through anonymous support dens focused on different health journeys
  • co-created with patient voices from day one

This episode dives into what it means to change the system not by fighting it, but by showing up ready to navigate it. It’s an inspiring look at how lived experience can fuel impactful health care innovation, and why advocacy tools matter for every patient, not just experts.

🎧 Listen in to learn how FoXX Health is helping women do what the system hasn’t always made space for: be heard.

Download FoXX Health here: https://www.foxxhealth.com/

Collected by Unum Co. is a podcast about the power of lived experience, and how stories can shape more human-centred systems, services, and spaces.

Created by Unum Co., a patient-experience consultancy and creative studio helping health care organizations connect with people through storytelling, strategy, and digital engagement.

🔗 Learn more at unumco.ca

💌 Connect with us on LinkedIn
and Instagram

Subscribe, rate, and share the show. Your support helps more people discover these stories.

]]> In this episode of Collected, we sit down with Maria Haugen, CEO & Founder of FoXX Health—a women’s health advocacy app designed to help patients be heard, understood, and better supported in the health care system.

Maria’s mission began with a frightening personal health experience: recurring heart-attack–like symptoms that were repeatedly dismissed as anxiety. After months of uncertainty, she finally received a diagnosis—costochondritis, a condition that mimics heart attack symptoms and is frequently overlooked, especially in women. That gap between fear and care sparked a new purpose: building tools that help women show up prepared, confident, and taken seriously in medical conversations.

Maria shares how Fox Health is:

  • reshaping doctor-patient communication through more accurate symptom tracking
  • using women-specific data (not generic health research rooted in male-dominant studies)
  • empowering patients without villainizing providers
  • building community through anonymous support dens focused on different health journeys
  • co-created with patient voices from day one

This episode dives into what it means to change the system not by fighting it, but by showing up ready to navigate it. It’s an inspiring look at how lived experience can fuel impactful health care innovation, and why advocacy tools matter for every patient, not just experts.

🎧 Listen in to learn how FoXX Health is helping women do what the system hasn’t always made space for: be heard.

Download FoXX Health here: https://www.foxxhealth.com/

Collected by Unum Co. is a podcast about the power of lived experience, and how stories can shape more human-centred systems, services, and spaces.

Created by Unum Co., a patient-experience consultancy and creative studio helping health care organizations connect with people through storytelling, strategy, and digital engagement.

🔗 Learn more at unumco.ca

💌 Connect with us on LinkedIn
and Instagram

Subscribe, rate, and share the show. Your support helps more people discover these stories.

]]> Farah Meghji and Megan Marsiglio Buzzsprout-18231044 Tue, 09 Dec 2025 00:00:00 -0500 2243 1 5 full false Building Unum Co: how it started (with Megan & Farah) Building Unum Co: how it started (with Megan & Farah) In this episode, we’re taking you behind the scenes of how Unum Co. came to be. 

Megan shares how navigating her own health journey led to peer support, advocacy work, and a career in health care communications. Farah reflects on 15 years in pharma, the push to listen to real patient experiences, and the moment she stumbled upon a small but growing online community called The Gut Gazette.

From patient storytelling to corporate decision-making, blogging to brand building, and from two separate careers to a shared mission, this is the origin story of Unum Co. It is also the beginning of Collected, a podcast created to share stories that move health care forward.

In this episode, you’ll hear about:

- The power of patient stories to spark change
- Why digital communities have reshaped health care conversations
- How two different career paths merged into one mission
- What you can expect from future episodes of Collected

This is where storytelling meets impact, and where our journey with you begins.

Collected by Unum Co. is a podcast about the power of lived experience, and how stories can shape more human-centred systems, services, and spaces.

Created by Unum Co., a patient-experience consultancy and creative studio helping health care organizations connect with people through storytelling, strategy, and digital engagement.

🔗 Learn more at unumco.ca

💌 Connect with us on LinkedIn
and Instagram

Subscribe, rate, and share the show. Your support helps more people discover these stories.

]]> In this episode, we’re taking you behind the scenes of how Unum Co. came to be. 

Megan shares how navigating her own health journey led to peer support, advocacy work, and a career in health care communications. Farah reflects on 15 years in pharma, the push to listen to real patient experiences, and the moment she stumbled upon a small but growing online community called The Gut Gazette.

From patient storytelling to corporate decision-making, blogging to brand building, and from two separate careers to a shared mission, this is the origin story of Unum Co. It is also the beginning of Collected, a podcast created to share stories that move health care forward.

In this episode, you’ll hear about:

- The power of patient stories to spark change
- Why digital communities have reshaped health care conversations
- How two different career paths merged into one mission
- What you can expect from future episodes of Collected

This is where storytelling meets impact, and where our journey with you begins.

Collected by Unum Co. is a podcast about the power of lived experience, and how stories can shape more human-centred systems, services, and spaces.

Created by Unum Co., a patient-experience consultancy and creative studio helping health care organizations connect with people through storytelling, strategy, and digital engagement.

🔗 Learn more at unumco.ca

💌 Connect with us on LinkedIn
and Instagram

Subscribe, rate, and share the show. Your support helps more people discover these stories.

]]> Farah Meghji and Megan Marsiglio Buzzsprout-18248428 Tue, 25 Nov 2025 00:00:00 -0500 783 1 4 full false The art of thoughtful connection with Wendy Smith The art of thoughtful connection with Wendy Smith In this episode we sit down with Wendy Smith—entrepreneur, creative, and community-builder—to explore what it means to lead with empathy and intention. From handwritten notes to community events that bring people together, Wendy shows how small, thoughtful gestures can create lasting impact.

She shares her journey of evolution (across industries, identities, and roles) and how consistency and care have shaped the way she connects with others. Together, we unpack what it means to build spaces that feel human and where collaboration and kindness are as essential as strategy and success.

This conversation is a reminder that thoughtful connection isn’t just a skill, but an art.

Follow Wendy at @matter_homes

Collected by Unum Co. is a podcast about the power of lived experience, and how stories can shape more human-centred systems, services, and spaces.

Created by Unum Co., a patient-experience consultancy and creative studio helping health care organizations connect with people through storytelling, strategy, and digital engagement.

🔗 Learn more at unumco.ca

💌 Connect with us on LinkedIn
and Instagram

Subscribe, rate, and share the show. Your support helps more people discover these stories.

]]> In this episode we sit down with Wendy Smith—entrepreneur, creative, and community-builder—to explore what it means to lead with empathy and intention. From handwritten notes to community events that bring people together, Wendy shows how small, thoughtful gestures can create lasting impact.

She shares her journey of evolution (across industries, identities, and roles) and how consistency and care have shaped the way she connects with others. Together, we unpack what it means to build spaces that feel human and where collaboration and kindness are as essential as strategy and success.

This conversation is a reminder that thoughtful connection isn’t just a skill, but an art.

Follow Wendy at @matter_homes

Collected by Unum Co. is a podcast about the power of lived experience, and how stories can shape more human-centred systems, services, and spaces.

Created by Unum Co., a patient-experience consultancy and creative studio helping health care organizations connect with people through storytelling, strategy, and digital engagement.

🔗 Learn more at unumco.ca

💌 Connect with us on LinkedIn
and Instagram

Subscribe, rate, and share the show. Your support helps more people discover these stories.

]]> Farah Meghji and Megan Marsiglio Buzzsprout-18168549 Tue, 11 Nov 2025 12:00:00 -0500 2317 1 3 full false Building a culture of patient safety with Melissa Sheldrick Building a culture of patient safety with Melissa Sheldrick When her eight-year-old son Andrew died from a preventable medication error, Melissa Sheldrick’s life changed forever. What began as unimaginable grief became a call for accountability and a movement for safer care.

In this episode of Collected by Unum Co., Melissa shares how she transformed personal tragedy into pan-Canadian and global advocacy, helping to shape policies that protect patients across Canada. She reflects on what it means to trust the health care system, why error reporting and continuous quality improvement matter, and how empathy and courage can lead to lasting change.

Learn more about Melissa's work at melissasheldrick.ca and to report medication errors, visit mederror.ca

Collected by Unum Co. is a podcast about the power of lived experience, and how stories can shape more human-centred systems, services, and spaces.

Created by Unum Co., a patient-experience consultancy and creative studio helping health care organizations connect with people through storytelling, strategy, and digital engagement.

🔗 Learn more at unumco.ca

💌 Connect with us on LinkedIn
and Instagram

Subscribe, rate, and share the show. Your support helps more people discover these stories.

]]> When her eight-year-old son Andrew died from a preventable medication error, Melissa Sheldrick’s life changed forever. What began as unimaginable grief became a call for accountability and a movement for safer care.

In this episode of Collected by Unum Co., Melissa shares how she transformed personal tragedy into pan-Canadian and global advocacy, helping to shape policies that protect patients across Canada. She reflects on what it means to trust the health care system, why error reporting and continuous quality improvement matter, and how empathy and courage can lead to lasting change.

Learn more about Melissa's work at melissasheldrick.ca and to report medication errors, visit mederror.ca

Collected by Unum Co. is a podcast about the power of lived experience, and how stories can shape more human-centred systems, services, and spaces.

Created by Unum Co., a patient-experience consultancy and creative studio helping health care organizations connect with people through storytelling, strategy, and digital engagement.

🔗 Learn more at unumco.ca

💌 Connect with us on LinkedIn
and Instagram

Subscribe, rate, and share the show. Your support helps more people discover these stories.

]]> Farah Meghji and Megan Marsiglio Buzzsprout-18082401 Tue, 28 Oct 2025 00:00:00 -0400 1955 1 2 full false Redesigning how we see dementia with Dr. Saskia Sivananthan Redesigning how we see dementia with Dr. Saskia Sivananthan In the first episode of Collected by Unum Co., Farah and Megan sit down with Dr. Saskia Sivananthan—a leading data scientist and neuroscientist specializing in dementia and other neurological conditions. Together, they explore how stories, systems, and stigma shape the way we think about brain health.

From her early experiences as a neighbour and caregiver to her work influencing pan-Canadian policy, Saskia shares how compassion and design thinking can transform the future of dementia care.

It’s a conversation about dignity, advocacy, and what it means to stay human in health care.

Learn more about the work Dr. Sivananthan is doing at The Brainwell Institute.  

Collected by Unum Co. is a podcast about the power of lived experience, and how stories can shape more human-centred systems, services, and spaces.

Created by Unum Co., a patient-experience consultancy and creative studio helping health care organizations connect with people through storytelling, strategy, and digital engagement.

🔗 Learn more at unumco.ca

💌 Connect with us on LinkedIn
and Instagram

Subscribe, rate, and share the show. Your support helps more people discover these stories.

]]> In the first episode of Collected by Unum Co., Farah and Megan sit down with Dr. Saskia Sivananthan—a leading data scientist and neuroscientist specializing in dementia and other neurological conditions. Together, they explore how stories, systems, and stigma shape the way we think about brain health.

From her early experiences as a neighbour and caregiver to her work influencing pan-Canadian policy, Saskia shares how compassion and design thinking can transform the future of dementia care.

It’s a conversation about dignity, advocacy, and what it means to stay human in health care.

Learn more about the work Dr. Sivananthan is doing at The Brainwell Institute.  

Collected by Unum Co. is a podcast about the power of lived experience, and how stories can shape more human-centred systems, services, and spaces.

Created by Unum Co., a patient-experience consultancy and creative studio helping health care organizations connect with people through storytelling, strategy, and digital engagement.

🔗 Learn more at unumco.ca

💌 Connect with us on LinkedIn
and Instagram

Subscribe, rate, and share the show. Your support helps more people discover these stories.

]]> Farah Meghji and Megan Marsiglio Buzzsprout-17989918 Mon, 13 Oct 2025 20:00:00 -0400 3499 1 1 full false