Episode Summary

In this episode of Amplify: Elevating Patient Voices, Ursula Mann and Anne Marie Hayes sit down with Neelam Bance for a thoughtful conversation about leadership, lived experience, healthcare innovation, and the importance of listening deeply to patients and caregivers.

Neelam shares reflections from her personal and professional journey — including motherhood, identity, advocacy, and leadership — and how these experiences shaped her perspective on creating more human-centered healthcare systems.

The discussion explores the value of curiosity, empathy, and meaningful collaboration in driving change across healthcare and patient engagement spaces. From recognizing barriers within systems to understanding the emotional realities behind patient experiences, this episode highlights why lived experience must remain at the center of innovation and decision-making.

This conversation is reflective, inspiring, and filled with insights for healthcare leaders, patient advocates, caregivers, and anyone passionate about creating more compassionate systems of care.

Why You Should Listen

• Learn why listening to lived experience is essential in healthcare innovation
• Hear Neelam’s perspective on balancing leadership, motherhood, and advocacy
• Explore the importance of empathy and curiosity in driving meaningful change
• Understand how patient-centered thinking can improve healthcare systems and conversations
• Gain insights into leadership rooted in humanity, connection, and collaboration

Episode Highlights

• 00:00 – Introduction to Neelam Bance and her journey in healthcare leadership
• 03:12 – The importance of lived experience in shaping healthcare conversations
• 07:45 – Balancing leadership, motherhood, and personal identity
• 12:30 – Why empathy and curiosity are essential in innovation
• 18:05 – Challenges within healthcare systems and the need for patient-centered thinking
• 24:18 – Building meaningful collaboration between patients, caregivers, and healthcare leaders
• 30:42 – Reflections on advocacy, listening, and creating lasting change
• 36:10 – Final thoughts on leadership, humanity, and the future of healthcare

Links

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/neelambance/
MedGeneius https://www.linkedin.com/company/medgeneius/
ODINsight https://odinsight.ca/

Medical Disclaimer:

The content shared on Amplify is for informational and educational purposes only.

Nothing discussed on this podcast—including stories, experiences, perspectives, or commentary from hosts, guests, or contributors—should be interpreted as medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment recommendations.

Always seek the guidance of your physician or other licensed provider with any questions regarding your health, medical conditions, or treatment options.

What happens when surviving cancer in your 20s leads to a completely different health journey decades later? In this powerful episode of Amplify: Elevating Patient Voices, hosts Ursula Mann and Anne-Marie Hayes sit down with Jackie to explore the realities of women’s heart health, delayed diagnosis, and why patient-led advocacy is changing the future of care.

After surviving Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma at 24, Jackie went on to build a successful career in fashion and live what she thought was a healthy, “normal” life — until nearly 20 years later, she experienced chemotherapy-induced heart failure. What began as flu-like symptoms eventually led to a diagnosis of cardiomyopathy, opening her eyes to the long-term “legacy” cancer treatment can leave behind.

Today, Jackie is a passionate advocate working to improve awareness, access to care, and support systems for women living with heart disease. She shares why women are still too often misdiagnosed, how heart disease symptoms can look very different in women, and why advocacy starts with simply believing that your health matters.

This episode is an urgent and empowering conversation about equalizing care, listening to lived experience, and ensuring women are no longer treated as “small men” in cardiovascular medicine.

Why You Should Listen

• Learn how chemotherapy and cancer treatments can impact heart health decades later
• Hear why women’s heart disease symptoms are still frequently overlooked or misdiagnosed
• Understand the growing connection between gynecology, hormones, and cardiology
• Discover the importance of patient-led support communities and advocacy
• Gain practical insights into heart health risk factors every woman should know
• Explore how Canada and global organizations are working to improve women’s cardiac care

Episode Highlights

• 00:32 – Why women’s heart health remains under-researched and misunderstood
• 04:35 – Jackie’s cancer diagnosis at 24 and the long-term effects of treatment
• 06:32 – Discovering chemotherapy-induced cardiomyopathy nearly 20 years later
• 07:54 – The moment Jackie’s mother pushed her to request an EKG
• 09:49 – The alarming statistics around women and heart disease misdiagnosis
• 12:42 – Feeling isolated while searching for trustworthy patient support
• 16:48 – Jackie’s advice for women: “Put yourself first”
• 18:12 – Hidden heart disease risk factors linked to hormones, pregnancy, and autoimmune conditions
• 22:48 – Why women are still being treated as “small men” in research and medication dosing
• 25:30 – What “bikini medicine” means and why it limits women’s care
• 28:24 – Canada’s progress in women’s heart health and the new national women’s health framework
• 30:43 – Jackie’s “Heart Warrior Queens” philosophy: love boldly, live bravely, lead your own journey

Resources & Organizations

• HeartLife Foundation
• HeartLife Women / Life in Hearts
• Canadian Women’s Heart Health Alliance
• Global Heart Hub
• Bill S-243: An Act to establish a national framework for women’s health in Canada

About Jackie

Jackie is a patient advocate living with chemotherapy-induced heart failure following treatment for Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in her 20s. After nearly two decades working in the fashion industry as an apparel buyer, her diagnosis inspired her to dedicate her life to advocacy and women’s heart health awareness.

She is the

Episode Summary

In this episode of Amplify: Elevating Patient Voices, hosts Ursula Mann and Anne Marie Hayes are joined by Jeff Beach, President & CEO of Asthma Canada.

Jeff shares his deeply personal journey—from a childhood marked by severe allergies to a life-changing asthma diagnosis in adulthood—and how that experience shaped his path into patient advocacy and leadership.

The conversation explores the realities of living with asthma, including common misconceptions, the importance of proper disease management, and what “good control” truly looks like. Jeff also provides a behind-the-scenes look at leading a national patient organization—navigating funding, maintaining independence, and ensuring patient voices remain at the center of healthcare decisions.

With World Asthma Day approaching, this episode is both timely and powerful—reminding us that asthma is not just occasional wheezing, but a chronic condition that requires awareness, action, and advocacy.

Why You Should Listen

• Understand the difference between controlled and uncontrolled asthma
• Learn how lived experience shapes healthcare leadership and advocacy
• Discover why asthma is often misunderstood—and underestimated
• Hear practical insights on managing triggers and improving daily life
• Get inspired by stories of resilience, including patients who went from struggling to walk to running marathons
• Gain perspective on how patient organizations operate, stay independent, and drive change

Episode Highlights

00:01 – Introduction to Amplify & today’s conversation
Setting the stage: patient voices and why this discussion matters.

04:39 – Jeff’s journey with asthma
From childhood allergies to an unexpected diagnosis in adulthood.

07:21 – The reality of diagnosis
Why asthma can be difficult to identify—especially in children.

11:22 – Rescue vs. controller medication
What proper asthma management really looks like.

13:14 – Signs your asthma is not controlled
Common misconceptions and warning signs to watch for.

14:12 – Can people with asthma stay active?
Breaking the myth—why movement is part of better control.

18:38 – From lived experience to leadership
Jeff’s path into patient advocacy and nonprofit leadership.

23:36 – Funding, independence, and trust
How patient organizations operate and stay patient-centered.

27:53 – The role of patient voices in healthcare
Why advocacy and storytelling drive real change.

31:17 – Looking ahead: World Asthma Day
Shifting from awareness to taking asthma seriously.

Links & References

• Asthma Canada: https://asthma.ca/
• Asthma Canada YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/AsthmaSocietyCanada
• Asthma & Allergy HelpLine: https://asthma.ca/what-we-do/helpline/
• Patient Voice Partners: https://patientvoicepartners.com
• Medlior Health Outcomes Research: https://www.medlior.com/
  
  

Medical Disclaimer:

The content shared on Amplify is for informational and educational purposes only.

Nothing discussed on this podcast—including stories, experiences, perspectives, or commentary from hosts, guests, or contributors—sho