Amplify brings you real stories and bold conversations — from patients and caregivers to clinicians, advocates, innovators, and system leaders. Together, we explore the human side of healthcare and the bold ideas that make it better.
Powered by Patient Voice Partners, this podcast elevates lived experience to shape better care, access, and policy.
Tune in to hear what healthcare looks like — when people are finally heard.
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From Motherhood to Medicine: Curiosity, Connection, and Reinvention
Episode 24
Friday, May 15, 2026 • Duration 42:02
Episode Summary
This episode is sponsored by Medlior Health Outcomes Research. Sponsorship supports Amplify, while all conversations and perspectives remain independently produced.
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
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.
Listening to the Heart: Lived Experience as a Catalyst for Better Cardiac Care
Episode 23
Friday, May 8, 2026 • Duration 32:14
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
Living Beyond Diagnosis: Colorectal Cancer, Screening, and Patient Advocacy
Episode 14
Friday, January 23, 2026 • Duration 31:53
In this episode of Amplify: Elevating Patient Voices, hosts Ursula Mann and Barry Liden are joined by Barry Stein, President and CEO of Colorectal Cancer Canada, for a powerful and deeply personal conversation about colorectal cancer, early screening, and why patient voices matter in shaping healthcare systems.
Barry Stein shares his remarkable journey—from a late-stage colorectal cancer diagnosis in the mid-1990s, through multiple surgeries and innovative treatments, to becoming one of Canada’s most influential patient advocates. His story highlights how determination, shared decision-making, and advocacy can drive meaningful change at both the individual and system level.
Together, the hosts explore why colorectal cancer screening is so critical, how screening programs have evolved across Canada, and the real-world barriers patients face when it comes to testing and access to care. The conversation also dives into the importance of patient engagement in research, clinical trials, and health technology decision-making—reminding us that data alone is never enough without lived experience.
This episode is a compelling reminder that patients are not just stakeholders in healthcare—they are essential partners.
In This Episode, You’ll Hear About:
Barry Stein’s personal experience with stage IV colorectal cancer and what it taught him about advocacy
Why early detection and screening save lives
The role of FIT testing and colonoscopy in colorectal cancer screening
How patient voices influence policy, access, and innovation in healthcare
Why patient preference and lived experience matter in research and decision-making
The long-term impact of advocacy—for individuals, families, and health systems
Closing the Gap: Patient Voices and Pharma Transformation in the Middle East
Episode 13
Friday, January 16, 2026 • Duration 27:19
How is patient engagement evolving in one of the world’s fastest-changing healthcare regions? In this episode, Ursula Mann and Christine Pisapia sit down with Mostafa Najib, a pharmaceutical leader with more than 20 years of experience across the Middle East.
Together, they explore how patient expectations are shifting, how technology and policy are reshaping access to innovation, and why meaningful patient insight is still one of healthcare’s biggest challenges—globally.
Why You Should Listen
To gain a global perspective on how patient voices are being integrated into healthcare decision-making
To understand what’s changing in the Middle East—and what remains surprisingly similar worldwide
To hear real-world reflections from inside the pharmaceutical industry
To explore how patient insight can shape better strategy, access, and outcomes
To consider what the future of patient-centered healthcare could look like across systems
Episode Highlights
00:03:32 — Entering the pharmaceutical world How Mostafa found his path into pharma and why the commercial side captured his interest.
00:05:03 — The rise of patient engagement in the Middle East A look at how patient expectations and behaviors have shifted over the last two decades.
00:06:00 — The limits of traditional patient programs Why awareness and access initiatives still fall short of capturing what patients truly value.
00:07:26 — When assumptions miss the mark How physician perceptions sometimes diverge from what patients actually want or fear.
00:08:42 — Shared global patterns Christine reflects on similar trends in North America—from “Dr. Google” to increasing patient advocacy.
00:09:05 — The evolving role of patient groups Why patient associations are more established in Europe and North America than in the Middle East.
Welcome to Amplify: Elevating Patient Voices Through Listening and Action
Season 1 · Episode 1
Friday, January 9, 2026 • Duration 20:48
Welcome to the launch episode of Amplify, the podcast powered by Patient Voice Partners, where real stories spark bold conversations. In this episode, host Ursula Mann is joined by her co-hosts Brent Korte, Barry Liden, Anne Marie Hayes, and Christine Pisapia as they explore what patient engagement really means - and why it’s personal, not just professional.
Together, they share stories of caregiving, lived experiences, and the ways patient voices can influence decisions across healthcare - from policy and regulation to research and clinical care. Learn why listening to patients, caregivers, and healthcare changemakers matters, how insights from lived experiences translate into action, and the impact of truly inclusive patient engagement.
This episode also introduces Amplify’s mission: to provide a platform that elevates patient voices, fosters understanding, and inspires listeners to think differently, listen differently, and take action in their own healthcare ecosystems.
What You’ll Learn:
Why patient engagement is personal for every member of the healthcare ecosystem
How patient perspectives can influence business, regulatory, and clinical decisions
The challenges and opportunities in translating patient experiences into meaningful outcomes
Ways listeners—patients, caregivers, clinicians, and innovators—can contribute to change
Want to Share Your Voice?
If you’re a patient or caregiver, you can join Patient Voice Connect to share your experiences and help shape healthcare here.
Join our email list to get new episode updates here.
Together, we can bring more voices to the table and shape the future of healthcare.
Living With Huntington’s: Inheriting Risk, Finding Purpose
Episode 12
Friday, December 5, 2025 • Duration 31:40
Episode Summary
In this powerful episode of Amplify, hosts Ursula Mann and Christina Pisapia speak with Erin Paterson, a writer, caregiver, and advocate whose life was transformed by Huntington’s Disease (HD).
Just as Erin and her husband were preparing to start a family, she learned a long-kept family secret: her grandmother may have died from Huntington’s. This revelation pushed Erin into rapid genetic testing, where she tested gene-positive. What followed was a decade-long struggle with depression, infertility, caregiving responsibilities, and fear of the future.
But Erin rebuilt her life through writing, community, caregiving, and storytelling. Today, she advocates globally for people living with rare diseases and cares for her father, who is now in his 80s with late-onset HD. Her story is one of courage, connection, and the quiet beauty of finding purpose—even when living with uncertainty.
Why You Should Listen
This episode is for you if you:
Work in healthcare and want to understand how to deliver compassionate, human-centered care for people with neurological and rare diseases.
Support a loved one with chronic illness and want to hear how another caregiver navigates emotional, logistical, and generational challenges.
Are navigating inherited risk, fear of the unknown, or the emotional weight of a diagnosis—personally or within your family.
Believe in the power of storytelling, community, and advocacy to transform pain into purpose.
Want to hear how small acts of joy and presence can sustain connection—especially when speech and movement change.
You’ll walk away with a deeper understanding of Huntington’s disease, the importance of slowing down in care settings, and how love and community can reshape even the hardest realities.
Episode Highlights
00:00 — Understanding Huntington’s Disease A clear, human explanation of what HD is and why lived experience is essential.
Beyond the Dome: Humanizing Healthcare with Mark Stolow
Episode 11
Friday, November 21, 2025 • Duration 32:32
In this conversation, Ursula and Anne Marie sit down with Mark Stolow, Founding Director of People Before Patients, to explore what it truly means to humanize healthcare.
Drawing from early caregiving experiences and over two decades in public health, Mark challenges the industrial logic shaping today’s system and offers new metaphors—like forests, ecologies, and “the dome”—to help us reimagine care in a more relational, alive, and humane way.
He also introduces the practice of asking “more beautiful questions,” examines the difference between cold and warm data, and shares how slowing down might be the most urgent step toward redesigning healthcare for the future.
Why You Should Listen
You’ll rethink the phrase “humanizing healthcare”—and why it reveals how far we’ve drifted from care’s original purpose.
Mark offers powerful metaphors (forest ecology, The Truman Show dome, bonsai) that reframe how we understand illness, suffering, and systems.
You’ll learn why data alone can’t capture a person’s lived experience, and why healthcare must balance cold metrics with warm context.
This episode gives clinicians, patients, caregivers, and leaders a new lens for imagining what healthcare could become if we widen the frame.
It invites us to ask better, more beautiful questions—the kind that open new pathways instead of repeating old answers.
Episode Highlights (Timestamps)
00:00 – Welcome to Amplify Ursula, Brent, and Anne Marie introduce the episode and its focus on perspectives that can reshape healthcare’s future.
00:34 – Meet Mark Stolow Mark is introduced as a thought explorer and founding director of People Before Patients, with more than 20 years in the human development and health space.
01:04 – Mark’s origin story How caring for his mother during severe bipolar episodes shaped his lifelong interest in human suffering, psychology, and healing.
Stage Zero, Full Strength: Share’s Story of Early Detection, Self-Advocacy, and Choosing Light
Episode 10
Wednesday, November 12, 2025 • Duration 32:05
A routine nudge from a family doctor changed everything. After being sent for a mammogram she had delayed, Share was diagnosed with stage 0, triple-negative breast cancer—caught extraordinarily early. In this candid conversation, she walks us through that phone call, the whirlwind of next steps, and the mindset and micro-supports that helped her stay grounded: humor, weekly friend check-ins, complementary therapies, and clear self-advocacy. We also talk about what truly helpful support sounds like, why routine screening matters (even without symptoms), and how this experience is shaping her life, work, and a new legacy-preserving project for families.
Why listen
A real-world case of early detection saving options—and likely outcomes
Practical scripts for self-advocacy when guidelines and funding create friction
Compassionate guidance for friends & family: what to say, how to show up, and when to just listen
An uplifting reminder that attitude and humor are legitimate forms of support
Key moments
00:01:02 — The curveball: A proactive GP flags an overdue mammogram; results move quickly to ultrasound and biopsy.
00:05:00 — “Triple-negative” at stage 0: Why speed mattered; a second tiny tumor was found by surgery day.
00:06:07 — The GP everyone deserves: Thorough history, time to listen, and even a hug.
00:11:00 — Two diagnoses in one day: Processing the news and choosing a forward plan.
00:12:00 — Building a circle of support fast: Reiki, self-hypnosis audio, nutrition plan, acupuncture & herbs.
00:13:05 — “Don’t should me”: Responding to others’ expectations about how to feel.
00:17:32 — Feeling seen: The power of two close friends and brave, non-invasive check-ins.
00:20:08 — Daily gratitude practice: Coffee, quiet, noticing small joys.
00:25:30 — Screening: No symptoms, no pain—still cancer. Don’t delay routine tests.
00:27:14 — Mindset matters: “Cancer loves despair.” Choose light, and ask for help if you can’t find it.
00:28:03 — Work & legacy: Launching Film & Life to preserve family memories.
From Physician to Patient to Pioneer: Dr. Shazhan Amed on Surviving TEN and Building Haibu Health
Episode 9
Wednesday, November 5, 2025 • Duration 42:19
Episode Summary
What happens when a physician becomes the patient—and then an entrepreneur? Pediatric endocrinologist Dr. Shazhan Amed shares her harrowing, transformational journey through toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN), a rare, life-threatening reaction often triggered by medications. Shazhan opens up about pain, fear, advocacy, and the moments of kindness that sustained her. She then connects those lessons to why she founded Haibu Health: to pair empathy with data and improve how teams communicate, coordinate, and care—especially in pediatric diabetes.
Why You Should Listen
Rare, lifesaving insight: Understand toxic epidermal necrolysis from the inside—how it presents, why minutes matter, and what compassionate care looks like in crisis.
Practical advocacy tips: Concrete ways families can protect sleep, manage pain, and coordinate care—the small changes that change outcomes.
Clinician perspective, transformed: Hear how becoming a patient reshaped a physician’s views on communication, documentation, and empathy.
Innovation with heart: See how Haibu Health blends data + humanity to improve team-based care in pediatric diabetes (and beyond).
Leader playbook: Mentorship, defining purpose, and making uncomfortable leaps—how to build mission-driven work that lasts.
Caregiver validation: If you’ve stood bedside, you’ll feel seen—and leave with language and ideas to be heard in the system.
Actionable takeaways: Simple practices any clinic can adopt tomorrow: batch vitals, explain the plan, involve caregivers, and treat kindness as care.
Timestamps
00:00 – Welcome & setup: why this story matters
01:16 – Who is Dr. Shazhan Amed: clinician, researcher, founder
02:50 – What is toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) and how it presents (connection to SJS/TEN spectrum)
06:39 – Mentors who changed everything—from lab to fellowship to leadership
10:06 – Pediatrics is relational: caring for the child and the family
13:11 – The day life flipped: fever, blisters, rapid decline
15:39 – ICU & burn unit: pain, vision loss, and the sound of urgency
Postpartum Psychosis: Cara’s Story of Crisis, Care, and Recovery
Episode 8
Wednesday, October 29, 2025 • Duration 40:43
Trigger warning
This episode includes discussion of severe postnatal mental health challenges, including postpartum psychosis, hospitalization, and panic. If you or someone you know needs medical assistance, please contact your healthcare professional.
If you’re in Canada and need support right now:
Call or text 9-8-8 – Suicide Crisis Helpline, available 24/7/365, bilingual. Youth & young adults: Kids Help Phone 1-800-668-6868 or text 686868 (24/7).
If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, call 9-1-1.
Why You Should Listen
When new motherhood collides with a medical emergency, sleepless nights, and overwhelming pressure, the result can be life-threatening—but also deeply misunderstood. In this raw and courageous conversation, Cara shares her firsthand experience with postpartum psychosis, from a terrifying onset to full recovery and renewal.
Whether you’re a parent, clinician, or advocate, this episode reminds us how vital it is to listen without judgment, recognize early warning signs, and respond with compassion and urgency. Cara’s journey sheds light on both the fragility and strength of mothers navigating unseen battles—and the power of the right support at the right time.
Episode overview
When Cara welcomed twins via C-section in Scotland, early feeding difficulties, sleep deprivation, and a sudden medical complication spiraled into postpartum psychosis. After a terrifying crisis and an ambulance call, Cara was admitted to a Mother–Baby Unit, where specialized, compassionate care helped her stabilize, bond safely with her babies, and reclaim her sense of self. Years later—now a nurse—she shares what recovery looks like, how family and clinicians can recognize red flags, and why empathetic, practical support matters.
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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
00:11:04 — Faster access to innovation How regulatory modernization is closing the gap between U.S. approvals and local availability.
00:12:23 — Digital transformation (and no more faxing) A lighthearted look at how digital health infrastructure has rapidly advanced in the region.
00:14:35 — What’s missing from patient insight The everyday realities, symptoms, and priorities that often never reach the healthcare system.
00:17:09 — Shrinking visit time How shorter appointments impact patient–physician communication and understanding.
00:20:20 — Designing a connected ecosystem Mostafa imagines a future where patients, providers, payers, and pharma collaborate more seamlessly.
00:21:43 — When patient feedback redirects strategy A real-world example of how one insight changed the course of a major investment.
00:25:30 — Surfing, seasons, and perspective A glimpse into Mostafa’s life outside of work—and the waves he’s chasing next.
Want to Share Your Voice?
If you’re a patient or caregiver, you can join Patient Voice Connect to share your experiences and help shape healthcare here.
Join our email list to get new episode updates here.
Together, we can bring more voices to the table and shape the future of healthcare.
02:35 — A family secret revealed Erin shares the unexpected moment that changed the course of her life.
03:57 — Facing a life-altering diagnosis How Erin processed the news and what the early emotional impact looked like.
08:28 — Becoming a caregiver What it meant to step into supporting her father as HD progressed.
09:46 — Advocacy in the healthcare system Erin reflects on what patients and families often need—but don’t always receive.
13:24 — Rebuilding after a difficult season The small, intentional practices that helped her slowly find her way forward.
15:49 — Transforming pain into purpose How writing, publishing, and community shifted Erin’s path.
28:34 — Connection beyond words A beautiful insight into staying close to a loved one when communication changes.
02:28 – Eastern philosophies and “the wisdom of anxiety” Mark shares how Buddhist and Indian schools of thought influenced his academic and personal exploration of the mind.
04:00 – What does “humanizing healthcare” really mean? Why the phrase surprises Mark, and what it reveals about how far we’ve drifted from a human-centered understanding of care.
05:45 – A family carrying the weight Mark reflects on growing up in a household affected by mental illness and what he wishes the family had understood earlier.
07:54 – Healthcare professionals are longing for humanness too The increasing dissatisfaction and yearning for meaning among clinicians.
08:56 – The forest metaphor: Healthcare as a living ecology How interconnected systems like forests can teach us more about care than industrial models.
11:00 – What’s getting in the way? The limits of industrial thinking Why healthcare’s “input-output” mindset fails to capture the complexity of human lives and chronic illness.
12:52 – Expanding the edges of illness Cancer isn’t only what shows up on scans—Mark describes its ripple effects across relationships, identity, and daily life.
13:45 – Discreet solutions to complex problems Why industrial solutions are often partial—and what’s missing.
14:38 – A better metaphor: ecological thinking Shifting from centers and hierarchies to interdependence and mutuality.
16:00 – Ask a more beautiful question What makes a question “beautiful,” why it requires patience, and how it helps us understand pro
00:30:14 — What she’s reading: Murder mysteries and JD Robb’s In Death series.
00:29:13 — Raiders fan for life: Loyalty, teamwork, and showing up to the end.
Resources & mentions
Routine screening: talk to your GP about what’s recommended for your age & history and what’s available beyond funded programs.
Books: JD Robb — In Death series (futuristic detective fiction).
Share’s company: Film & Life — helping families preserve their stories through legacy videos and media digitization.
Want to Share Your Voice?
If you’re a patient or caregiver, you can join Patient Voice Connect to share your experiences and help shape healthcare here.
Join our email list to get new episode updates here.
Together, we can bring more voices to the table and shape the future of healthcare.
