Cholera plague, Quebec. Painting by Joseph Légaré. Not too many benefits from having cholera in the 19th century.
Disease is an inherently subjective term. What follows is an effort to highlight subjective classifications of disease and reveal the true nature of disease — an incongruence between person and environment.
Read More
General Merchant. Painting by David Thauberger
When looking at disease burden, it is clear that certain diseases and cancers are famous. Researchers studying these diseases are lavished with research dollars while other diseases claim victims in relative obscurity. What biases are at play in distributing research funds? What makes a disease famous?
Read More
The Birth of Venus. Painting by Sandro Botticelli. Aphrodite (Venus) was said to be born from the white foam produced after Cronus severed the genitals of his father, Uranus. Hematopoietic stem cells, found in the bone marrow, give rise to the components of the whole blood; white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets.
In a world where half of all people in need of a stem cell donor cannot find one, apathy is a word thrown around frequently. Drawing on personal experiences, I dissect stem cell transplantation and propose strategies to circumvent laziness and ignorance that can undermine public health initiatives.
Read More