Latest news with #MayaCarvalho
Winnipeg Free Press
23-06-2025
- Health
- Winnipeg Free Press
A painful truth
It's more than a headache. Maya Carvalho's life has been derailed by chronic migraine attacks. Born in Winnipeg and now living in Toronto, Carvalho, 54, was working as a busy marketing executive for an international beauty company when she experienced her first migraine episode in her mid-30s. SUPPLIED Maya Carvalho, 54, founded the Canadian Migraine Society in 2020. SUPPLIED Maya Carvalho, 54, founded the Canadian Migraine Society in 2020. Within months, the intense head pain and light sensitivity — which worsened with even minor physical movements — became a near daily occurrence. She had to leave her dream job. 'Every facet of your life is touched when you have a chronic illness that is this debilitating,' she says. Instead of climbing the corporate ladder, Carvalho found herself trying to navigate a medical system that was ill-equipped to deal with her diagnosis. 'There was such a high level of invalidation and doubt about my symptoms that it made my experience exponentially harder than it needed to be,' she says, adding one neurologist told her there was no hope for an effective treatment because so many medications had failed thus far. 'There was such a high level of invalidation and doubt about my symptoms that it made my experience exponentially harder than it needed to be.'– Maya Carvalho Frustrated, Carvalho decided to start her own support group and founded the Canadian Migraine Society in 2020. 'If I was having a hard time getting any kind of compassionate support, there must be many others in Canada who were experiencing what I was experiencing,' she says. Migraine is a disabling neurological condition that affects more women than men. A 2011 StatsCan survey found an estimated 2.7 million Canadians (8.3 per cent of the population) had been diagnosed with migraine, and that roughly 12 per cent of women and five per cent of men were reportedly living with the disease. The study's authors, however, conceded the findings were likely an underestimation. FREEPIK A 2011 StatsCan survey found roughly 12 per cent of female respondents and five per cent of male reported living with migraines. FREEPIK A 2011 StatsCan survey found roughly 12 per cent of female respondents and five per cent of male reported living with migraines. The World Health Organization ranks headache disorders among the most common and most disabling neurological diseases, with migraine affecting at least one in every seven adults in the world. The condition can negatively impact interpersonal relationships, mental health, physical well-being and financial security. The gendered prevalence and invisible nature of migraine has led to underdiagnosis and undertreatment, says Heba Bani Hani, a registered pharmacist in Ontario with a master's degree in headache disorders from the University of Copenhagen. Historic assumptions and negative depictions in movies and books have coloured the way migraine is viewed within society and modern-day medicine, she adds. 'In the Middle Ages it was seen as hysteria, that women are hysterical and that's why they fake headaches,' says Bani Hani, a medical adviser for the Canadian Migraine Society. 'Men also get discriminated against because it's seen as a women's condition, so both genders are affected by the way that we perceive this condition.'– Heba Bani Hani, a registered pharmacist in Ontario with a master's degree in headache disorders from the University of Copenhagen 'Men also get discriminated against because it's seen as a women's condition, so both genders are affected by the way that we perceive this condition.' Hormones are believed to play a role, since the condition is seen equally in children of both genders until puberty, when the prevalence increases for females. Kids may experience abdominal migraine, characterized as recurrent bouts of unexplained stomach pain. The likelihood of migraine increases if one or both parents also suffer from the disease. SUPPLIED PHOTO While it can manifest in different ways, Bani Hani says migraine is diagnosed if a patient has experienced two of the following symptoms within the last three months: photo- and phonophobia (sensitivity to light and sound), nausea and an inability to perform regular daily tasks. Attacks are sometimes accompanied by auras — sensory changes that may cause visual or auditory hallucinations, difficulty speaking, tingling sensations and muscle weakness. Migraine episodes can last hours, days or weeks and be triggered by many different things, including stress, lack of sleep, blood-sugar fluctuations, the weather and hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle. They can be episodic, occurring fewer than 15 days per month, or chronic, occurring more than 15 days. At her worst, Carvalho was spending eight or nine days in a darkened room with uninterrupted pain running from her eyebrows to the back of her neck. She visited many different neurologists and tried 'a plethora' of allopathic and naturopathic treatment options, to no avail. In 2018, more than a decade into her migraine journey, Carvalho finally found a class of preventive drugs, new to Canada at the time, that worked to dull her symptoms. However, getting a prescription proved challenging. 'It was absolutely shocking. I'm an intelligent woman, I was going in with Excel spreadsheets that listed all the pertinent information … and I was being struck down at every opportunity,' she says. 'I had to advocate (for myself) again and again and again.' Even with medication, Carvalho experiences migraine attacks every second day and lives with daily pain. 'We need a huge paradigm shift. There's a problem here and it needs to be taken much more seriously than it is.'– Maya Carvalho Until recently, acute medications — which are used to abort or offer relief for a migraine-in-progress, such as triptans or over-the-counter painkillers — were the only option available for sufferers, says Bani Hani. Relying on these drugs too frequently can worsen symptoms over time and cause medication-overuse headaches. Preventive medications, known as calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) inhibitors, are relatively new and designed to help prevent attacks before they start. They can be particularly effective for chronic migraine patients. Canadian Migraine Society Online support groups for episodic and chronic migraine sufferers, educational resources, treatment guides and advocacy. Migraine Canada Online support groups, self-assessment tools, educational resources and specialist directory. Headache & Neurology Clinic Winnipeg medical clinic specializing in headache and migraine treatment. Both options are expensive and insurance coverage is lacking. In Canada, CGRP prescriptions can cost $600 for a monthly injectable or a daily oral tablet, while acute abortives can cost $20 per tablet. 'Not everybody can afford it, but they do change people's lives and they are very effective and people need that relief. Otherwise, they end up in emergency rooms and you can imagine how expensive that is,' says Bani Hani, who trains other pharmacists on the nuances of headache disorders and sees the pharmacy counter as a valuable resource for patients. In addition to offering online support groups for episodic and chronic migraine sufferers, the Canadian Migraine Society advocates for better coverage from insurers, improved government disability benefits, better access to headache specialists and more empathy writ large. 'We need a huge paradigm shift,' Carvalho says. 'There's a problem here and it needs to be taken much more seriously than it is.' Eva WasneyReporter Eva Wasney has been a reporter with the Free Press Arts & Life department since 2019. Read more about Eva. Every piece of reporting Eva produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Globe and Mail
15-06-2025
- Health
- Globe and Mail
The hidden toll of chronic migraine on workers and companies
This is the weekly Work Life newsletter. If you are interested in more careers-related content, sign up to receive it in your inbox. One of Maya Carvalho's worst migraines lasted nine days. 'I was completely bedridden,' she says. 'My pain was so intense it felt like if I moved my head an inch, it would crack open.' She had been thriving in a high-powered role at a multi-national beauty company in New York City when migraine suddenly entered her life. 'It hit me out of the blue,' she says. 'I hadn't had migraines before, not even as a kid.' Almost overnight, what started as one attack escalated into chronic migraine – defined as 15 or more migraine days per month. 'I knew I couldn't perform at the level I wanted to. And there was no conversation about accommodations, no awareness that migraine was a disease. So I had to walk away [from my job],' she says. 'It was devastating.' A costly, invisible disease Today, chronic migraine affects an estimated 1-2.2 per cent of the global population while migraines affect 12 to 15 per cent, with women more likely to be affected. According to the World Health Organization, a day with severe migraine is as disabling as a day with quadriplegia. That's why Toronto-based Ms. Carvalho, who is the founder of the Canadian Migraine Society, is passionate about helping workplaces understand the full weight of this invisible neurological disease. Migraine is often more than head pain. It can involve light and sound sensitivity, nausea, vomiting and vertigo. 'Each person has their own constellation of symptoms,' Ms. Carvalho says. 'But the pain is intense. I've had women tell me it's worse than childbirth.' The productivity paradox From a business perspective, migraine is a silent disruptor. Ms. Carvalho says employers often focus on absenteeism, but presenteeism – when employees are present at work, but not functioning at full capacity because of pain or other issues – may be even more costly. '[Presenteeism] affects productivity, and often leads to isolation and mental health struggles,' she says. Yet, with a few simple, low-cost changes, workplaces can make a difference. Scent-free policies, anti-glare screens, quiet spaces and flexible work options can be game-changers, she says. 'Even just letting someone work from home one day a week can help,' she says. Ms. Carvalho also urges HR teams to review their benefits plans. 'Making sure that the newest migraine treatments are covered can prevent the disease from escalating,' she says. 'We wouldn't have to keep watching women leave the workforce at their peak.' Workplace equity at stake For Ms. Carvalho, supporting people with migraine is about more than healthcare – it's about fairness. 'This is a work equity issue,' she says. 'Supporting those with chronic migraine isn't charity. It's smart business.' Her message to those experiencing chronic migraine is clear: 'You are not alone, and there is absolutely hope for you. We'll walk this journey with you – it doesn't have to be this hard.' 30 per cent That's how many of the menu items Starbucks plans to cut, while adding new trendier offerings such as protein cold foam, which offers 15 grams of banana flavoured, muscle-building goodness. Read more Feedback is key to employee development but, according to this article, it's effectiveness depends on timing. Research suggests mornings are best, as most people are more alert and receptive earlier in the day because of natural circadian rhythms, which influence sleep-wake cycles, hormone production and body temperature. Read more 'If someone comes to me and says they're raising a million dollars, I'll ask right away, 'How long does that get your company through?' If they cannot tell me that it's around 24 months, or even a bit more, we have to restructure the round completely,' says Mary Dimou, general partner at Nàdarra Ventures. In this article, capital investment pros share how you can raise capital during uncertain times, emphasizing proactive communication, strategic timing and pivoting your message when it's not landing. Read more 'Canadian‑made' isn't just a nice‑to‑have; it's a smart strategy. More companies are going local to connect with consumers who care about ethics and sustainability. The bonus? Leaner supply chains, honest branding and a tighter bond with customers. Read more
