Women are having babies later than ever — which means many are trying to conceive while also entering perimenopause. In this eye-opening episode of Aging Powerfully with Melissa Grelo, Melissa sits down with fertility specialist Dr. Kaajal Abrol to unpack what’s really happening in the body during this confusing overlap.

From irregular cycles and hormone swings to fertility testing, pregnancy risks, and assisted options, Dr. Abrol explains what women 35+ need to know if they’re trying, considering, or wondering whether pregnancy is still possible.

• How perimenopause affects fertility and ovulation

• Pregnancy symptoms vs. hormone symptoms

• What fertility tests can (and can’t) tell you

• When to see a specialist

• Options for conceiving later in life

• Realistic expectations for pregnancy after 35 and 40

Tech and Audio Producer: Drew Garner

Producer: Melissa Grelo (@melissagrelo, @agingpowerfullywithmelissagrelo)

For any partnership inquires, contact beverly@agingpowerfullywithmelissagrelo.com

Women’s desire is often misunderstood — and oversimplified. In this candid, science-backed conversation, melissa sits down with psychologist and leading sexuality researcher Dr. Lori Brotto to unpack why libido changes, especially during midlife, perimenopause, and menopause — and why that doesn’t mean something is broken.

We explore the difference between desire and arousal, whether women’s sexuality is wired the same way as men’s, and why searching for a “pink pill” or quick pharmaceutical fix may miss the bigger picture. Dr. Brotto also weighs in on testosterone and libido, debunks common myths about women’s sexuality, and explains how desire can be cultivated through evidence-based approaches like mindfulness.

Dr. Brotto is the author of Better Sex Through Mindfulness and one of Canada’s foremost experts in women’s sexual health.

Where to find Dr. Lori Brotto: https://brottolab.med.ubc.ca/about/dr-lori-brotto/

This episode offers clarity, reassurance, and a powerful reframe for any woman who has ever wondered where her libido went — and what really matters when it comes to desire.

EPISODE SPONSORED BY: @StarbucksCanada (Instagram) Protein Beverages

Website: https://www.starbucks.ca/menu/drinks/protein-beverages

Tech and Audio Producer: Drew Garner

Producer: Melissa Grelo (@melissagrelo, @agingpowerfullywithmelissagrelo)

For any partnership inquires, contact beverly@agingpowerfullywithmelissagrelo.com

Cancer is one of the most frightening diagnoses any of us can face — and yet, it’s also an area of medicine where progress is happening at an extraordinary pace.

In honour of World Cancer Day, this episode launches a new two-part series on cancer for Aging Powerfully with Melissa Grelo. Melissa sits down with two of Canada’s leading voices — a leading cancer scientist, Dr. Lillian Siu, and a powerful advocate and CEO, Dr. Miyo Yamashita, from Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, one of the top five comprehensive cancer centres globally.

Together, they break down what cancer actually is, why survival rates have improved so dramatically, where prevention and early detection truly save lives, and how cutting-edge research — from immunotherapy to liquid biopsies — is transforming outcomes for patients in Canada and around the world.

This episode is science-forward, deeply human, and essential listening for anyone whose life has been touched by cancer — which, statistically, is all of us.

• What cancer is — and how it develops
• Cancer staging and how classification has evolved
• Why there is no single “cure” for cancer — and why that’s often misunderstood
• Which cancers are now considered highly treatable or curable
• Why cancer rates are rising as our population ages
• The concerning rise of early-onset cancers in younger adults
• Lifestyle, environmental, and genetic cancer risks
• What prevention actually means — beyond headlines and fear
• Screening and early detection: where it saves lives and where gaps remain
• Breakthroughs in precision oncology, immunotherapy, and targeted treatments
• The future of liquid biopsies and blood-based cancer detection
• Why philanthropy and research funding are essential to progress
• What gives cancer experts the most hope right no

Dr. Lillian Siu

Dr. Siu is a senior medical oncologist at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and Professor of Medicine at the University of Toronto. She is the 2025–2026 President of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), the world’s largest scientific organization dedicated to advancing cancer research.

Her work focuses on translating scientific discoveries into personalized cancer therapies, including precision oncology and liquid biopsy technologies. She has authored more than 400 peer-reviewed publications and was awarded ASCO’s highest honour, the David A. Karnofsky Memorial Award. In 2025, she was named one of the 100 most influential people in oncology worldwide.

Dr. Miyo Yamashita

Dr. Yamashita is President and CEO of the Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation, Canada’s largest cancer charity and the primary fundraising organization for Princess Margaret Cancer Centre. She leads national and global efforts to fund breakthrough research in precision medicine, immunotherapy, genomics, and patient-centred innovation.

Under her leadership, the Foundation has focused on accelerating the translation of discovery science into real-world clinical impact. She has been named one of the Top 100 Oncology CEOs globally — with Princess Margaret the only Canadian institution recognized.

• Princess Margaret Cancer Centre – https://www.uhn.ca/PrincessMargaret
• Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation – https://thepmcf.ca
• Cancer screening & prevention in Canada – https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/chronic-diseases/cancer.html
• World Cancer Day – https://www.worldcancerday.org

**Always speak with your health-care provider about screening, symptoms, or personal cancer risk.**

Tech and Audio Producer: Drew Garner

Producer: Melissa Grelo (@melissagrelo, @agingpowerfullywithmelissagrelo)

For any partnership inquires, contact beverly@agingpowerfullywithmelissagrelo.com