Wendy Haaf

An award-winning freelance writer specializing in health, I have written content for hospitals, research institutions, universities, non-profits, and agencies. I’ve also written for major consumer publications, such as Today’s Parent, Mind Over Matter, Good Times, Chatelaine, Canadian Living, Reader’s Digest Canada, the Globe and Mail, WebMD, Best Health, and Walmart Live Better. 

In particular, I’ve written extensively about women’s, children’s and older adults’ health. For instance, as a longtime regular contributor to Good Times, a Canadian retirement magazine, I write a health feature, a health news page, and a ‘Reader’s Question’ column for each issue. 

However, I have also covered a wide array of other topics, including food, parenting, business (especially issues relevant to women), as well as vision care, dental health, skin care, fertility issues, pregnancy, and birth.

info Subjects

General

Health & Medicine
Lifestyle
Science
Wellness

notepad Skills

  • Annual reports
  • Advertorials
  • Articles
  • Blog posts
  • Case studies
  • Content marketing
  • Editing
  • Feature writing
  • News releases
  • Profiles
  • Q&A
  • Web copy

notepad Writing Credits

Canadian Living, Chatelaine, Good Times, Globe & Mail, Mind Over Matter (Women’s Brain Health Initiative), National Post, Today’s Parent, WebMD, IG Wealth Management, Western Alumni Gazette, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons (Canada) newsletter.

star Awards, Honors, Appointments

National Magazine Awards (Canada)

  • Gold (Service & Family) — 2003. Today’s Parent, Safe Streets, Safe Kids supplement (bike helmets, vehicles, walking, getting to school).

Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada Journalism Awards for Excellence in Women’s Health Reporting 

  • Honourable Mention — 2011. Today’s Parent Pregnancy, Induction Overload.

National Mature Media Awards (US)

  • Gold — 2006. Good Times, How to Keep Driving Safely.
  • Gold — 2006. Good Times, Live Longer—Stop Smoking. 
  • Silver — 2006. Good Times, The Greatest Gift (Organ Transplant).
  • Bronze — 2006. Good Times, Morning Stiffness. 
  • Silver — 2005. Good Times, Arthritis Research. 
  • Gold — 2004. Good Times, After the Stroke. 
  • Gold — 2003. Good Times, Pain Management.
  • Silver — 2003. Good Times, Santa’s Having His Annual Physical.
  • Silver — 2002. Good Times, Difficult Diagnosis. 

How Heart Disease Threatens Women

Magazine health feature for people 55+. While women fear breast cancer, we’re five times more likely to die of heart disease. This article explains risk factors unique to women (including a history of certain pregnancy complications), how they can reduce the likelihood of developing heart disease, and how to recognize symptoms of a heart attack.

Read

Spinal Muscular Atrophy is No Longer the Life-Limiting Disease it Once Was

Sponsored content feature that appeared in a national (Canadian) newspaper. Not long ago, children born with the most severe form of this disease died before age two, having never been able to sit, speak, or even eat like other kids. This article explains how a new generation of treatments has changed the outlook for children with this genetic disease, through the story of one family.

Read

The Lowdown on Endometrial Ablation

 

Article for a women’s magazine. This piece explains how a less drastic procedure than hysterectomy (surgery to remove the uterus) can help some women who experience debilitating ‘crime-scene’ periods.

Read

Breaking Down Barriers

Sponsored content for a hospital system. This article explains that members of racialized communities have a harder time finding organ donors, and what one leading Canadian hospital is doing to change that.

Read

A Plan for Balancing Independence and Safety for a Loved One Living With Dementia

Blog post for a Canadian charity. This piece explains what a wandering plan is, and how it can help improve the likelihood of a safe return when someone with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease goes missing.

Read

Hard to Swallow

Sponsored content for a hospital system. Eating is a pleasure that's denied many people with swallowing problems. These life-altering conditions are known medically as dysphagia, and they're very common, affecting an estimated 10 to 13 percent of people over 45. This story outlines the impact dysphagia had on one man's life, and how a speech-language pathologist/scientist is working to improve the assessment and treatment of swallowing disorders.

Read

Forever Young: How Ageism Affects Health

Health feature for a charitable non-profit. This non-bylined article explains what ageism is, and outlines how this ‘prejudice against our future self’ can harm the mental, physical, and cognitive health of older adults. (See volume 17, pages 36—40.)

Read

Understanding Cardiovascular Disease is Key for Those Living With Type 2 Diabetes

Sponsored content that appeared in a national (Canadian) newspaper. People with diabetes are twice as likely as others to develop cardiovascular disease, yet many individuals are unaware they are at an increased risk. This piece profiles one such person, and outlines how one researcher is trying to prevent people with diabetes from developing heart disease in the first place.

Read

Mapping a Brighter Future Post Cancer

Sponsored content for a hospital system. This piece explains how one physician/researcher at a major Canadian hospital is helping some patients with tongue and throat (oropharyngeal) cancers avoid radiation treatment in areas cancer cells are unlikely to spread.

Read

Plant-Based Milks and Your Diet

Magazine column for people 55+. Just how healthy are plant-based alternatives to cow's milk? The nutritional value of these products can vary significantly, depending on the type, and brand. This column explains how the various options stack up.

Read

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