Julie Devaney is a patient activist living in Toronto. She is the author of My Leaky Body (Goose Lane Editions: 2012) and co-editor of MESS: The Hospital Anthology (Tightrope Books: 2014). Her forthcoming book, Fired Up about Healthcare, will be published by Between the Lines in Spring 2017. My Leaky Body was one of Quill and Quire’s Top Five Non-fiction Books of 2012. Julie was named a Woman Health Hero by Best Health magazine in 2011 and has been profiled on CBC Radio’s White Coat, Black Art and The Current, in Chatelaine and the Toronto Star. Her writing has appeared in the Globe and Mail, Toronto Life and numerous anthologies. Julie has presented at medical schools, nursing conferences and theaters throughout Canada and in the U.S. and the U.K. using participatory techniques with patients and professionals to formulate strategies for change and innovation in healthcare. Her work at the University Health Network in Toronto has transformed real patient stories into staff training.