110: We Empower! with Prof. Dr. Anabel Ternès von Hattburg - Episode 110110: We Empower! with Prof. Dr. Anabel Ternès von Hattburg - Episode 110
UK Health Radio Podcast
Host Anabel Ternès von Hattburg talks with Nina Haffer about gender gaps in health data and the emotional side of illness, then speaks with Ibrahim Hammouda about family-centred Arabic TV storytelling, culture and personal loss. The episode touches on women’s health, men’s addiction and suicide risk, and how art and science together can reshape how people think about wellbeing.
50:51•8 Aug 2026
Gender Gaps, Grief and Arabic Drama: Health Stories with Nina Haffer and Ibrahim Hammouda
Episode Overview
- Question how health data and clinical studies might overlook women and other genders, and what that means for diagnosis and treatment.
- Consider how unprocessed emotions and grief can contribute to illness, and why expressing feelings matters for wellbeing.
- Recognise that men often avoid therapy and may be more vulnerable to addiction and suicide, making targeted mental health support vital.
- Reflect on the difference between biological sex and gender roles, and how culture and epigenetics shape health behaviours.
- Use authentic storytelling and art as ways to open dialogue about family conflict, identity and social change.
“What happens when half of humanity is missing from the data that shapes healthcare?”
What drives someone to seek a fairer, more human approach to health? This edition of **We Empower** on UK Health Radio brings together science and storytelling to tackle exactly that. Host Prof. Dr.
Anabel Ternès von Hattburg talks first with biotechnologist and medical informatics researcher **Nina Haffer**, who raises a striking question: *"What happens when half of humanity is missing from the data that shapes healthcare?"* Nina explains the gender data gap, where women have historically been excluded from medical studies, often under the banner of safety.
She and Anabel question what this means for treatments, side effects, and even vaccine dosing, especially when a 50‑kilo woman receives the same dose as a much heavier man. Nina also connects health to emotions, grief and stuck feelings, suggesting that unprocessed pain can show up as illness. She highlights how men frequently avoid therapy and instead face higher rates of addiction and suicide, making gender‑specific health approaches crucial for everyone, not just women.
Her blend of lab work, teaching and music – including songs about the microbiome and grief – gives the episode an unusual, creative touch. The conversation then shifts to **Ibrahim Hammouda**, a storytelling producer for modern Arabic TV drama. He describes how authentic scripts and acting can turn family conflicts into meaningful dialogue that crosses cultures and generations.
Ibrahim shares personal loss, frustration with outdated inheritance laws in Egypt, and his belief that art is “a human experience” that can connect people more deeply than any policy paper. Together, these conversations speak to anyone curious about fair healthcare, mental wellbeing, addiction risks, grief, and how real stories can spark change. If gender, culture and family shape health so powerfully, how might your own story influence your path to recovery and wellbeing?
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