Academic Work · McMaster University
Research
I completed my doctoral studies in the School of Social Work at McMaster University. My research sits at the intersection of critical disability, feminist theory, and chronic illness.
My doctoral work is grounded in the belief that lived experience is a legitimate and vital form of knowledge — and that research must be accountable to the communities it seeks to understand.
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Areas of Inquiry
Research Interests
Migraine & Chronic Illness
Examining the lived experiences of individuals with migraine and chronic illness, with particular attention to the social determinants of health, access to care, and the disAbility community.
Women's Health & Gender
Feminist and gender-informed research into women's mental health, healthcare access, and the structural inequities that shape health outcomes for women and gender-diverse individuals.
Addiction & Mental Health
Critical inquiry into addiction and mental health service delivery, challenging medical model frameworks and centring trauma-informed, harm-reduction, and anti-oppressive approaches.
Social Work Practice
Exploring feminist and anti-oppressive social work practice, with a focus on how practitioners can challenge systemic inequities within institutional and community-based settings.
Doctoral Work
PhD Research
My PhD work centered on understanding women's experiences of dismissal in their efforts to secure a diagnosis and treatment for migraine disease. I am especially interested in the often-invisible labour women undertake to be believed, diagnosed and effectively treated — work that reflects broader systemic issues within healthcare.
"Research must be accountable to the communities it seeks to understand."
Education
- PhD2025Social WorkMcMaster University
- Master of Arts2019Gender Studies & Feminist ResearchMcMaster University
- Bachelor of Arts2016Human ServicesAthabasca University
- Diploma2004Social Service WorkMohawk College
Scholarly Work
Publications
Cape, S. (2026). It's not a headache! It's a migraine: Exploring women's experiences of medical gaslighting in Ontario, Canada. Health.
Read article →Cape, S. (2024). Disney's new disability access policy risks excluding some disabled visitors. The Conversation.
Read article →Sinding, C., Cape, S., Charles, L., Gosselin, C., Kettings, M., Taniguchi, A., & Willison, K.B. (2021). When 'being there' is disallowed: Disruptions to knowing and caring during COVID-19 visitor restrictions. Journal of Social Work in End of Life and Palliative Care.
Cape, S. (2020). Access to Migraine Treatments in Ontario, Canada: A Review of the Ontario Drug Benefit Program. Journal of Headache and Face Pain, 60(9): 1888–1900.
View on DOI →Collaboration
Interested in working together?
I am always looking for like-minded individuals to collaborate with on migraine and chronic illness advocacy, women's health initiatives, and research that centres the disAbility community. If your work aligns, please get in touch.