One Year of My Fertility Podcast! Get to know (really know) Dr. Garcia and Dr. Wais

Not your average interview with Dr. Garcia and Dr. Wais, Fertility Specialists at Markham Fertility Centre 

EP50 of My Fertility Podcast is special because—believe it or not—we’ve officially hit the one-year mark since starting this podcast. It’s been an incredible journey, and we are beyond grateful for all of you who listen, engage, and ask questions.

A frequent request we’ve received on social media is: Who are Dr. Garcia and Dr. Wais? How did this all start? Tell us about your friendship! Well, today, we’re answering that. No scripts, no planning—just an open and honest conversation about how we met, our journey as colleagues, and how this podcast came to be….this is a fun episode; let’s dive in! 

Learn more about Dr. Meivys Garcia

Learn more about Dr. Marta Wais

How It All Began: A Friendship Born in Chaos

Dr. Wais: I have to admit—I’m a little nervous about this. Usually, we have a solid structure, but this feels like we’re winging it.

Dr. Garcia: LOL Do you trust me? This is exactly how our friendship started! Let’s go back to 2019.

At the time, I was a fertility specialist running my practice, and Marta, who was finishing her fertility training as a fellow, was working with my colleague, Dr. Virro.

One day, I was standing in an elevator, totally overwhelmed. My son was sick, my mother-in-law was on her way with him, I had patients waiting, and I didn’t know how to be in two places at once. I was on the verge of a breakdown when this tall, confident, blonde stranger walked up to me and said, Okay, take a deep breath. What do you need? How can I help?

She didn’t know me. I didn’t know her. But in that moment, she got it. She understood the juggle of being a physician, a mother, and a woman. And she stepped in without hesitation. That’s when I knew—this wasn’t just a colleague. This was someone special.

Dr. Wais: I remember that day! Honestly, at the time, I was just trying to help because medicine is a team sport. If one of us is drowning, we pull each other up. That’s how it should be.

Dr. Garcia: That moment meant everything to me. It was the first time I felt like I had a true sister in medicine.

From Colleagues to Business Partners

Dr. Garcia: Fast forward to 2020—when the world shut down due to COVID-19. We weren’t physically in the office much, but we kept in touch. I started watching Marta closely, and I had a secret plan.

Dr. Wais: A plan I was completely unaware of!

Dr. Garcia: I knew my colleague, Dr. Virro, was planning to retire. He had groomed me to take over Markham Fertility Centre, but deep down, I knew I didn’t want to do it alone. I needed a partner.

So, in November 2020, I invited Marta to dinner with the intention of proposing that we become business partners. But I got so nervous that I chickened out! I was convinced she’d say no.

Dr. Wais: I totally remember that dinner! You had this weird brain glitch moment where you paused mid-conversation. I didn’t know you were psyching yourself up to ask me to be your business partner!

Dr. Garcia: Exactly! I was so scared of rejection. So instead, I just suggested we have monthly dinner meetups. But by December, I couldn’t wait any longer. I called Marta and asked, Are we doing this? And she said…

Dr. Wais: Absolutely! I remember plopping down on my kitchen floor and saying, Yes, let’s do this! It was a huge decision, but I knew we’d make a great team.

The Birth of My Fertility Podcast

Dr. Garcia: I’ve always wanted to do a podcast, but every time I tried, it felt awkward talking to myself. Then, during a retreat in early 2023, I told Marta, You should do more social media. And then I said, We should do a podcast together.

Dr. Wais: My initial reaction? Who in the world is going to listen to a fertility podcast?! But then I started looking into it, and I realized—there wasn’t a Canadian fertility podcast like this. It could actually work!

Dr. Garcia: Patients kept telling me, I wish I could take you home with me. I wish I had you in my pocket to answer all my questions. That’s when I knew—a podcast would be the perfect way to make fertility information accessible, easy, and free.

Dr. Wais: And here we are, one year later!

Gratitude & Appreciation

Dr. Wais: Before we wrap up, we want to take a moment to thank some truly pivotal people who made this possible.

Dr. Garcia: First and foremost, Daniela, our producer—this podcast wouldn’t exist without her. She handles all the recording, editing, publishing, guest bookings, and more. She keeps us organized, inspired, and always on track.

Dr. Wais: And an equally BIG thank you goes to our amazing team at Markham Fertility Centre—Dr. Crystal Chan, Dr. Kanji, and Dr. Chong. Without their support, we wouldn’t have the bandwidth to do this podcast. They hold down the fort so we can step away and bring you these episodes.

Dr. Garcia: And of course, the biggest thank you goes to our listeners. You are the reason we do this. Thank you for asking questions, engaging, and making us feel like what we do matters. We can’t wait to bring you more in the year ahead!

Here’s to another year of My Fertility Podcast!

Fireside Chat: Fun Facts About Us!

Daniela, Producer: Now that we’ve covered how the podcast began, let’s do a fun fireside chat with questions from our listeners!

Q: Favourite meal of the day?

• Dr. Garcia: Breakfast, hands down.
• Dr. Wais: Brunch—specifically weekend brunch!

Q: Guilty pleasure snack?

• Dr. Garcia: Cheese. Any kind. All kinds.
• Dr. Wais: Chocolate and peanut butter—Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups are my kryptonite.

Q: Beach or mountains?

• Dr. Garcia: Beach, always. I was born in Cuba!
• Dr. Wais: Beach—ocean waves are my therapy.

Q: What’s your go-to karaoke song?

• Dr. Garcia: Defying Gravity from Wicked. I don’t sing it—but I feel it!
• Dr. Wais: I avoid karaoke at all costs!

Q: What’s the first thing you do in the morning?

• Dr. Garcia: Sadly, check my phone.
• Dr. Wais: Same. Not proud of it!

Q: What’s your favorite workout?

• Dr. Garcia: Leg day—bring on the squats and hip thrusts!
• Dr. Wais: I used to love SoulCycle. Now, it’s all about functional training and weight training.

Q: What’s a skill you wish you had?

• Dr. Garcia: I wish I could sing like Celine Dion.
• Dr. Wais: DJing—I actually tried it last year!

Q: What’s your spirit animal?

• Dr. Garcia: A lioness.
• Dr. Wais: A golden retriever—my husband even says so!

Q: If you could swap lives with one person for a day, who would it be?

• Dr. Garcia: Jennifer Lopez—I want to see what it’s like to be that famous.
• Dr. Wais: Martha Stewart—just to understand how she gets so much done!

Q: Most embarrassing moment?

• Dr. Garcia: Postpartum, I once lost my phone while panicking about my newborn crying. A kind stranger returned it, but I emotionally unloaded my entire life story on him.
• Dr. Wais: On a first date, I inhaled way too much wasabi and had a full-blown choking attack. Tears, coughing—the whole thing. And somehow, there was still a second date!