International Women’s Day has come and gone – but the vibe is still very much around.
Among Malaysian institutions catering especially to women’s needs is Sunway Medical Centre, which has created specialty areas of medical service, including Cancer, Neuroscience, and Women and Children.
The hospital’s specialty in Women is significant, as discussions on women’s health is still taboo, including in Malaysia. But things are about to change for good. Sunway Medical Centre, Sunway City, is changing the discourse for International Women’s Day with “Her Stories”, a special digital series that examines the physical, mental, and societal influences that shape female bodies, as well as how they might strive for better health and happiness.
Join Cheryl Samad, host and TV presenter of “Her Stories,” who sits down with real, powerful women for frank chats about their health, self-care and life-changing experiences in a 12-episode series of conversations. What’s more, specialists like Xandria Ooi, Choo Mei Sze, Professor Dr Elizabeth Lee, and Datin Dr Halina Yunos, from Sunway Medical Centre, are among the guests.
“Her Stories” is all about women’s voices being heard when it comes to their personal health and happiness journeys. Women’s health encompasses more than just their physical well-being; it also includes their right to receive safe, accurate, and reliable information, as well as their access to supporting relationships and communities. The main motive of this is to encourage health-related conversations among women which will enable viewers to relate to these stories, conversation and struggles.
The first episode features Choo Mei Sze, the host, entrepreneur, and speaker of the series. She was diagnosed with colon cancer in her 20s and relates how she survived an illness that generally strikes men in their 50s. On the other hand, Dr Jennifer Leong, Clinical Oncologist at Sunway Medical Centre, discusses the significance of screening and why cancer should no longer be an enigma and a source of fear. In the lighter segments, the women refute cancer stereotypes and explore how to deal with unsolicited cancer advice from well-intentioned ‘aunties.’
Next up is pregnancy-related topics. When it comes to pregnancy, women sure do have lots of stuff going on in their heads, like finding the right gynae, the effects of doctor-patient rapport on women’s health, and pap smears. Here, we have Xandria Ooi, who talks to Cheryl about her late-thirties journey to become a mother. Dr. Janani Sivanathan, a gynaecologist at Sunway Medical Centre who specialises in maternal and foetal medicine, also joins in the series and discusses what young women should ask their gynaes and why it’s vital to take control of their reproductive health.
With Covid-19 still on the rampage, women are pretty much concerned about their career and also motherhood. Datin Dr Halina Yunos, an ICU resident at Sunway Medical Centre and wife of Malaysia’s first astronaut, Dato Dr. Sheikh Muszaphar, shares her thoughts on family planning, as well as the joys, trials and tribulations of being a mother and full-time doctor – while managing her six children’s health during the pandemic.
Other issues women face are related to identity and aging. We live in a society that despises or dismisses discussions on ageing. So as to eliminate age-related stereotypes and to help women understand the importance of gut health later in life, as well as why traditional attitudes toward ageing can prevent women from living their lives fully, we have Professor Dr Elizabeth Lee, CEO of Sunway Education Group, and Datin Dr Wendy Lim, Gastroenterology and Hepatology expert at Sunway Medical Centre, sharing their insights.
Sunway Medical Centre has its own official YouTube channel and official Facebook page, where you can catch ‘Her Stories’. Every Tuesday, new episodes are broadcast, and every Monday, new articles about women’s health are published in www.sunwaymedical.com.
You could also join the conversation by sharing your stories and adding #SunMedHerStories.
More on health? Read this:
https://lipstiq.com/weekend-feature/187662/get-a-grip-gurl-how-to-regulate-your-emotions-for-the-sake-of-your-mental-wellbeing/
