This International Women’s Day, Sunway Medical Centre launches ‘Her Stories’, a special digital series advocating women’s health

01 March 2022

This International Women’s Day, Sunway Medical Centre launches ‘Her Stories’, a special digital series advocating women’s health

In addition, Her Stories introduces supplemental articles that will be published every Monday this month on Sunway Medical Centre’s website

Cheryl Samad, Dr Janani Sivanathan and Xandria Ooi on the set of Her Stories. 

Sunway City, 1 March 2022 – More than half the world’s population is female. Yet, some conversations surrounding women’s health are still considered taboo. This International Women’s Day (IWD), Sunway Medical Centre, Sunway City is changing the conversation with ‘Her Stories’ — a special digital series that explores the physical, emotional, and social forces that influence female bodies, and how they can strive for better health and happiness. 

‘Her Stories’ is a 12-episode series of conversations where host and TV presenter Cheryl Samad sits down with real, amazing women for candid conversations on their health, self-care and  life-changing experiences. The guests include well-known personalities — Xandria Ooi, Choo Mei Sze, Professor Dr Elizabeth Lee, Datin Dr Halina Yunos and joined by female specialists  from Sunway Medical Centre.

“'Her Stories' is about elevating the voices of women when it comes to their unique journey on health and happiness. Women's health is beyond physical wellbeing — it also includes her right to have safe, inclusive and sound information; and her access to supportive relationships and community.

That is why, together with the influential women in this series, we want to encourage such conversations to improve health outcomes for both women and children. We hope our viewers are able to relate to these conversations, stories and even struggles. And share them with the women in their lives who might need to hear these conversations,” says Joanne Tay, Assistant Director of Corporate Communication at Sunway Medical Centre, Sunway City. 

The “C” Word Taboo

The series kicks off with episodes featuring host, entrepreneur, and speaker, Choo Mei Sze. Having been diagnosed with colorectal cancer in her 20s, she shares how she survived a cancer that usually affects men in their 50s; while Dr Jennifer Leong, Clinical Oncologist at Sunway Medical Centre, shares the importance of screening and why cancer should no longer be an enigma and a source of fear. In the light-hearted segments, together the women debunk myths about cancer; and discuss how to respond to unsolicited advice about cancer from well-meaning ‘aunties’.

What About Late Pregnancy? 

Is it important to find the right gynae? And does doctor-patient rapport affect women's health outcomes? What are doctors really looking for in a pap smear? In comes Xandria Ooi, who shares her experience with Cheryl about her journey to becoming a mother in her late 30s. Xandria’s own gynaecologist Dr Janani Sivanathan, who is a specialist in maternal and fetal medicine at Sunway Medical Centre, also appears in the series and shares what young women should ask their gynaes and why it's important to take charge of their own reproductive health.

COVID-19, Career and Motherhood

Full-time working mothers could perhaps benefit and be entertained by the episodes featuring Datin Dr Halina Yunos who is an ICU resident at Sunway Medical Centre and wife of Malaysia’s first astronaut Dato Dr. Sheikh Muszaphar. Over three episodes, Datin Dr Halina candidly shares her take on family planning; as well as the joy, trials and tribulations of being a mother and a full-time doctor while managing her six children and their health during the COVID-19. 

Identity and Ageing 

We live in a society that abhors or ignores conversations about ageing; much to the detriment of women’s health. Professor Dr Elizabeth Lee, CEO of Sunway Education Group, and Datin Dr Wendy Lim, Gastroenterology and Hepatology expert at Sunway Medical Centre, address ways to dispel age-related stereotypes—particularly for women— the importance of gut health later in life and why conventional mindsets about ageing can impede women from living their lives to the fullest.  

Catch ‘Her Stories’ on Sunway Medical Centre official Youtube channel or on their official Facebook page on 1 March 2022. Episodes are released every Tuesday, and complementary articles on women’s health are published every Monday on www.sunwaymedical.com. Join the conversation by sharing your stories and hashtag #SunMedHerStories. 

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