Living her dreams as an advocate for women’s health

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As a doctor, my titles are many – obstetrician, gynaecologist, urogynaecologist – simply said, I specialise in caring for women with gynaecological issues and pregnant women. Specifically, I am passionate about caring for those who suffer from pelvic organ prolapse, urine issues and complex issues like fistula or mesh complications.

I am also a firm believer of education. I train our younger doctors and medical students to excel in what they do and deliver the best possible care to our patients. At home, I am a walking encyclopaedia to my 8-year-old son, who is curious about the world and full of ‘whys’.

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Growing up in one of the most remote rural communities on the India-China border, I always dreamt of becoming a healthcare professional – being a doctor was a farfetched dream. Back then, seeing a doctor was not easy. If you miss the once-a-day government run morning bus, you need to walk hours to reach the nearest hospital. Fortunately, I received several state scholarships which paved the way for me to enter medical school and achieve dreams I never thought were possible.

Choosing to specialise in the care of women was a calling that I had since young. As we did not have easy access to healthcare, the midwives in the community helped look after pregnant women and assist in their deliveries. I remember being inspired by their “heart” to care back then.

Years later, during my residency stint in Urogynaecology at KKH, I met women suffering from pelvic organ prolapse and they shared with me their pain and discomfort. It made me realise how much the condition, although not life threatening, greatly affected their daily life. I knew then that this was my calling and decided to pursue further training in Urogynaecology.

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I had a case of a lady in her 80s with severe pelvic organ prolapse. For 30 years, she used pessaries to manage her condition. When the device no longer worked for her, she decided to undergo surgery. Unfortunately, she was deemed unfit by the anaesthetist due to multiple medical conditions.

When I saw her in the clinic, she told me that she had sought help from multiple doctors to no avail, and said, “Doctor, I would rather die on the operating theatre table than live another day with this condition.”

Fortunately, I had just returned from a fellowship training in Australia where I gained experience dealing with such complex conditions. I suggested for her to undergo a minimally invasive surgical correction. She agreed. The surgery was a success. She made a full recovery and reclaimed her quality of life.

This experience inspired me to embark on a journey to explore and stretch my limits further, to learn new skills and techniques that could help my patients with more complicated conditions, including vNOTES (Vaginal Natural Orifice Transluminal Endoscopic Surgery).

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The vNOTES is a game changer for those who require gynaecological surgeries such as hysterectomy and the removal of fallopian tubes and ovaries. Traditionally, there are three approaches – the open abdominal, keyhole surgery and the least invasive one, through the vagina. However, not all patients are suitable for the latter.

The vNOTES is a scar-less minimally invasive option that uses the vagina as a surgical access route. Benefits include no scarring, less pain and a quicker recovery. It is a highly specialised technique requiring extensive expertise and experience in both minimally invasive surgery and urogynaecology. We are proud that KKH is among the few leading healthcare institutions in the world and the main centre in Singapore to perform vNOTES.

Looking ahead, we aim to train more specialists in the vNOTES technique so that it can be made available widely as a mainstay option for gynaecological surgeries.

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Not everyone gets to live their dream and I am one of the rare lucky ones. I believe in working hard and making things happen. Knowing that our efforts can transform our patients’ and their families’ lives, even in small ways, keeps me inspired to continue to give my best.

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