Resilience forged in Oncology
Dr Sadia Sharmin
MBBS, FCPS (Radiotherapy)
Associate Professor, Department of Clinical Oncology, Bangladesh Medical University (BMU)
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. My FCPS journey remains my most profound experience. I failed my first attempt and was pregnant during my second. It was physically and mentally draining, and I had little hope of succeeding. However, I passed. That moment proved that the unique strength gained through motherhood can push a woman through the most difficult professional hurdles.
Dr Sadia Sharmin, exemplifies how medical precision and maternal instincts intertwine. For her, the path to becoming a specialist was inextricably linked with her transition into motherhood, with both roles demanding profound resilience.
The Daily Star (TDS): What initially inspired your career in oncology?
Dr Sadia Sharmin (SS): I originally intended to pursue paediatrics, but my professor convinced me that oncology was an emerging field with crucial work to be done. My journey as a specialist began alongside my journey into motherhood; I have grown professionally and personally in tandem ever since.
TDS: How has being a mother influenced the way you care for patients?
SS: It has deepened my empathy. In oncology, we face life-and-death situations daily. I no longer see just a medical case; I see a person with a family. When treating a child, I cannot help but think of my own children, which makes me more compassionate and driven to provide the best possible care.
TDS: Has motherhood changed the way you lead, teach, or mentor young doctors and students in your department?
SS: I mostly work with breast cancer and cervical cancer. I remember a young patient, around 25 weeks pregnant, with rectal cancer. While discussing treatment options the patient didn’t prioritize her treatment, rather wanted her baby to be born healthy first. My experience of motherhood helped me understand her perspective. Also a sense of resilience has developed in me while raising my children, it has helped navigate multidimensional situations in my workplace too.
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