QU-CHSSA holds first event of new 'Health Heroes' series

In collaboration with the Qatar Cancer Society and the College of Health Sciences, a member of QU-Health, Qatar University (QU), the CHS Student Association (CHSSA) organised the first event of the new 'Health Heroes' series titled 'The cancer hero: An inspirational journey of Mrs Shaunna Uy'.

The series aims to inspire future healthcare students by spotlighting the careers of successful healthcare professionals and the inspiring stories of patients who have stories to share about their experiences, obstacles and life lessons.The first event of the series introduced a stage-4 GIST (Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor) cancer fighter, Shaunna Uy, an insurance co-ordinator at a dental clinic who had coincidentally met CHSSA president Asma Hassan at Al Amal Hospital. With a dream to share her cancer story and inspire people, Shauna presented her journey during the first event of the 'Health Heroes' series. The event was attended by more than 100 people online and on-campus, including visitors from Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), Qatar Cancer Society (QCS) and Qatar University students, faculty and staff.Dr Hanan Abdul Rahim, dean of the College of Health Sciences, said: “I’m very proud of this student-led initiative. It demonstrated the importance of the value of compassion in healthcare and inspired our students, who are future healthcare providers, to truly listen to the people they care for and understand their experiences holistically.”CHSSA aims to achieve the goal of strengthening links between health institutions in Qatar and QU and to support national health goals. Hassan said, “As health professions students, we should find various ways to provide healthcare to our patients, which are not limited to giving medicine or medical procedures, but by exploring ways to support their mental health, which will eventually empower their ability to fight disease and recover."Dr Mohamed Sir Elkhatim, an Oncology consultant at the National Center for Cancer Care and Research at HMC, said: “Patient-centred care is the cornerstone of all health-related entities. Organising an event with a patient at its heart as a keynote speaker, and connecting students, healthcare professionals and educators, was truly inspiring. CHSSA took patient-centred care to the next level."Dr Hadi Mohamad Abu Rasheed, head of the Professional Development and Scientific Research Department at QCS, added: “Investigating new research in the health field is important to health professionals. Considering the patient’s narrative and understanding the journey of patients under treatment provides great insights to the areas that need improvement.”The feedback received from the audience was extremely positive with regard to the content and delivery of the event and the anticipated benefits behind Shauna’s emotional cancer experience. Shauna, the 'Event Hero', concluded: "I, with a faithful heart, believe that my short story will reach you. I pray that you will find the beauty of life amid any difficulties and find a hidden treasure in it. I seek not to be remembered by my name, but to be a factor in changing your mindset and urge the journey to acceptance."