The Women Who Make a Difference: Sunway Medical Centre, Sunway City’s Healthcare Professionals Beyond the Hospital Walls

The women in our lives deserve to be celebrated at any time, irrespective of age or circumstance. From the mothers who provide us with endless love and dedication, to the daughters who inspire us with their compassion, and the friends who support us through every challenge, they all play important roles in shaping the people we become. But let us not forget the healthcare professionals who care for our health and wellbeing, and who are equally deserving of recognition and appreciation.

This International Women’s Day, Sunway Medical Centre in Sunway City honours the women in healthcare who work tirelessly to care for their patients and families. Through this tribute, we get a glimpse into the lives of two remarkable consultants, Dr. Yap Tsiao Yi, a paediatrician and paediatric haematology and oncology physician, and Dr. Nur Elayni Borhan, an emergency physician. In addition to their passion for medicine, we get to see the other aspects of their lives that make them exceptional women.

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Contributions Beyond Medicine

For Dr Yap Tsiao Yi, the responsibility to help the needy is not limited to the medical field but also channelled through time she spends on various activities supporting non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and social enterprises.

“In 2014, I participated in a medical relief mission to Ladakh, India with two NGOs and the following year, I went to Nepal six months after the earthquake with a team of child therapists, counsellors and volunteers. These personal experiences opened my eyes and made me realise how fortunate we are. These lessons combined with those I learned from my patients and their families instilled my spirit to help those in need,” she expressed.

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Throughout her years as a medical specialist who treats children and adolescents with solid and haematological malignancies and blood disorders, Dr Yap volunteered and collaborated with individuals, groups, societies, NGOs and corporate bodies to raise funds to support treatment costs for children from B40 families who are diagnosed with cancer.

Furthermore, she also serves as an advisor to Abundant Ventures (AV), a social enterprise committed to improving the livelihoods of B40 communities through agriculture. They help smallholder farmers through impactful initiatives including rescuing produce that would otherwise go to waste and donating them to those in need.

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“My medical experience provides AV an important lens when approaching matters pertaining to its focus on food security. I am thrilled every time I get to bring home some rescued, ugly but nutritious produce given by farmers. It gives me a chance to experiment and create new recipes with the rescued produce,” said Dr Yap who also loves to cook.

In a nutshell, Dr Yap is grateful that her life continues to be enriched through her contribution to society.

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An Appetite For Adrenaline

Self-professed adrenaline junkie, Consultant Emergency Physician Dr Nur Elayni Borhan loves diving, hiking, water rafting, skydiving and has conquered Mount Kinabalu three times! This year, she aimed to conquer Everest Base Camp but was thwarted by an injury while hiking in Japan last year. Yet, she continued working on the day she landed in Malaysia and only went for a scan later where she found out that she had sustained some tore ligaments.

Growing up in a military family where her father was a military general and commando, there was no room for Dr Elayni to be weak. “I was raised in a strict family where we were not allowed to be lembik (soft). We were often told off for slacking!” exclaimed the youngest of four siblings.

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Dr Elayni recognises that her role in the emergency department can be hectic. “I work relentlessly and then take a day or a few days off to travel. We need to know how to prioritise the things in our life. My daughters acknowledge that I have a demanding job, but they are used to it. I reward them with my days off and pamper them in other ways,” she shared.

A strong advocate for community CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation), Dr Elayni will always grab opportunities to educate the public on how to perform this life saving procedure. She fully supports schools to teach CPR.

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“I also enjoy doing medical standbys for sporting events and concerts. I was involved in the 2022 SUKMA Games where I was the medical standby for the Muay Thai event. These kinds of events keep me on my toes as we don’t know what is going to happen and when it happens, we rush to the scene,” Dr Elayni shared.

Constantly craving adventure, Dr Elayni plans to climb Mount Kinabalu again in July, and this time, with her 10-year-old daughter. Her secret to staying fit and preparing for such hikes is running a minimum of three times a week. She also goes hiking with friends on weekends when she is free.

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