After a two-year hiatus on BFM’s live events, we finally had a chance to meet you face-to-face last Saturday at our Health & Living Live 2022 by AIA Vitality event - and what a reunion it was!
As usual, each panel session was so interesting, and I noted down some of my favourite bits to share with you here.
Firstly, I was blown away by long COVID survivor Revathi Murugappan’s experience, and her tenacity in looking for treatment that would help her regain her strength and daily function. Both neurologist Prof Dr Norlinah Mohamed Ibrahim, and lung specialist Dr Helmy Haja Mydin, assured us that most post-COVID symptoms do resolve, especially with the right rehabilitation.
There wasn’t a dry eye in the audience at the end of the mental health panel, with the revealing and personal sharing by some members of our audience. Our speakers reminded us that we - as a community - have the greatest power to help each other heal, so the message was to reach out to those in your community struggling under a severe mental burden, whether it’s due to grief, stress or other problems in their lives.
And for your own mental well-being, perhaps you’d like to start on that To-Don’t list, and give yourself a break from putting too much pressure on yourself every day.
Finally, I urge you all to give some thought to the role that each of us plays in contributing towards a more resilient and sustainable healthcare system. That means making the effort to keep ourselves healthy, so that we don’t burden the system; and protecting ourselves financially so that we’re not hit with catastrophic medical fees.
We weren’t able to address some of your questions (there’s never enough time!), but we have a bonus for you right now: two exclusive guides with lots of practical information on identifying some of the challenges, and where to go for support.
Download them below:
Long COVID Survivor’s Guide