Bfm :: Health & Living

Nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) is treatable, and even curable, when patients are diagnosed at the earlier stages. But the treatment journey can be long and arduous, due to the intensity of the therapies. We speak to two survivors to find out how they stayed resilient throughout treatment, and how the Cancer Survivor Support Group is there through thick and thin for survivors. NCD Chronicles is a series about people living with NCDs, going beyond the diagnosis to explore their personal experiences, their challenges, as well as the impact of their health condition on their loved ones.  Image credit: Andrew Say & Malaysian Oncological Society

A survey in the UK shows that Gen Z parents find reading to their children boring. We speak to Dr Rajini Sarvananthan, Consultant Developmental Paediatrician and Eugenie Chan, who’s on the Board of Trustees of the Playcentre Library Association, to find out if younger generations of parents in Malaysia still read to their kids, and why parents should hold on to this practice (and their books) with both hands.Image Credit: Shutterstock

Refugees in Malaysia live on the precipice of danger - fleeing persecution in their own country, while facing social and financial insecurity in a foreign land. Contrary to popular perception, refugees aren't given a free ride in Malaysia - they're subjected to the same rules and policies that apply to all foreigners, such as paying for medical treatment at government hospitals and clinics. We speak to Dr Susheela Balasundaram, UNHCR Community-based Protection Officer, and Dr Siti Noraida Bt Mohamad Habibullah, Founder of refugee clinic Klinik Amal Muhajir, to find out how refugees cope with their healthcare needs, and how UNHCR’s Refugee Medical Insurance scheme provides a safety net that allows refugee communities to be more self-sustaining.Image Credit: Klinik Amal Mujahir's Facebook

What does a person with complex PTSD look like? Just like you and me, it turns out. Shane’s bubbly personality hides the scars of abuse, low self-esteem and unrecognised dyslexia, but also, the steely determination to challenge everything that stood in the way of her recovery - stigma, discrimination…even her own suicidal thoughts.Every mental health struggle has a story behind it. ‘Because Feelings Matter’ is a series that brings you the stories of people and their mental health issues. These stories aim to normalise conversations about mental health, and to show that it’s okay to struggle emotionally and psychologically, but more importantly, to reach out for help. This series is produced in collaboration with Thrive Well.Content warning: This conversation brings up difficult topics like suicide and self-harm. If you need to talk about your mental health problems, look for local support within your community, or call helplines like: Talian HEAL at 15555, MIASA's 24-hour helpline at 1-800-1800-66, or Befrien

For the first time, doctors have treated a baby boy born with a rare genetic disorder with gene-editing treatment that was tailor-made for him. This has been hailed as an exciting case because of what it means for patients who otherwise would have no other options. We speak to Prof Dr Thong Meow Keong, consultant paediatrician & clinical geneticist, to help us break down what this means for the rare disorder community and how accessible would such a treatment be.Image Credit: Shutterstock

Two in three Malaysian men above 40 are at risk of erectile dysfunction, but how many of them are open to talk about it, let alone seek medical help? 26 years after the blue pill was discovered to treat erectile dysfunction, consultant urologists Dr George Lee and Dr Arun Arunasalam Poraviappan discuss how much management has changed over the decades and how we can get men to speak up about not getting it up.Image Credit: Shutterstock

Hospitals are where we go to when we’re ill or unwell, but what if it becomes the place where someone is abandoned? In conjunction with World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, this episode of Healthy Ageing explores the issue of institutional abandonment of older adults, particularly in hospital, the challenges that families face leading up to that moment, and how we can do better to support older adults and their caregivers.Image Credit: Shutterstock

General practitioners and the clinics they run in our communities are often the first point of contact for people when they fall ill. But many GPs have been speaking out about the challenges of running their clinics and continuing to offer quality care to patients when the cost of running the business keeps increasing yet their fees remain stagnant. With GP clinics affected by the broadening of the Sales & Service Tax as well as the implementation of e-invoicing, we explore how GP clinics are faring in this economy with president-elect of the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA), Dr Thirunavukarasu Rajoo.Image Credit: Shutterstock

After SPM, what next? This is a big question for young people, with concerns about what kind of higher education to pursue, juggling self and parental expectations, as well as managing social and financial challenges. We speak to Valerie Tan, Senior Clinical Coordinator & Licensed Counsellor, Thrive Well, about how the KAMI Juara programme helps youths from B40 communities navigate these uncertainties. Alyssa Natasya Isyam Binti Abdul Hakim, KAMI Juara Ambassador, shares about her journey through the programme and her aspirations for the next phase of life.Image Credit: Thrive Well

What if your job could reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease? A study done in the US found that for people who worked two very specific types of jobs: as taxi drivers and ambulance workers, their risk of developing the most common type of dementia was far lower than others in the population.  On this episode of Brain Waves, we dive into what we can learn about how one’s occupation could impact your brain health with neurogeneticist Dr Azlina Ahmad Annuar.Image Credit: Shutterstock

You’ve probably heard time and time again that it’s important to pick up cancers early, because it means your odds of surviving and living a good quality of life improves. But is there a one-size-fits-all test for all cancers? From physical exams to blood tests, imaging to biopsies, consultant urologist Dr George Lee is joined by consultant clinical oncologist Dr Nisha Shariff to dive into what these different tests do and when you should get screened.Image Credit: Shutterstock

According to the National Health and Morbidity Survey 2024 on Nutrition, our nutritional status is abysmal. And that’s bad news, considering we also have the highest rates of obesity in the region and skyrocketing cases of diabetes. We explore some of the results of NHMS 2024, and what kind of policy changes would support improvements in nutritional intake and behaviours. Dr Tee E Siong, Immediate-Past President of the Nutrition Society of Malaysia, and Professor Dr Adina Abdullah from the Department of Primary Care Medicine, Universiti Malaya, join us for this discussion.Image Credit: Shutterstock

As states around the country announce complete bans on vape shops - or at the very least, consider it - will this be too little, too late? What kind of consequences would this have on our economy but also on our healthcare system? We speak to Dr Wency Bui, senior economics lecturer from Universiti Putra Malaysia to find out.Image Credit: Shutterstock

Every breath you take fills your body with oxygen, which is vital for every cell in the body to get energy. When something disrupts your respiratory system, the respiratory physician, or pulmonologist, is the specialist who comes into the picture to provide care. On Humans of Healthcare, Consultant Respiratory Physician Prof Dr Mohamed Faisal Abdul Hamid, from the Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, shares more about this area of specialisation and what the training pathway looks like.

Following Law Minister Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said’s suggestion to raise the retirement age to 65, the Ministry of Human Resources has confirmed that it will study the possibility of making this a mandatory policy. We speak to Professor Dr Shahrul Bahyah Kamaruzzaman, President of the Malaysian Healthy Ageing Society, and Professor Nathan Vytialingam, Honorary Fellow of the World Federation of Occupational Therapists, to find out the benefits and weaknesses of such a move, and what needs to be in place to protect older adults. Image Credit: Shutterstock

University of Malaya’s Faculty of Medicine recently unveiled its Medical Museum, named in honour of Tan Sri Dr. Lim Wee Chai. We speak to Professor Dr Julia Patrick Engkasan, to find out more about the stories behind the museum’s collection of medical artifacts, historical instruments, and exhibits. Find out how to visit the museum here. Image Credit: Tan Sri Dr Lim Wee Chai Medical Museum

In conjunction with Parent’s Day in June, our Counsellor’s Corner episode focuses on the struggles that parents face in juggling their responsibilities and balancing their mental well-being. Dr Nicole Chen, registered counsellor and President of the Malaysian Marriage & Family Therapy Association, joins us to answer questions from parents about managing stress, finding self-care, and learning coping methods. Image Credit: Shutterstock

Our healthcare system takes care of us when we’re ill, but the irony is that it’s also making our planet sick. Globally, the healthcare sector has a significant adverse impact on the environment, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions, pollution and depletion of resources. Can we make healthcare greener, and in turn, avert the negative health consequences of the climate crisis? In conjunction with World Environment Day, we speak to Professor Shireen Anne Nah, Head of Green@UMHealth, from the Universiti Malaya.Image Credit: Shutterstock

Every time a new sports fad comes about, doctors and specialists brace themselves for a slew of new patients coming in with fresh aches and pains. We look at the kinds of trouble that people get themselves into when they dive into a new sport without proper preparation and techniques, with Dr Rajesh Singh, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon and Dr Sivalingam Raja Gopal, Consultant Orthopaedic Trauma & Sports Surgeon.Image Credit: Shutterstock

Bright colours, trendy designs, and cool flavours. E-cigarettes or vapes have been the new in-thing for a while, despite escalating warnings that they’re not the less harmful cousins to traditional cigarettes they’re touted to be. In fact, we’re now seeing the unique harms of vaping, especially among children. In conjunction with World No Tobacco Day this year, consultant urologist Dr George Lee is joined by Prof Dr Anna Marie Nathan, consultant paediatric pulmonologist from UMMC to discuss how vaping is harming our kids.