Female Forward: Real conversations. Trusted experts. Better health.

Women are often expected to carry the emotional, practical and mental load of family life while meeting the demands of work and modern living. Our experts explain why constantly putting yourself last is neither healthy nor sustainable.

It can look like competence from the outside. The lunches are packed, deadlines are met, appointments are remembered and everyone gets where they need to be. Yet the woman holding it all together may be exhausted, anxious and gradually losing touch with the things that once made her feel like herself.

That tension surfaced repeatedly during Tara Penny’s Female Forward conversations. Across psychiatry, psychology and general practice, the message was remarkably consistent: women have become very good at functioning while depleted.

The pressure to do everything perfectly

Psychiatrist Dr Feroza Arbee describes modern women as “overproductive human beings” who expect an enormous amount of themselves. Many are earning an income and building careers while still feeling responsible for maintaining the home, raising children and ensuring that everyone else’s needs are met.

“We have evolved into these overproductive human beings that expect so much of ourselves.”

— Dr Feroza Arbee

The pressure does not come only from workplaces, partners or society. Women can also be unforgiving critics of themselves. The school fundraiser, homemade costume, tidy home and carefully curated family life can all become quiet tests of whether a woman is coping well enough.

When being busy becomes burnout

Burnout does not always arrive as a dramatic breakdown. Women may continue working, parenting and meeting obligations while feeling increasingly detached from their own lives.

Reduced concentration, unread messages, forgetfulness, irritability, persistent tension and losing interest in activities that once brought pleasure can all be warning signs.

“If there’s a lack of pleasure in your life, where everything begins to feel like a chore, you may well be suffering from burnout.”

— Dr Feroza Arbee

Clinical psychologist Dimakatso Motiang sees women who have spent so long filling everybody else’s cup that they no longer have the energy to care for themselves.

Registered counsellor Dr Tricia Moodley says anxiety can follow women everywhere — through work, home, traffic and eventually into bed, affecting sleep and the ability to switch off.

You cannot live on the dregs at the bottom of the cup

Psychiatrist Dr Yumna Minty says anxiety and depression can affect women across every age and stage of life.

Yet women often treat their mental wellbeing as something to address only after children, partners, parents, work and family have been taken care of.

“You can’t always be giving of yourself to the point that there’s nothing left to give.”

— Dr Yumna Minty

Good enough is healthier than perfect

Dr Arbee’s own experience of postnatal depression illustrates how difficult emotional distress can be to recognise, even for somebody with medical training.

Her message to mothers is that perfection is neither realistic nor necessary.

“Our kids don’t need perfect moms. They need good enough moms.”

— Dr Feroza Arbee

Ask for what you need

Women are accustomed to being asked for things. They are often far less comfortable doing the asking.

That might mean communicating clearly with a partner, sharing household responsibility, protecting a small part of the day for yourself, seeking therapy or admitting that you are struggling before you reach breaking point.

Be careful when coping becomes self-medication

Alcohol, stimulants, cannabis or medication can sometimes become ways of getting through an overwhelming day. One important warning sign is beginning to feel that you cannot cope or unwind without them.

The more useful question is often not simply what a woman is using to cope, but why she feels she needs it.

Painful periods, brain fog, poor sleep, incontinence, exhaustion, anxiety and changes in sexual health are often dismissed as the price of being a woman. Our experts explain why “common” and “normal” are not always the same thing.

Women become skilled at adapting. They plan around periods, work through exhaustion, tolerate disrupted sleep and quietly adjust to changes in their bodies.

But adapting to a symptom does not necessarily make it normal.

Pain should not take over your life

General practitioner Dr Chantel de Pinheiro says some menstrual discomfort may be expected, but pain that disrupts school, work, exercise or normal daily activity deserves investigation.

“You may have some cramps, but if that’s disrupting your day-to-day life, that’s not considered normal anymore.”

— Dr Chantel de Pinheiro

Conditions such as endometriosis can remain undiagnosed for years because severe period pain is treated as something women simply have to endure.

Obstetrician and gynaecologist Dr Miems Kleynhans gives women a practical test: if your cycle wakes you at night, keeps you home from school or work, or makes you organise your life around it, it is affecting your quality of life and deserves medical attention.

Perimenopause can begin before you expect it

Gynaecologist Dr Kalliopi Kyriazis says breast tenderness, anxiety, brain fog, disrupted sleep and menstrual changes can begin during perimenopause, sometimes earlier than women expect.

“Things that were easy to do are now difficult to do.”

— Dr Kalliopi Kyriazis

She also cautions against accepting urinary leakage after childbirth or during midlife as inevitable. Pelvic-floor weakness, birth trauma and falling oestrogen levels can contribute, but support and treatment may improve symptoms.

Menopause is a transition — not a disappearance

Functional medicine practitioner Dr Ashika Pillay encourages women to see menopause as a transition rather than the beginning of decline.

Hormonal change may overlap with work pressure, caring for ageing parents, changing family roles, sleep disruption and mental-health challenges. Looking at the whole picture can help women make more informed decisions about treatment and lifestyle.

“We really want to hand back the power of women’s health to women.”

— Dr Ashika Pillay

Dr Kleynhans adds that women should not disappear from gynaecological care once they have finished having children or entered menopause. In fact, later life brings its own screening and health considerations.

Menopause is a health transition — not just a list of symptoms

Medical doctor and functional medicine specialist Dr Mary Atkinson argues that women need to think about menopause more broadly than hot flushes, mood changes or an inconvenient end to periods.

She says changes can begin in the years before a final menstrual period and may involve sleep, metabolism, cholesterol, inflammation, bone health and cardiovascular risk. That is why a woman who suddenly feels more anxious, exhausted or unlike herself in her late thirties or forties should not automatically assume that she is simply failing to cope with a busy life.

“Menopause is a health transition, not a symptom transition.”

— Dr Mary Atkinson

Her message is not that every midlife symptom is caused by hormones. It is that women deserve an informed assessment rather than being told to simply push through symptoms that are affecting their quality of life.

Sexual health belongs in the consultation too

Painful sex, changes in libido, vaginal discomfort and other intimate symptoms can be difficult to raise, but they are legitimate health concerns.

Dr Kleynhans says these conversations can reveal physical discomfort, hormonal changes, relationship pressures or mental-health challenges — and treatment or referral may help.

Her message is simple: your gynaecologist has heard these conversations before. Embarrassment should not stop you asking for help.

Sleep is not dead time

Clinician and sleep specialist Dr Allison Bentley says many women are squeezed at both ends of the night — working or managing households late into the evening and waking early to begin again.

Hormonal changes can add another layer to disrupted sleep.

“I don’t believe sleep is a pillar of health. I believe it’s the pillar of health.”

— Dr Allison Bentley

Persistent insomnia, loud snoring, waking unrefreshed or excessive daytime sleepiness should be discussed with a healthcare professional rather than indefinitely managed with caffeine or sleeping medication.

A woman’s heart may not follow the textbook

Cardiologist Dr Adriano Dello Iacono warns that women do not always experience the classic crushing chest pain people associate with a heart attack.

Symptoms can include nausea, sweating, indigestion, fainting, unusual shortness of breath or a sudden reduction in how much activity a woman can comfortably manage.

“Diseases don’t read the textbooks.”

— Dr Adriano Dello Iacono

Would you recognise a stroke?

Dr Cari Erasmus, a registered dietitian at the Heart and Stroke Foundation, says a stroke is a medical emergency caused when blood flow to the brain is blocked or a blood vessel bursts.

The person having the stroke may be confused or disorientated and may not realise what is happening. That makes it especially important for the people around them to recognise the signs.

Remember FAST:

• F — Face: ask the person to smile. Is one side drooping?
• A — Arms: ask them to raise both arms. Is one weaker or drifting down?
• S — Speech: is their speech slurred, strange or difficult to understand?
• T — Time: if you notice any of these signs, seek emergency medical care immediately.

Dr Erasmus says high blood pressure is a major stroke risk factor and can be present without obvious symptoms. She also points to women-specific risk considerations, including a history of high blood pressure during pregnancy, and encourages women to discuss their individual risk factors with a healthcare professional.

“Listen to your body, listen to any symptoms, and seek medical care.”

— Dr Cari Erasmus

Think about the health of your future self

Dr Atkinson encourages women to think beyond simply living longer and to focus on remaining strong and independent as they age.

She places particular emphasis on cardiovascular health and bone health. Bone strength peaks relatively early in life, while perimenopause and menopause can be periods of significant change. Her practical message is to build sustainable habits now: move your body, protect muscle, eat well, sleep as well as you can and know your own health markers rather than waiting until your sixties to start thinking about healthy ageing.

“Can you just make sure you’re on the list?”

— Dr Mary Atkinson, recalling her mother’s advice to women who put themselves last

Breast cancer is not automatically a death sentence — and it is not only a disease of older women. Knowing your normal, understanding your personal risk and acting when something changes can make an enormous difference.

Fear can make women avoid the information that could protect them. A breast check gets postponed. A lump is watched for another month. A mammogram is delayed because finding something feels more frightening than not knowing.

The breast-health specialists interviewed for Female Forward offer a more hopeful message: treatment has advanced significantly, and early detection can dramatically improve outcomes.

Breast cancer can happen without an obvious risk factor

Prof Carol Benn, a surgeon with a special interest in breast health, cautions against assuming breast cancer only affects women with a strong family history.

Genetics matter, but many women diagnosed with breast cancer do not have an obvious inherited risk.

“We want people to know their norm, examine their breasts and go for screening.”

— Prof Carol Benn

You are never too young to take a change seriously

Dr Peter Schoub says younger women should still take a new breast change seriously. Most lumps in younger women will not be cancer, but reassurance should come after appropriate assessment rather than replacing it.

“Anyone can get breast cancer. If a woman or her doctor feels a lump, never hesitate. Always get it checked.”

— Dr Peter Schoub

Pathologist Dr Kirsten Fearnhead reinforces that message from behind the microscope. She says breast cancer risk increases with age, but there is no age below which a woman is automatically protected. In her work, breast cancer is diagnosed across a wide age range, including women in their twenties and thirties.

The changes you should not ignore

• A new lump in the breast or under the arm.
• A persistent area of thickening or tissue that feels different.
• A change in the size, shape or appearance of one breast.
• New dimpling or puckering of the skin.
• A nipple that has recently changed position or become inverted.
• Unexplained nipple discharge.
• Persistent redness or swelling.
• Any new change that does not settle.

Women are not expected to diagnose themselves. The purpose of noticing change is simply to know when to ask a professional to take a closer look.

A mammogram should not be something to dread

Modern mammography involves brief compression of each breast to obtain clear images. Depending on a woman’s age, symptoms, breast density and personal risk, ultrasound or other imaging may also be recommended.

“It’s like trying to find a polar bear in the snow.”

— Dr Peter Schoub, explaining why dense breast tissue can make cancers harder to see

The pathologist helps answer: what type of cancer is this?

Dr Fearnhead explains that breast cancer is not one single disease. A biopsy allows a pathologist to examine the tissue and determine what type of cancer is present — information that helps the multidisciplinary team decide how it should be treated.

In some breast operations, pathologists can even assess tissue while the patient is still in theatre to help determine whether the surgeon has removed the cancer with a clear margin, potentially reducing the need for a second operation.

An early diagnosis changes the conversation

Early detection can mean more treatment options and, in many cases, a far better outlook.

Breast surgeon Dr Sarah Nietz says treatment has advanced enormously and every woman should be considered as an individual.

“Especially if breast cancer is detected early, we’ve got good outcomes and good treatment options.”

— Dr Sarah Nietz

Choose a team, not a single opinion

Prof Benn, Dr Nietz, Dr Schoub and Dr Fearnhead all illustrate the importance of multidisciplinary care. Breast cancer treatment can involve surgeons, radiologists, pathologists, oncologists and other professionals working together to understand both the disease and the woman living with it.

Carbs are bad. Protein is everything. Fruit has too much sugar. Everyone seems to have an opinion about weight-loss medication. No wonder so many women don’t know what — or who — to believe.

Registered dietitians Dr Tabitha Hume and Marianna Darvill cut through the noise around women’s nutrition, weight, food trends and quick fixes.

Women aren’t simply smaller versions of men

Dr Hume says female nutrition needs to be understood in its own right. Women’s nutritional needs and health considerations change throughout life, from adolescence and the reproductive years to menopause and older age.

“We’re not little men.”

— Dr Tabitha Hume

That is one reason sweeping advice about what every woman should or shouldn’t eat can be misleading. What is appropriate depends on age, activity, health, body composition and individual circumstances.

When healthy eating starts to feel frightening

One day fruit is good for you. The next, somebody online says it contains too much sugar. Carbohydrates are treated as essential fuel by one expert and the enemy by another. Meanwhile protein seems to have found its way into almost everything.

Both dietitians describe women arriving confused and overwhelmed by contradictory advice.

Dr Hume is particularly concerned by nutrition content that creates fear around ordinary foods and by unrealistic body ideals being promoted to teenage girls and young women.

Carbs aren’t automatically the enemy

Both experts challenge the idea that carbohydrates should simply be eliminated.

The body needs energy, and the type, quantity and combination of carbohydrates matter. Fibre-rich and slower-release choices can form part of a balanced eating pattern.

Fruit also comes with fibre and nutrients and should not automatically be treated as a source of “bad sugar”.

“Fruit is not your enemy. It’s there to make life sweet.”

— Marianna Darvill

More protein isn’t automatically better

Protein is important, especially for maintaining muscle as women age, but individual needs vary.

“If a portion of something is good, more of it doesn’t make it better.”

— Marianna Darvill

The problem with the quick fix

Darvill says many women arrive in her practice tired and frustrated after trying multiple approaches that were expensive, unsustainable or simply didn’t work for them.

Comparison makes the problem worse. A friend loses weight using one approach and suddenly it feels as though everybody should be doing the same thing.

“I’m not a group. I’m a person.”

— Marianna Darvill

GLP-1 medicines may have an important place for some patients, but both interviews underline the importance of appropriate medical supervision, nutrition support, movement and longer-term lifestyle change rather than seeing medication as a stand-alone quick fix.

Sometimes food isn’t what you’re hungry for

Food is tied to comfort, celebration, family and emotion. Darvill encourages women to ask what they really need when they automatically reach for something to eat after a stressful day.

Sometimes the need may be rest, movement, connection, creativity or simply time to decompress.

You’re allowed to nourish yourself too

Darvill recalls asking a patient what she packed into her child’s school lunch. The answer was full of thoughtful, nourishing choices. Her next question was simple: why wasn’t she preparing the same sort of food for herself?

For women who spend much of their lives looking after others, good nutrition can begin by extending some of that same care to themselves.

That niggling back. The stiff neck you blame on your laptop. The headache that keeps coming back. The pain you’ve been meaning to get checked for months.

Physiotherapist Alex Reid says women are often remarkably good at explaining discomfort away — until a small problem becomes something much harder to ignore.

The everyday aches women are living with

Reid regularly sees neck pain, back pain, hip pain, headaches and nerve pain linked to the way many women live and work.

Long hours at a desk, driving, stress, school runs, household responsibilities and not having enough time to move all play a part.

“It starts with a niggle, and then it goes to another niggle.”

— Alex Reid

Your next posture is your best posture

Reid doesn’t want women obsessing about achieving one perfect sitting posture. Her advice is much simpler: change position regularly.

“There’s no such thing as bad posture. It’s prolonged posture that’s bad for you.”

— Alex Reid

She suggests a simple 30/30 principle during the working day: after about 30 minutes of sitting, spend around 30 seconds moving, standing or stretching.

Exercise doesn’t have to mean the gym

Movement can be a walk around the block, gardening, playing with your children, taking the stairs or simply standing more often during the day.

The aim is not one enormous workout after an inactive week. It is sustainable movement that can become part of ordinary life.

“Nothing has to be big. It just has to be sustainable.”

— Alex Reid

What if exercise came in a pill?

Reid recalls a lecturer asking whether people would take a pill that could reduce stress, improve focus, support sleep and energy and benefit long-term health.

Most people would say yes. His point was that exercise already offers an extraordinary range of physical and mental-health benefits.

Don’t let social media diagnose the niggle

A YouTube video or Instagram post may seem to describe your symptoms perfectly, but very different injuries can feel surprisingly similar.

Reid warns that an exercise intended for one condition may aggravate another. If pain persists, worsens or keeps returning, it is worth having it properly assessed rather than continually experimenting online.

It’s never too late to start moving

Women sometimes believe that if they haven’t exercised for years, starting later in life won’t make a difference.

Reid strongly disagrees. A walk, a stretch or simply getting up more frequently is still a start.

“It’s never too late to start exercise.”

— Alex Reid

Pregnancy comes with appointments, apps and advice. Then the baby arrives — and many women discover that the first weeks of motherhood look nothing like the picture they had in their heads.

Linda Brits, a registered general and psychiatric nurse, midwife and lactation specialist, says preparation matters because expectations and reality can be very different. Her message to new mothers is not that they should know everything before birth, but that knowledge, support and the right professional help can make the transition far less lonely.

The baby may not fit neatly into your old life

Brits says one of the biggest misconceptions is expecting a newborn simply to slot into the household routine.

In the early weeks, sleep patterns can be upside down. A baby who slept through much of the day in the womb may be far more alert at night, while a mother who is already recovering physically is suddenly trying to function on fragmented sleep.

Brits describes those early weeks as adjusting to a new normal rather than trying to force life immediately back to the way it was before.

“It’s adjusting to that new normal where the tsunami has hit.”

— Linda Brits

Create your village before you desperately need it

The practical support around a new mother matters enormously. Meals, help with the baby, somebody to hold the fort while she sleeps, or simply another experienced person saying “this is hard, but you are not alone” can change the experience.

Brits encourages expectant parents to think about their support system before birth rather than only once everybody is exhausted.

“It’s about creating your village.”

— Linda Brits

That village may include family and friends, but it can also include a midwife, clinic sister, lactation consultant, psychologist or other appropriately qualified professional.

Postnatal mental health deserves watching too

Emotional changes are common after birth, and hormones, sleep deprivation, recovery and the demands of caring for a newborn can all collide at once.

Brits says the important question over the following weeks is whether the mother is beginning to find her footing and adjust, or whether she is increasingly struggling to cope.

Persistent low mood, distress or difficulty functioning should not be written off as simply what new motherhood feels like. Reach out to an appropriate healthcare professional for support.

Breastfeeding may be natural — but that does not mean it is automatic

Brits says many couples arrive at birth assuming breastfeeding will simply happen because it is natural. In practice, positioning, latch, milk supply, maternal health and the baby’s own feeding challenges can all affect the experience.

She prefers the word challenging to difficult, because with the right information and support many challenges can be worked through.

For mothers who want to breastfeed, a lactation specialist can help with positioning, latch and confidence rather than simply taking over and doing it for the mother.

“Breastfeeding is about confidence.”

— Linda Brits

If it hurts or you are worried, ask for help

Brits stresses that mothers do not need to struggle alone or assume that pain is something they simply have to tolerate.

If feeding is uncomfortable, the baby is not latching, supply is worrying you, or you simply feel unsure about what is happening, ask the maternity unit, clinic, midwife or doctor to direct you to somebody with appropriate breastfeeding or lactation expertise.

Her broader advice applies well beyond feeding: do not feel that becoming a mother means you should suddenly know everything. Confidence is built through experience, support and good information.

Breast care matters during lactation too

Brits encourages breastfeeding women to become familiar with how their breasts normally look and feel as milk supply changes.

A new lump, swelling, persistent painful area or other change that concerns you should be discussed with a healthcare professional rather than simply assumed to be part of breastfeeding.

The best time to discover a health problem is often before it starts shouting for attention. From cervical and breast screening to blood pressure, skin checks and bone health, prevention is about knowing what matters for you — and not disappearing from your own healthcare.

Pathologist Dr Kirsten Fearnhead and obstetrician and gynaecologist Dr Miems Kleynhans approach women’s health from very different places. Yet both return to the same principle: women frequently make sure everybody else gets to their appointments while quietly postponing their own.

“We often push ourselves to the back of the queue.”

— Dr Kirsten Fearnhead

Your gynaecologist isn’t only for pregnancy

Dr Kleynhans believes women should establish a relationship with a gynaecologist once they become sexually active, rather than waiting for pregnancy or a problem.

That creates an opportunity to discuss contraception, cervical screening, menstrual concerns and sexual health — and to build a relationship with a practitioner before an urgent issue arises.

She is equally clear that care should not end after childbirth. Women often attend appointments diligently during pregnancy and then disappear from their own healthcare once a baby, family and work take over.

HPV has changed the cervical-cancer story

Dr Fearnhead describes HPV vaccination as one of the most exciting developments in cancer prevention because it targets a major cause of cervical cancer rather than waiting for cancer to develop.

High-risk types of human papillomavirus are linked to the majority of cervical cancers. Vaccination before exposure can substantially reduce that risk, while modern cervical screening can look for high-risk HPV before visible cellular changes develop.

Dr Kleynhans is strongly in favour of HPV vaccination and urges parents to discuss vaccination for their children with an appropriate healthcare provider.

“If you get the option to do something to make your cancer risk less, please take it.”

— Dr Miems Kleynhans

Screening is about finding trouble before you can feel it

Dr Fearnhead explains that the purpose of screening is to detect disease at an earlier, more treatable stage — sometimes before the woman has any idea that anything is wrong.

This is particularly important because some cancers may cause few obvious symptoms early on.

Beyond breast and cervical cancer, she also sees skin cancers including melanoma and highlights colon cancer as an area where screening deserves attention, especially when there is a family history or other risk factor.

Skin checks are healthcare — not just aesthetics

Dermatologist Dr Avella Mayekiso says one of the barriers to skin-cancer awareness is the perception that dermatology is mainly about cosmetic treatments.

She encourages women to notice new marks and to pay attention when an existing mole changes. A useful guide is the ABCDE approach: asymmetry, border changes, colour changes, increasing diameter and anything that evolves. A mole that becomes itchy or develops a new symptom should also be assessed.

“Anything that changes should be a note.”

— Dr Avella Mayekiso

Early detection matters. Mayekiso says melanoma caught at an early stage can often be treated much more simply than disease that has already spread.

Sunscreen is not the whole sun-protection plan

Mayekiso describes sunscreen as non-negotiable, but says protection also includes seeking shade, using protective clothing and hats, avoiding intense midday sun where possible and avoiding tanning beds.

She also reminds people that sunscreen needs to be reapplied — particularly when swimming or doing water sports — rather than assuming one morning application will protect the skin for the entire day.

Your skincare routine does not have to be complicated

Social media can make skincare feel like another area where women need a long list of products to keep up.

Mayekiso prefers a simpler foundation: an appropriate cleanser, moisturiser and sunscreen, with additional treatment only when there is a specific reason for it.

She also encourages women to seek help for persistent hair thinning rather than waiting years, because some forms of hair loss may be easier to address earlier.

Know your family history

Family history can change the conversation about screening, contraception and risk.

Dr Kleynhans says women should mention a family history of blood clots, thrombosis, stroke or unexplained clotting events when discussing hormonal contraception. Dr Fearnhead similarly stresses the importance of family history in cancers such as breast, ovarian and colon cancer.

You do not need to arrive at a consultation with a perfectly drawn family tree. But knowing which close relatives had serious illnesses — and roughly how old they were when diagnosed — can help a practitioner decide what deserves closer attention.

Fertility deserves an informed conversation too

Dr Kleynhans says modern women may spend years studying, building careers, travelling and establishing themselves before deciding whether they want children.

There is no reason to panic or rush into parenthood, but fertility does change with age. Her advice is to understand your own reproductive health and make decisions with good information rather than discovering important factors only when you are ready to conceive.

Severe period pain, suspected endometriosis or other reproductive-health concerns are worth investigating earlier because they may also affect future fertility.

Postpartum care should include the mother

Dr Kleynhans sees an important gap after childbirth. Pregnancy brings frequent appointments, but once the baby arrives, women can quickly fall out of regular care.

Postnatal depression, painful sex, pelvic discomfort and difficulty coping may all emerge at a time when the mother is focused almost entirely on the baby.

Her approach is to create space for the woman to speak privately and honestly about how she is doing — physically, emotionally and sexually.

Don’t forget bones, blood pressure and the less glamorous checks

Women’s preventative health is bigger than a Pap smear and mammogram.

Dr Kleynhans highlights bone health as women enter menopause, when bone density can decline more rapidly. Dr Mary Atkinson reinforces that women should think about bone strength much earlier than old age, because healthy ageing depends on protecting muscle, metabolic health and bone across the decades. Dr Fearnhead also reminds women not to assume they are protected from high cholesterol or cardiovascular disease, particularly when family history plays a role.

The exact screening schedule will differ from woman to woman. Age, symptoms, medication, family history, pregnancy history and previous test results all matter — which is why an ongoing relationship with an appropriate healthcare practitioner is so valuable.

If your instinct says something is wrong, keep asking

Perhaps the strongest message from Dr Fearnhead is about persistence.

If something in or on your body has changed, pay attention. And if you remain concerned after seeking advice, it is reasonable to keep asking questions until you feel the issue has been properly addressed.

“If you feel inside yourself that something is wrong in your body, you need to pursue that to a point where you’re satisfied that it has been adequately addressed.”

— Dr Kirsten Fearnhead