Health has always been my utmost concern when it came to raising my children. That’s why I was in for a big disappointment when my son had gotten dengue fever after a trip from Asia. Having some knowledge with regard to the healthcare system, I put my faith in the hospital that treated my son for this condition.

As you may know, mothers tend to be very meticulous when it comes to knowing the condition of their children. This is especially true for me as I have worked in the healthcare industry in the past. That’s why it came as a shock to me when healthcare practitioners seemed to lack effective communication skills. I had many questions and explanations that I had to give to the healthcare practitioners in the hospital where my son was hospitalized. However, I felt that they all fell on deaf ears.

I also had concerns regarding the comfort measures of my son while he was in the hospital room which of course, were not addressed even though I kicked a fuss with the hospital. Long story short, my son eventually did get well from his illness, but it did not erase the horrifying experience we had.

Fortunately enough, a good friend of mine was associated with COPD and explained to me how I could do my part in helping other mothers not go through the same nightmare. I am now a patient partner volunteering at COPD.