𝐏𝐡𝐃 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚 𝐛𝐚𝐛𝐲 While I’m on maternity leave for almost a year, I'd like to finish writing up my PhD papers and thesis and get them done and dusted (my deadline is August 2024) before I go back to my full time job. I’m sure many mums with babies can understand how difficult it is to concentrate on any work when your baby wants attention, is clingy or hungry, or wants to sleep. I had planned to do many things and start new projects during maternity leave, but of course life is unpredictable 😂😃 I don’t have a specific schedule when writing a thesis; it all depends on Arabella’s mood. I try to write when I can, and this can vary across the day. There are good days and bad days. There will be days where I can do a few hours of productive work (sometimes she may be asleep in her cot or I may have to carry her in a baby carrier to get anything done), and there will be days where I can’t do anything at all. What’s important is to be consistent and persistent with my short- and long-term goals (and also persistent with her routine!). I set up my personal deadlines and goals to be achieved over the next few months, but I don’t beat myself up if I’m unable to stick to the plans. Life is unpredictable, and that’s how you should treat your day. It is easy to feel down or frustrated when you want to get something done but just can’t because your baby needs you. I think that while you're busy catering to the needs of your child, it’s important to find some time for yourself to do your own thing (go out with your friends, go to the gym or just do adult things). Equally, you should spend your maternity leave bonding with your baby, as you will never get this time back. It’s all about balancing your needs with your child's needs, and it’s crucial to get the right balance (even if not the right balance, just do your best!) to have a healthy and loving relationship with your child as well as protect your own mental health. 🫶

To all new followers 👋🏼, I would like to re-introduce myself. My name is Amalina and I am originally from Malaysia 🇲🇾. I am a Surgical Registrar & a Clinical Research Fellow in breast cancer surgery at Imperial College London. I was awarded Kijang Emas Scholarship from the Central Bank of Malaysia to study UG medicine after scoring the top results in the country. I graduated as a medical doctor from the University of Edinburgh, in 2013, where I also completed my BMedSc Pharmacology with an ERASMUS exchange at Leiden University, The Netherlands. I did an internship at Harvard Medical School, USA, followed by a foundation year (F1/F2) training (housemanship) in Cambridge. Simultaneously, I completed my Master's from the University of Cambridge in 2015. During my surgical training in London, I won the Darzi Clinical Research Fellowship and am currently doing a PhD in surgical innovation & breast cancer. My PhD project is funded by NIHR grant. Additionally, I am an academic supervisor for medical students/BSc students & a guest lecturer for Imperial MSc Health Policy. I started my social media platforms in 2017 with the aim of sharing knowledge & addressing medical misinformation online, as well as inspiring younger generations to pursue their dreams in medicine. I am a strong advocate for women's empowerment & share educational posts for public health education & medical teaching for medical students/junior doctors. I’ve been appointed as an ambassador for Genomics England. I also work with Public Health England (NHS), No. 10 Downing Street, and Team Halo (Initiative by the UN) on the vaccine campaigns. I am featured in the media regularly, discussing health issues & recent hot topics. Other than my day-to-day job, I am a Country Lead of Girls4Girls UK @girls4girls_uk, to encourage young women to become leaders and be courageous in pursuing their dreams. I hope with this initiative, we will be able to help girls and young women reach their full potential and be their best selves! I truly love what I do & I am blessed to be surrounded by a group of amazing & supportive people. That’s all of you! Thank you for all that you do. Lots of love, Amalina xxx

When I decided to take 17 subjects for my SPM (equivalent to GCSE), someone in my school said “You’re crazy, you won’t be able to do that”. When I started my journey to further my studies in the UK, someone on the internet said “She’s not going to make it in the UK, she will fail”. When I decided to do masters during my F1/F2 (housemanship) year, I was told “F1/F2 is tough, how are you going to complete your masters in Cambridge!” When I started my surgical training/residency and got a job in my dream location (London), someone on social media said “That’s great, but when is she going to get married and have babies?” When I started my PhD and got into a competitive research fellowship programme, someone on social media said “What’s the point of having all that degrees, there’s nothing to be proud of, she won’t be able to take her PhD certificate to her grave anyways”. Every single point in your life, people will always question your decisions, create rumours/fake stories about you and will try to put you down. To all the naysayers, your words won’t stop me. What’s important is to stay true to yourself and prove them wrong with your actions. Channel that negativity into something positive and take that as a challenge to motivate you to work even harder. Be proud of yourself of what you have become. You do you. ❤️

Lovely lunch by the canal with a 🇲🇾 squash queen, who was also a World Champion @nicoldsquash and @mariana.dereyes. They’re doing an amazing work with @nicoldavidorganisation. I hope that Bella can learn how to play squash from you one day!

Happy 1st Father’s Day, Alex. You have been the most amazing dad to our little Bella! Having been raised by my mum, I didn't know what it was like to have a dad. But seeing how much love you have given her made me so happy! I know that she loves you very very very much. I love you both to the universe and back! 🫶

Back to where it started but this time with Arabella and Tok Ma. We also visited the Plants of the Quran exhibition at @kewgardens 📸 by my lovely husband who worked very hard to get beautiful photos every single time 😁

𝑯𝒐𝒘 𝒕𝒐 𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒄𝒌 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒎𝒐𝒍𝒆𝒔? 👩🏻‍⚕️Skin cancer is one of the most common types of cancer worldwide. It is important to be aware of the signs and symptoms of skin cancer. 👩🏻‍⚕️A new mole or a change in an existing mole may be signs of melanoma. 👩🏻‍⚕️Your age, pale skin, a large number of moles, and a family history of skin cancer all increase your risks of developing melanoma. 👩🏻‍⚕️Melanoma is mostly caused by UV light, which comes from the sun or sunbeds. 📍According to Cancer Research UK, getting sunburn just once every two years can triple your risk of melanoma skin cancer, compared to never being burnt. 👩🏻‍⚕️The easiest way to check your moles is to use the ABCDE criteria : A - assymetry B - irregular border C - change in colour D - diameter more than 6mm E - an evolving mole For a further mole check visit your GP or dermatologist.

This special girl brought us together. Team Ainul reunited! 🫶

Thank you to family and friends for celebrating our special day. See you all soon! 🫶

I’ve always wanted to have a traditional wedding in Malaysia 🇲🇾, Alhamdulillah it went well and we enjoyed it very much. We look forward to celebrating with our family and friends in the beautiful English countryside🇬🇧next! P/s: Alex wants to wear his songket for raya next year 🙈😂 Wedding planner: @indahwedding

Gadis Melayu 💜 Henna: @linnaariza77

Getting ready…Alex is happy because he got to carry keris and wear tanjak like a Malay Sultan/warrior 😁 Songket: @cosryofficial