A GP from Perthshire who beat cancer has now launched a company producing medical bags for women.
Dr Catherine Fernando grew up in Comrie and attended Comrie Primary, Crieff High School and latterly Morrison’s Academy in Crieff.
It was always her ambition to be a doctor. After graduating from the University of Aberdeen medical school in 2001, started working as a junior doctor in Stirling Royal Infirmary.
Catherine first realised something was wrong when she noticed a gland in her neck was swollen while working in hospital.
She describes it as “like when you get tonsillitis and it’s swollen up and it just never went down”.
Cancer diagnosis
A biopsy of the gland was carried out and Catherine was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma. She underwent chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
In the same year, she sadly lost her father, Graham McCulloch, and her best friend who died of breast cancer aged 26.
Through sheer determination she managed to pass all her medical exams but the cancer diagnosis in 2002 has had a lasting impact on her life.
She said: “It’s very hard when you’ve had cancer to live an entirely normal life because it’s always somewhere in the background.
“If you feel unwell with something then you often tend to think that it’s something very serious.
“And you’re also quite aware of the long-term complications from cancer. I was told that I might never have children, but I’ve got four children which is great.”
She was also warned there was a “very high chance” she would develop breast cancer.
So she took the matter into her own hands and after breastfeeding her fourth baby, had her breasts removed.
IYASU medical bag range
Now Catherine has launched a range of medical bags designed for women.
One thing that’s always frustrated her is accessories for doctors, such as medical bags, were “so masculine”.
She explains: “A brown leather bag did not reflect my personality and my stethoscope was constantly tangled around the other equipment due to a lack of pockets.
“I was willing to spend a reasonable amount of money on a case, but I couldn’t find anything I liked.”
In 2019 Catherine, started working on the idea of a luxury collection of vegan medical bags.
Scottish Enterprise helped to link her up with a designer to develop a range under the brand name of IYASU, a Japanese word which means ‘to heal’.
The bags have now hit the market – with each bag being named after an inspirational female medical pioneer.
Catherine, who works as a GP in East Linton, said: “I wanted the bags to be beautiful but wanted them to be functional.
“I sent the designer all the medical equipment we carry on a day-to-day basis and he designed a beautiful range of eco-friendly bags, each containing multiple pockets.”
The medical bags come in a range of colours and cost between £275 and £330.
A recent photo shoot featured real doctors who volunteered to be models for a day in return for a bag.
Receiving 5% of the profits is The Malala Fund, supporting the right of every child to have an education.
She said: “I love being a GP and helping people as individuals.
“I hope I can use IYASU to do greater good in this world, promoting gender equality, raising money for healthcare charities and raising awareness of environmental concerns.”
Conversation