Nuranis Mohamad (better known as Cindy) was motivated to take up an education in nursing when her mother was diagnosed with diabetes, and her father with kidney failure. Cindy believed that having this medical knowledge would help ensure her parents receive the best care possible.

Cindy (middle) with her nursing colleagues at Icon SOC

Upon graduation, her career as a nurse begun in the emergency department at a public hospital. While she enjoyed the work, she also yearned to travel the world – a dream she aspired to fulfill since she was a little girl. She decided to take a hiatus from nursing to become a flight attendant. Two years on, the desire to help others saw Cindy switching back to nursing. 

Cindy is currently a Senior Staff Nurse at Icon SOC – an integrated cancer care provider in Singapore, offering medical oncology, haematology and radiation oncology services. She believes in putting her patients’ best interest over everything else. “As a nurse, we have to listen to our patients to understand their needs and concerns. This is to ensure that their journey to wellness is as smooth and positive as possible.”

By taking the time to listen and understand her patients, Cindy is able to build a special rapport with them. She holds a particular patient – one of her first few patients – very dear to her heart. The patient had been diagnosed with breast cancer and Cindy was tasked to administer her chemotherapy sessions. Sadly, after a two-year battle with breast cancer, her patient passed on.

However, it was not until her patient’s husband delivered a eulogy at the funeral that Cindy realised the positive contribution she had left on his late wife. On top of showing his deep appreciation for Cindy, he mentioned that his wife never once felt like she was undergoing chemotherapy at the clinic. Instead, she felt like she was simply meeting a friend for catch-up sessions.

Continuing this ripple effect, Cindy’s husband Mikhail soon became inspired to pursue a diploma in nursing after seeing the impact Cindy had on her patients and their family. “My wife would return from work and share stories of her day. My interest grew over time as I realised how noble a job nursing really is. I had also been wanting to pursue a career that allowed me to give back to the people and community,” said Mikhail of his decision to take up nursing. He has since left his job as a graphic designer, and is in his final semester at Nanyang Polytechnic.

Mikhail (left) and Cindy (right)

Initially, Cindy had second thoughts about Mikhail joining the nursing profession as she was unsure if he was serious about it, but after seeing his enthusiasm and motivation throughout his studies and clinical attachments, she was convinced that he had made the right decision. Mikhail hopes to make a positive impact in the lives of others, the same way his wife has and continues to do so.

“My name is Cindy, and I want to continue making a meaningful difference in the lives of others.”