To celebrate International Women’s Month, we bring you The Asian Parent’s Marvelous Asian MAMAs 2021, featuring inspiring mothers who made a meaningful contribution to improving the lives of moms and other women alike. One of this year’s honorees is Dr. Kristen Cruz-Canlas.
What can you read in this article?
- Featuring Dra. Kristen O. Cruz-Canlas
- Dr. Kristen Cruz-Canlas and her Most Important Job
One of our favorite doctors is the Obstetrician Gynecologist, Dra. Kristen O. Cruz- Canlas. She has two kids and is married. We have decided to ask her a few questions as she inspires us during this Women’s Month, with her work and how she is just a who she is.
Dreaming of being a Doctor
There are a lot of girls out there that have dreamed of becoming a doctor. This is no different for Dra. Ten. She always wanted to be a doctor, and she just kept motivated and focused on this dream of hers. This helped her work really hard to reach this dream and she calls it her destiny.
Dra. Cruz-Canlas at work
After 4 years of medicine and another 4 years in medical school, a year of internship and 4 more years of residency training as an OB/GYN, she was able to start her practice.
With perseverance, determination, the prayers and support from her family, she was able to reach her childhood dream. Her parents are actually the ones that inspired her to go on this path, and her faith in God is what helped her persevere with the knowledge she is to be used as an instrument of healing, pushed her harder to reach her goal.
Dra. Kristen Cruz-Canlas passions
The future is bright for our Dra. In 5 years’ time she sees herself to be more knowledgeable in her field, as she is planning to go through another specialization in her field of practice through training. She says, “
Five years ago, I wanted to be where I am today. So five years from now, I want to set up realistic goals for myself. I will make sure that I keep the same fire alive within and hope that I will achieve my goal.”
The lovely doctor herself
Apart from work and family what keeps her busy these days? What are her passion projects? KKKK- Kaalaman at Kakayanan laban sa Kanser ng Kababaihan. She says,
“It is an outreach program for women which started last 2014 at Metropolitan Medical Center. We give free lectures about cervical cancer prevention, free cervical cancer screening through visual inspection with acetic acid and give anti cervical cancer vaccination at a cost.”
As with the rest of the world, when the pandemic hit last year, they were overwhelmed, but this time with support for their cause during an event that the group put up. (Click here to watch the video!)
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Dr. Kristen Cruz-Canlas and her most important job
First and foremost, though, she is a mommy. So, what is being a mom like? What is motherhood to her? Dra. Ten says,
“Motherhood is the art of loving someone more than yourself. It is experiencing love so strongly that it sometimes overflows into tears. Motherhood is also expecting to teach a new human about life yet learning just as much from them.”
It is true that the journey to motherhood or parenthood is one that is full of learning, not only you of them, but you of yourself. It is no surprise that Dra gets her biggest inspiration from her family. Her family is her backbone and will be what gives her reason and meaning with what she does.
At her twins’ baptism
As a woman, she knows that there is a part of her that still needs to learn how to be strong despite our weaknesses, especially for her family. “We always need to be strong for our family,” she says. We are sure all mothers out there think this.
Since it is Women’s month, we asked how she thinks she is able to inspire the people around her? Dr. Kristen Cruz-Canlas says that she wants to be able to inspire women by empowering them through health education and awareness. And she has a message for all us parents,
“To my fellow moms/parents, do not forget self love. Sometimes, after our new role as moms/dads, we often forget ourselves, especially our health. [Make sure to] Eat healthy, hydrate, have a yearly check up (during your birthday), update your immunizations, have enough sleep, pray and smile. Preventive medicine is the key to good health.”
Such great advice that we are sure our community will take to heart. We are at theAsianparent are so happy to be working with such a inspiring mommy such as Dr. Kristen Cruz-Canlas. Thank you for all the work you do!
Do you know what a stillbirth is? Learn about what it is by reading here, and learn the ways that you can prevent it by reading here.