Find out about Dr Catherine Fernando, the founder of IYASU and learn about her journey from GP to business owner in this interview.
Introduction
Hi, my name is Catherine Fernando, and I am the founder of Iyasu. I grew up in a village called Comrie in Perthshire and now live in East Lothian, Scotland.
Are You a Real Doctor?
Yes I am. Medicine is my vocation and I am very proud to be a GP in Haddington.
What Are Your Qualifications?
- I was awarded MBChB with Commendation from Aberdeen Medical School in 2001.
- I am a Member of the Royal College of Physicians (MRCP UK) and a Member of the Royal College of General Practitioners (MRCGP).
- I also hold a number of diplomas including:
- Child Health (DCH), Obstetrics and Gynaecology (DRCOG) and Sexual Health (DFSRH).
- I am currently studying for the Diploma in Practical Dermatology with Cardiff University.
Have You Always Wanted to Be a GP?
No, I originally trained in General Medicine and Rheumatology. I have also worked in Paediatrics, Medicine for the Elderly, Family Planning and Diabetes.
However, I have found my calling in General Practice. GP is so interesting because every day is different, and you have to have such a vast medical knowledge and great communication skills to do it well.
I feel very privileged to work in this profession and I find it fascinating, humbling and fulfilling.
What Have Been the Biggest Challenges in Your Life?
When I was 22 years old my dad died of heart failure and soon after that my best friend died of inflammatory breast cancer (aged 26 years old).
Later that year, while working as an SHO in Medicine at Stirling Royal Infirmary, I was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. I was treated with chemotherapy and radiotherapy at The Beatson, Glasgow, and returned to work 4 months later.
Thankfully I was cured of Lymphoma, but in 2019 I decided to have a bilateral prophylactic mastectomy and reconstruction to reduce my risk of breast cancer as a result of the radiation I received to treat Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.
And in 2021, my mum was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Dementia.
So, I know what it is like to be a patient, a carer and a doctor. And I pledge to donate some of the profits from Iyasu to charities close to heart because of that.
Are You Vegan?
No, I’m not actually a vegan. But I am making an effort to reduce the amount of meat that I eat and real leather that I wear.
Many people are doing this now for environmental reasons. Eating a plant based diet reduces harm to the environment in a number of ways:
- Rainforests are cleared to farm cattle, thus reducing biodiversity and negatively impacting on the planet’s ability to regulate carbon dioxide levels.
- Cattle produce methane gas (which is more harmful in terms of global warming than carbon dioxide.
- Farming animals uses a lot of fresh water and results in higher levels of pollution with surrounding streams and rivers being contaminated by toxins and bacteria from animal waste.
What Other Measures Do You Take Reduce Your Carbon Footprint?
At home we have solar panels on our roof, a battery to store the solar electricity, and my husband and I both drive electric cars.
We walk or cycle as much as possible, try not to be wasteful of electricity and we recycle or reuse whatever we can.
Why Did You Create IYASU?
One day, I was looking for a new doctor’s bag, as my old one was looking a bit scruffy and the handle was about to fall off. As I was searching various websites, I realised how outdated and masculine the range of doctors’ bags available was.
Everything was dull and brown or black. If I was going to spend money on a bag that I would use every day at work, I wanted one that was really desirable to me as a woman, not just functional and traditional.
The Gladstone bag which has become synonymous with the doctors’ bag was named after William Gladstone who was the prime minister of Great Britain between 1868 and 1894. At this time medicine was a very male dominant profession, as women were not even permitted to go to medical school until 1876.
Over half of medical students are now female and two thirds of GP trainees are women. I therefore feel it is time to update the style of doctors bags to reflect more feminine models and choices of bag styles, whilst providing the functionality needed to serve the profession.
Has it been Difficult to Start this Business?
Oh my goodness, yes! I am a mother of 4 children, I am working part-time as a salaried GP, I am studying for a Diploma in Dermatology with Cardiff University and I have decided to start a new business. Crazy!
In the midst of this, the Covid-19 Pandemic has hit the world, economies have crashed and I have had to home teach 4 primary school aged children. Yes, pretty difficult!
I used to enjoy wearing pretty colourful dresses to work and felt that my style reflected my personality. Since Covid-19, I have had to wear pyjamas (well, scrubs) to work, an apron that looks like a bin bag and a mask which covers my lipstick!
There really isn’t much room to express myself through my clothes anymore. However, at least with my IYASU bag, I can still bring my personality and individuality to work.
What Are Your Plans for IYASU?
I would really like to leave a legacy of lasting good from the proceeds from IYASU.
The primary charity that IYASU supports is The Malala Fund, which improves the access of girls to secondary education worldwide.
Aside from being a basic human right, educating girls has been shown to:
- Strengthen Economies
- Reduce Conflict in the World
- Improve the Environment
- Reduce the Risk of Natural Disasters
- Decrease Infant Mortality
- Cut Child Marriage Rates
I plan to produce a number of special edition Iyasu bags to support healthcare and environmental charities as I care deeply about these issues.
I can’t wait to see where my journey with IYASU takes me…
