Pooja Poddar has been working as a Registered Nurse since 1999. After moving to the UK in 2002, she dedicated herself to her work helping others whilst facing her own health struggles in private. Here, she shares her story as part of South Asian Heritage Month:
Growing up in Mumbai in a multicultural community, I developed the core values of being inclusive, caring, effective, influencing, and innovative, meaning that adapting to western culture was not a barrier for me. My parents described me as a very caring and understanding young girl and thought I would become a teacher, but for some reason that didn't happen, so I decided to study for a nursing diploma.
I was diagnosed with polycystic ovarian syndrome in 2000, which made it difficult for me to conceive, and I’ve had several failed attempts at fertility treatment. After coming to the UK, I funded my treatment by working as a healthcare assistant and completing my adaptation training in a nursing home. After working there for a year or so, I found a job in Blackberry Hill Hospital in 2003, which had become part of North Bristol NHS Trust in 2002.
It was a challenging experience working in nursing and caring for others whilst going through my own private fertility struggles. Several failed IVF attempts that I had spent thousands of pounds on had left me disheartened, but my heart prevailed, and so did the treatment. In 2011 my daughter was born through a free NHS trial of IVF.
But my health battle was not over - in 2015, I was diagnosed with endometrial cancer which was fortunately detected in the early stages. My own health and fertility struggles have made me grateful that I chose to study nursing so I could give back what was given to me. I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to all the healthcare professionals who got me through these bad times - they gave me the personal devotion that I have to the NHS.
A few years ago I even volunteered to be filmed and interviewed by NHS England’s campaign WE ARE THE NHS as a part of an International Nurses recruitment.
I am a community activist committed to work with the community to improve multicultural diversity in the area.
Apart from working fulltime and nurturing my daughter, my diversity portfolio is quite evident on media. I enjoy hosting the show Zee out and about filmed in Bristol (During important Hindu festivals) that appears on Asian international TV channel Zee TV.
I can often be heard as a guest speaker at special events and festivals and have appeared on BBC Radio Bristol.
Through my voluntary work with the Avon Indian Community Association and Bristol Durga Puja, I have brought a wide range of intergenerational and cultural intelligence that helps us better understand and engage in a multicultural society. I have been an Age UK trustee, strengthening my involvement in wider community.
I find it humbling to help the most vulnerable members of our community. Experience of working on the front line in the fight against Covid has made me stronger and more determined to help others. When it was reported that BAME people were more at risk of Covid, but equally many BAME people feared the vaccination, by being a beacon for the community, I was able to convince many families to make the decision to get vaccinated, for which I was awarded a highly commended trophy in the Key Worker category for the BBC’s Make a Difference awards in September 2022.
I remember the words I was told by the nursing home director: “Pooja you have so much potential, you would waste yourself and just be a number in the NHS.”
Being listed amongst Bristol’s Most Influential Women in 2021 and 2022, I have defined my own success, and paved the way for more women like me in years to come.