Deliberate focus on preventative care

For Obstetrics and Gynaecology Resident Dr Tashae Smith Berry, women’s health extends far beyond the doctor’s office, but it should be a deliberate focus on creating opportunities for women to access the care, information and preventative services they need to take charge of their health. 

At the recent Jamaica Medical Doctors’ Association (JMDA) Health Fair, held on August 15 at Camperdown High School, Dr. Smith Berry put her commitment to women’s health into action by spearheading a dedicated Women’s Wellness Corner. The initiative provided women with a space to engage in conversations about their health while accessing important preventative screening services.

A key component of the initiative was increasing access to preventative screening. Through the support of Apex Radiology, women were able to receive free mammograms, while the Jamaica Cancer Society sponsored free Pap smears. 

Taking women’s healthcare beyond conversations

For Dr. Smith Berry, her initiative represented an important opportunity to take women’s healthcare beyond conversations and make essential screening more accessible. “As a resident in Obstetrics and Gynaecology, I see every day how important it is for women to understand their bodies and prioritise their health. Preventative care gives us an opportunity to identify potential concerns early, have important conversations and make informed decisions about our health. I wanted the Women’s Wellness Corner to be a space where women could do exactly that,” she explained.

The initiative reflects the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Resident’s broader commitment to promoting proactive women’s healthcare, particularly around screening, education and early detection. Mammograms and Pap smears are important components of preventative care, helping to identify breast and cervical health concerns that may otherwise go undetected. However, Dr. Smith Berry believes that access remains an important part of the conversation.

According to her, “knowing that you should get screened is one thing; being able to access that screening is another. That is why partnerships are so important. By working together with organisations that are committed to women’s health, we can help remove some of the barriers that may prevent women from taking that next step.”

The support of Apex Radiology and the Jamaica Cancer Society allowed the Women’s Wellness Corner to provide services that women may not always have immediate or affordable access to, reinforcing the importance of collaboration in advancing preventative healthcare. 

Successful JMDA Health Fair

The JMDA Health Fair provided the platform, but for Dr Smith Berry, the message is one that should continue long after the event. For her,  “Women deserve to feel empowered when it comes to their health. We should not wait until something feels wrong to start paying attention. Regular check-ups, screenings and conversations with your healthcare provider are all part of taking care of yourself.”

Through the Women’s Wellness Corner, Dr Smith Berry demonstrated her belief that improving women’s health requires not only treating illness, but also creating opportunities for women to be informed, screened and supported before a problem arises. As an Obstetrics and Gynaecology resident, her work continues to centre on helping women make their health a priority — one conversation, one screening and one informed decision at a time.