MY STORY- DR. HANNAH LISA
I grew up in an encouraging environment and I am fortunate to have a very hardworking and prayerful mother who motivated and still motivates me to keep going on, by making me believe in the possibility of achieving anything I set my mind to and this was instrumental in my career path and my decision to pursue medicine. Also growing up as the first born with a brother helped me discover and develop the leadership qualities, I was born with.
I have always wanted to be a doctor from childhood. At a point I considered law as well. However as I grew older, it became more of medicine. I therefore had primary education at St. Theresa’s school, secondary in Holy child school where I did science and then to medical school in KNUST. I wouldn’t say the journey was an easy or a smooth ride, certainly not. However I was determined not to let anything stand in my way, so when doors closed in areas, of my education, I looked for open windows and avenues and currently find myself here as a doctor, working in the private sector.
Working as an events host (MC) was nurtured in primary and secondary school, through the many public speaking opportunities I got and also as a member of the drama and debators club as well.
Also, having to address the school, every morning at assembly, as their senior prefect, as well as being a lector in church, helped me develop my public speaking abilities and confidence.
I remember hosting the form twos night in secondary school, however it was after hosting a friend’s wedding in medical school, that got me considering this, as I got requests from friends to host their events as well. I mostly do weddings and corporate events and my most recent was hosting the panel discussion on the joy Business Health and Wellness Trade show, organised by the multimedia group. I started hosting for free, but now I earn from it.
Entering media, wasn’t something I really thought about initially. However growing up with a mother, who taught me to pray about every good opportunity and then take it, I honoured invitations.
I remember, when I got invited to talk about health implications of prostitution on the late afternoon show, I got good reviews and positive feedback, after which I got invited again and then to many other shows like, the morning shows of agootv , ghone, joyfm, joynews etc. I also saw it as a good opportunity to educate people about health related issues so kept honouring invitations to do so.
Through that, I got to work as the inhouse doctor of Healthzone on joyprime’s homeaffairs show. I also hosted health check, which is the health segment on the midweek news on GhOne TV.
On sundays, due to my love for sports, I work as the health consultant on the sportsworld show on yfm and it is not uncommon to hear me on the joyfm weekend city show, as a regular guest. I’m also a director of the Universal Heath Insurance company and the founder of HealthAvail, a medical service with the aim of making health available to all, though education, screening and other services.
Regarding hls fabrics, it started when I discovered that there were so many unique and lovely lace fabrics not readily available on our markets. Even the few exquisite ones available came at very exorbitant prices. I therefore decided that I would make lace fabrics available at affordable prices to other lace lovers, like myself, so I started hls-fabrics…which is Hannah-lisa’s stunning fabrics. It has been over a year now, and it is not doing badly. Currently being run as an online shop.
I would say I am Godfident, that is, my faith in God and the belief in his ability to exceed my expectations and my wildest dreams, makes me confident when I pursue a dream. I am also motivated as I read the amazing miracles He did for his children in the bible and the ones He continues to do for his children on earth, including me and pray oneday God would bless me so much that my name would be a used as blessing in every house hold as people would say, may the God of Hannah-lisa do for you, as He did for her.
I am also motivated daily by my environment and the people in it, as I hear stories of people trying so hard to exceed limitations and break barriers, in all fields.
Everytime you think a dream is too big, there is someone out there proving you wrong.
Encouraging words and prayers, from family and good friends, my patients and sometimes even strangers, motivate me. When you have people cheering you on, you are forced to put in your all, in order not to disappoint them.
My greatest fear, is not being able to give a good account of how well I used my God-given gifts or not being able to impact my society positively as well as an inability to fulfil the purpose for which I was sent onto this earth by God.
Pitfalls and setbacks always challenge me to come back stronger because I know nothing good comes easy. So I take every setback as an opportunity to go back, think about how I could have made it better, reorganise and strike harder and better.
Growing up, I had things I wished happened differently, however, looking back at my life, everything I wished happened differently was part of a bigger plan, I didn’t understand then. I have experienced God’s love, protection and assurance in some of the most challenging times, and I have learnt many life’s lessons such as patience, perseverance and endurance.
I have learnt to strengthen my faith in God and to learn to trust in Jesus through it all . So for me, the hardest challenges helped me know myself and prepared me for the future, teaching me to be more cautious as I take certain paths.
For good mental health, I have cultivated the habit of learning from the mistakes of the past, forging on and looking positively into the future, not dwelling on what could have been, but knowing that once I have breath, I can make my future bright with God’s help.
I think that discovering at any early age, my leadership abilities and availing myself for service is an accomplishment for me. I have always been in leadership positions most parts of my life, and I remember as senior prefect in Holy child school, I highlighted the need for an open forum for needs of students and teachers to be addressed, which was implemented, leading to a closing of a bridge in the communication gap between members of the administration and student body. This was very beneficial.
As the first female president of the Federation of Ghana medical students association ( a body of all medical students in Ghana), I together with my team, left no debt for the next administration, whilst leaving money for the start of the new administration, this was considered a feather in our cap. I also served as the only female, on the executive council of the FGMSA, whilst serving on the international body, IFMSA as the NMO president. It was during my administration, that we won the bid to host all medical students from all over the world here in Ghana, in the yearly international conference, thereby exposing our rich culture to the rest of the world.
Currently I serve as a director of universal health insurance company and the founder of HealthAvail.
I am also glad to be a medical doctor, who aside my job in the consulting room, not only goes on medical outreaches but also involved in health education on tv and radio and through my medical service, HealthAvail.
I believe in God and I have faith in Him. I believe in the bible as it contains my life guiding principles.
In as much as I believe in miracles and constantly pray for mind-blowing miracles like those in the bible and some others I see on earth, I understand the need to work very hard towards my dreams and aspirations and try to constantly improve upon myself, so I take opportunities when they come and when they don’t, I go looking for them myself. I try not to be discouraged by setbacks but encouraged to push harder and in a better way having learnt from the setback.
I understand that we all have a different purpose in life so it is important to find out what your strengths are, focus more on them than your weaknesses, learn to love yourself for who you are and not to compare yourself to others, place value on yourself, constantly motivate and encourage yourself and be optimistic. This I try to do.
I believe in doing as much good as you can, being loyal and creating happiness wherever you find yourself.
For me, it is important to focus on progress, not speed or timelines in comparison to the lives of others. You are your own competition, be better today, than you were, yesterday and that is progress.
I always tell people this,
if you want to be sad this minute, you will find a 1000 reasons and if u want a 1000 reasons to be happy, you would find them, so, why not focus on things that make you happy.
I like to laugh and be happy and always find reaosn to.
I like books that help you better understand yourself and others, improve your life through the right decisions and help you take charge of your destiny and so for me, ‘Why you act the way you do, by Tim Halaye and ‘awaken the gaint within by Anthony Robbins’, served this purpose and more. The valuable lessons drawn from these books are uncountable.
I love listening to music and watching movies especially comedy.
MSM ; There has been an increase in entrepreneurship across the continent and the globe from small scale enterprises to large corporations. What are your thoughts on it? Do you think it’s the best way to solve some of Africa’s challenges and improve the lives of people?
I think it is really good. It shows that people are becoming more empowered and challenging themselves more. Financial independence and business growth, expansion and development are good for the African economy and will help address some of our challenges in terms of finances, poverty, lack of jobs and over-reliance on governments for aid. It is certainly a step in the right direction pertaining to improving lives of the African people. I think it is great that people want to start their own businesses and be financially independent.
MSM; What will be your advice to others especially the youth about the effects of comfort zones and on the importance of entrepreneurship?
If anyone wants to become like you,heat advice will you give to such person
Entrepreneurship is great if you are called for it, entering an area you are passionate about and understanding the challenges that come with it as well as the implications of your actions is the way to go. Also identyfing a need you want to address through business is good. My advice is, don’t start entrepreneurship because you see an area in which people seem to be thriving so decide to venture into it, failing to realise that there would be challenges, otherwise when hard times strive, you may not last. Understand that there will be difficult times and brace yourself for them. If you believe your future will be better, then the challenges and sufferings of today shouldn’t deter you from achieving your aim because in as much as comfort zones are good, no real growth occurs there. Move out of your comfort zone and challenge yourself to be better.
