Meet Dr. Mariam, a former cancer researcher who has transitioned into the field of holistic and integrative healthcare, blending science with natural healing to promote well-being. Driven by a passion for empowering others to achieve optimal health, she combines her deep scientific expertise with a holistic approach to address the root causes of health challenges.
As a dedicated mother of three young children, she understands the importance of balance and brings a compassionate, family-oriented perspective to her work. Through her journey, Dr. Mariam inspires others to embrace healthier, more fulfilling lives. Here’s how she balances her work and her family.
What inspired you to found the Centre for Integrative and Holistic Health, and how did you get started on this path?
My career began in cancer research, focusing on cancer drug discovery for 15 years. Towards the end of my research career, I came across studies showing that 90 to 95% of cancer cases are caused by environmental factors, with only 5 to 10% due to inherited genetics.
My journey into public awareness began with Wellness with Dr. Mariam, which I started after my second child was born and my research contract ended. Balancing my new family life with a desire to educate people about cancer prevention led me to explore ways to support my family while making a difference.
Through Wellness with Dr. Mariam, I interviewed various practitioners, finding their insights fascinating and worth sharing. After four years, I realised that a more encompassing entity was necessary for joint programs with other practitioners, as using my company’s name felt too personal.
Some practitioners were hesitant to collaborate under my brand. Thus, I founded the Centre for Integrative and Holistic Health, which better reflects a collaborative and inclusive approach.
You have a family with three young children. How do you balance your demanding professional life with being a wellness Director and raising your children?
Entrepreneurship provides flexibility, but it is far from easy. Beyond developing wellness programs, I had to learn branding, marketing, customer relationship management (CRM), and other business skills. Balancing these responsibilities required effective time management and prioritisation.
In the early years, I was overly ambitious, collaborated with many people, which eventually burned me out. I’ve since learned to limit networking and set dedicated times for tasks like accounting and marketing. Prioritisation is key—some say there’s no such thing as time management, only managing priorities.
Support from close family, neighbours, and even community members, like the “Prata man” at my local food stall, has been invaluable. Moving back to Singapore from Sweden was partly because I needed my “village”—my parents, siblings, and extended family. The community support system here has made a significant difference in helping me to achieve balance in my professional and personal life.
Can you share some of the challenges you’ve faced in building your business and how you’ve overcome them?
Time management was my biggest challenge. Entrepreneurship, housework, and childcare are all ongoing, demanding roles. Working with coaches and mentors helped me identify my weaknesses and find solutions.
Adapting to life as a mother of three, moving back to Singapore, and transitioning from researcher to entrepreneur—all while unpacking a new home—was overwhelming.
Over the past four years, I’ve worked with five or six mentors, each contributing unique value to my development as an entrepreneur.
Have faith in yourself. When I just started, I was second guessing myself since whatever I was doing was quite new. I wasn’t confident, especially when I got rejected or rebutted by people who are in my field, including my friends.
What role does education play in your approach to wellness, and how do you engage clients in learning about healthier lifestyles?
Education is crucial because awareness drives motivation. People need to understand why healthy habits matter. Without this knowledge, they may deprioritise their well-being. Educating clients on the benefits of balanced diets and regular exercise empowers them to make lasting changes.
I engage clients by breaking down complex wellness concepts into digestible workshops. For example, instead of overwhelming them with tips across all eight wellness dimensions at once, I offer focused, practical sessions. This step-by-step approach makes it easier for clients to adopt healthier habits gradually.
How do you stay motivated and inspired in both your personal and professional life, especially with such a busy schedule?
I would say that the career path that I’m on now is something that I choose and develop myself. So it’s a career choice, like my “own baby”. And that is something which keeps me going and I’m very excited to wake up every day and to do the things that I’ve planned for that day.
And the other thing is, I find my calling in a way that it’s not just because it is something that I developed myself, but also this is something that I value.
Can you share one success story on how your holistic approach has transformed someone’s life?
Let me share a story that’s more personal. It started because of my daughter’s health. She had very sensitive skin. Her rashes become so bad that it led to bleeding. Once, she got hives all over her body until to the point that her face changed and looked like somebody else that I couldn’t even recognise. She was also running a high fever. It was very heartbreaking for me.
We went to the A&E but the doctor couldn’t find any problems and asked us to return home to montior her condition. In that one month, we went to the A&E three times and again, the doctor couldn’t find what’s wrong with her. And that was when I did a bit more reading up myself. I also relate back to what I understand about preventive health, for example, in terms of cancer.
I looked up about eczema and allergies and try to avoid all the things that can cause them. And that was when my daughter’s health starts to improve. I also started on essential oils for her by chance after receiving a sample and she doesn’t get fever as often as she used to. That’s where I think preventive approaches can work and transform someone’s life.
What advice would you give to other entrepreneurs, particularly those in the wellness and healthcare industry?
Have faith in yourself. When I just started, I was second guessing myself since whatever I was doing was quite new. I wasn’t confident, especially when I got rejected or rebutted by people who are in my field, including my friends.
I was looking at things in the pioneer stage, so when people rejected my idea, it wasn’t because my idea was not good, but because they don’t understand what I am doing. Post COVID, everyone is doing whatever I was suggesting four years ago. I was very affected by the negativities of people, but I learnt to overcome them.
What is your vision for the future of your centre and your mission to empower the community to live healthier lives?
One of the vision that I have is to have a reduced statistics on cancer occurrence. In Singapore, cancer is the top cause of death. But if we look at worldwide statistics, cancer only starts at number six. I think the mission to empower the community is that I want to make the knowledge of preventive health accessible to every level of the community, not just for people who can afford expensive programs.
There are a lot of people who are not financially well and then they don’t have the knowledge to improve their health.
That was why I was very eager to start working together with Willing Hearts because they provide food for people who fall in between the cracks all over Singapore. Hopefully, I can use this platform to reach out to more people.
