The indispensable role of rebellion in steering transitions
Currently Chermaine Kwant is writing the final chapter of her dissertation, on the nexus of nutrition and quality of life within the context of a rare and progressive disease: pulmonary arterial hypertension. “This topic resonates deeply with me on a personal level as I encountered this life-threatening disease at the age of 25.” This undoubtedly contributed to Chermaine’s rebelliousness that she also shows in her presentation ‘Transforming Healthcare with Nutrition: A rebel’s perspective.’
“Rebels are introspective, demanding of themselves and their surroundings, unafraid to question norms and to act on this, and possess the ability to chuckle at their own quirks”, she says with a smile. With her astute attention to nutrition and rebellious spirit she wants to make a difference. “It’s my mission to elevate nutrition to a fundamental pillar in the care of chronically ill patients, thus elevating their quality of life,” says Chermaine. “Every cell in our bodies functions on the nourishment we provide. We need to return to the basics with nutrition, not merely for our personal well-being, but to safeguard the health of all living entities on our planet.”
Her discourse will unravel how nutrition can profoundly enhance the well-being of patients, the prerequisites for effecting this paradigm shift in caregiving, the imperative for immediate adjustments in nutritional perspectives, the daunting challenges in nutritional research. “And,” Chermaine adds, “above all the indispensable role of rebellion in steering transitions. The prevailing ethos in hospitals and academia primarily emphasizes pharmaceutical interventions. It’s about time that nutritional treatment claims a rightful place in the arsenal against disease.”