By Gemma Handy
With a childhood spent watching her veterinarian father tend to his four-legged patients, it was perhaps little surprise that Asha Robins would go on to pursue a career in medicine.
But it was caring for her diabetic grandmother – which included giving her twice-daily insulin shots when Asha was just 12 years old – that ultimately inspired her journey to becoming a surgeon.
In January, the now 32-year-old from Mount Pleasant joined the Sir Lester Bird Medical Centre as a senior registrar after 11 years studying in Cuba. At the twin island nation’s public hospital, Dr Robins carries out a variety of surgical procedures from removing troublesome appendixes to dealing with life-threatening injuries.
“I always enjoyed science as a child,” the former Antigua Girls’ High School student recalls. “My grandmother was diagnosed with diabetes when she was in her 80s. I would see her being given her meds and I was intrigued.
“It became my responsibility to care for her. I was trained to give her subcutaneous [under the skin] injections after first cleaning the area with alcohol swabs. She had a catheter too, so I had to ensure it was always in place and not tugging on anything.
“I also had to feed and clean her. I felt a lot of pride doing that. It gave me a feeling I had never experienced and made me want to dedicate my life to helping others,” she explains.
The daughter of local vet Dr Radcliffe Robins, Asha would observe her father operating on dogs, cats and other animals. It was he who taught her how to suture; early in her training Asha stitched up a dog that had undergone a hysterectomy.
“I felt like a superhero,” she laughs.
“I love animals, but the feeling of taking care of my grandmother, of giving back to a human, was unbeatable.”
In 2009, Asha left for Cuba, joining the Latin American School of Medicine in Havana.
She knew a smattering of Spanish from primary and secondary school but was soon forced to become fluent.
“There were people from Malaysia, Africa, the Solomon Islands, and the US in our classes – so the universal language was Spanish,” she says.
“The teachers never spoke a word of English to us. Within four months I could speak Spanish properly.”
Further studies at Cuban institutions followed before Asha returned to her homeland. She will work as a senior registrar for one year before having the option to become a consultant.
Her very first procedure alone was performing an appendectomy on a seven-year-old boy.
She admits that working without the safety net of a watching professor was initially daunting.
“But I do have the option of calling in help when I need it,” she says.
“Before starting a procedure I pump myself up to be confident in my decisions. Sometimes I shoot a little prayer out just to make sure everything goes well.
“I take everything on an individual basis, I don’t skip steps and I make sure I am very thorough with everything I do.
“I tell myself, ‘I am greatness, I am kindness, I am goodness and I am successful’. I always repeat that – I believe a lot in affirmations.”
Asha says she’s been welcomed with open arms by the hospital’s staff.
“I love my job; I take it on with my whole heart. And I love my patients; I call them my babies – even the ones that are older than me,” she smiles.
“Sometimes there are challenges because of a lack of availability of things, largely due to the pandemic. But we push forward and still offer the best care we can to all patients.
“I wouldn’t want to do anything else. The biggest reward is when a patient says, doc, you did a great job,” she adds.
Two decades after she first felt a calling to the profession, Asha is a staunch advocate for following one’s heart, despite the obstacles life can present.
“Medicine is not an easy path and sometimes people can discourage you from following it. It may seem impossible because you have to go to a new country and learn a new language.
“However, it is very possible. To anyone thinking of doing it, I would tell them not to let anyone kill your dream; you can achieve by putting your best foot forward,” she says.
Asha is determined to stay in Antigua and Barbuda and continue to serve the country she loves.
“Who is Dr Asha Robins?” she adds. “She is simple, kind, loving, in love with what she does and ready to give back to her community.”