LONDON: The death of Prince Philip, the consort of the British monarch, last Friday, has somewhat affected Dr Fahja Ismail, an anaesthetist at St Peter's Hospital in Surrey.
As a student at Roedean School, a popular independent day and boarding school founded in 1885 on the outskirts of Brighton, East Sussex, Dr Fahja was awarded the much-coveted gold Duke of Edinburgh Award (DofE) in 1997, which she said helped shape her to be what she is today.
Indeed, the DofE Award, which was started in September 1956, empowers young people ages 14-25 to make a difference while exploring their potential, "taking on new challenges, giving back to the community, and achieving success. Participants gain self confidence, motivation and life-long friendships".
Fahja is one of three Malaysian volunteer doctors in the United Kingdom working behind the scenes, helping Malaysians such as stroke victims Sahrom Ahmad and Mohammad Sahar Mhd Noor and baby Ainul Mardhiah, who found themselves needing treatments in various London hospitals during the last few years.
Recalling the day she received her award at St James' Palace, the mother of two said: "I was fortunate enough to compete for the Gold DofE award and even more fortunate to go to St James' Palace to receive the award from Prince Philip himself.
"We had to dress up for the occasion. He was very friendly and charming and he even complimented me on my outfit and my hat, which I remember until now. I completed my DoFE award when I was in Sixth Form at Roedean School in Brighton."
Explaining the award, which is equivalent to the Anugerah Remaja Perdana Rakan Muda in Malaysia, Fahja, a former MRSM Taiping student, said there were a few components that participants had to complete, such as sports, community service, volunteer work and expedition.
"I worked towards the award for over two years in Roedean," said Fahja who was then 17, adding that her skills were for cookery, squash for Sports and she volunteered at a nursing home in Brighton. It was her 10-day punishing mountain climbing in France that remains vividly in her memory.
"During the school break for summer holiday in July 1996, all the students went to the airport to go back home, but we took the coach and ferry to Dieppe heading to Cevennes, south of France,"
"Mountain climbing expedition in France was the most challenging. We had to carry our own supplies in a group of four or five and you really need determination to complete it," she recalled.
While the experience helped her overcome her fear of heights, she also acquired new skills and learnt how to make progress.
It is the benefit and the obvious legacy of the DofE award that has prompted the 45-year-old anaesthetist to encourage her 17-year-old daughter, Tengku Ayra Qistina Tengku Mohd Farid, a student at Sir William Perkins School in Surrey, to compete for it.
Ayra has already completed her silver and bronze awards and is working towards getting her gold.
Living only a stone's throw away from Windsor, Fahja said she and her children always saw the Queen and Prince Philip in their carriage on their way to Ascot.
"It's a tradition for some schools in Windsor to have their students line up along the long walk and wave to the royal couple," she said.
Fahja, who visited Windsor Castle on the day Prince Philip died, has much to be grateful for the opportunity to compete for the award.