Dr. Catherine Gonzalez*

In the hustle of our daily professional lives, especially in healthcare, it’s all too easy to prioritise the well-being of others while neglecting our own. Many of us spend our days caring for patients, addressing their concerns and helping them manage or prevent illness. Yet ironically, we often delay our own preventive health checks, assuming that being asymptomatic means being healthy.

This is a reminder and a call to action about how a preventive health check can truly save lives.

One of our colleagues, a 39-year-old physician, is a clear example of how invaluable routine health screenings can be. She was the picture of health — active, young and without any symptoms. No pain. No fatigue. No warning signs. Like many of us, she was busy juggling her clinical responsibilities and rarely had time to think about her own health. Fortunately, our company provides an annual preventive health check for all staff, and she decided to attend, not expecting anything out of the ordinary.

During her checkup, an abdominal ultrasound was done as part of the routine screening. To everyone's surprise, the radiologist detected an incidental mass on her right kidney.  

She had no symptoms — no flank pain, no haematuria (blood in urine), no weight loss. She felt perfectly fine. But the radiologist, concerned by the nature of the mass, immediately recommended an MRI for a more detailed evaluation. The MRI findings were suspicious for malignancy. 

She was referred promptly to a urologist, and further investigations confirmed the presence of what appeared to be an early-stage renal cell carcinoma, a form of kidney cancer. Thankfully, because it was caught early, she was a candidate for a partial nephrectomy, a surgical procedure that removes only the tumour and preserves the rest of the kidney. A biopsy later confirmed the diagnosis: renal cell carcinoma. She did not require immunotherapy or other aggressive treatments. 

Had this cancer gone undetected, the outcome could have been very different. Renal cell carcinoma often progresses silently, without symptoms, until it is more advanced. At that point, treatment becomes more invasive, outcomes more uncertain, and life potentially at greater risk.

This story has a happy ending, but it also carries a powerful message: don't wait for symptoms to appear before checking on your health.

Preventive health check is not just a formality — it is an essential safeguard. It can detect hidden conditions before they become life-threatening. Whether it’s a silent tumour, early diabetes, high blood pressure or high cholesterol, many potentially serious conditions can be managed effectively when caught early.

To all fellow healthcare workers, professionals and caregivers: you matter too. Your health is just as important as the patients you care for. Our responsibilities are great, but they should not come at the cost of ignoring our own well-being.

So, take this as a reminder and motivation — book your preventive health check today. Encourage your peers to do the same. What may seem like 'just another checkup' could be the one that saves your life or someone else's. 

Stay proactive. Stay healthy. Because early detection isn't just about treatment, it’s about giving yourself the best chance at a long, healthy life. — Family Medical Practice

*Dr Catherine Zapanta Gonzalez was a cum laude graduate of the Angeles University Foundation before pursuing her medical degree and interning at the Chinese General Hospital in Manila in the Philippines before working as an emergency room resident physician. She has been a physician at FMP Hanoi since 2014.

FMP Healthcare Group operates medical centres in major cities including HCMC, Hà Nội and Đà Nẵng, offering consultations with international doctors, check-up centres and emergency ambulance services.

Visit FMP Hà Nội 24/7 at 298I Kim Mã Street, Kim Mã Ward, Ba Đình District.

To book an appointment, please call (024).3843.0748, chat via Whatsapp, Viber or Zalo on +84.944.43.1919 or email hanoi@vietnammedicalpractice.com.