Guyanese American pediatrician encourages women to take care of physical, mental health

Guyanese American pediatrician, Veronica Wiltshire, recipient of the 2023 Ken Rampersaud Show International Women’s Day award, and who was recently nominated for the leadership Winston Salem Program class of 2025, which provides an opportunity to work on various projects with other leaders, called on women to take care of their mental and physical health.

“Take time for yourselves. If you’re living in survival mode, you’re likely used to putting your needs, passions, and interests on the backburner to fulfill a never-ending to-do list and make those around you happy. Making time for yourself is not selfish, it’s necessary,” said the former Chief Medical Officer for United Health Centers in Winston Salem and Joseph P Addabbo Family Health in Queens New York, during her keynote address, at the Ken Rampersaud 2nd Annual International Women’s Day Awards Gala at the Starlight Pavilion in Queens, on March 22.

“It will mean saying no to some of the invitations you get, it might mean stopping an unnecessary activity. Don’t stretch yourself thin trying to be of help to everyone and say, yes to everyone all while saying no to yourself.”

“Even though it seemed like I had everything I wanted in life, I was merely surviving. I wasn’t thriving. It was Maya Angelou who said, ‘My mission in life is not merely to survive but to thrive’ and to do so with passion, compassion, humor, and style. Women should take time for themselves.”

Dr. Wiltshire, who was instrumental in leading six clinics during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in New York, as chief medical officer, and later joined Atrium One Health Pediatrics in Clemmons, North Carolina in January of this year, told her audience to value their time.

“Take the time to do things that make you happy. Take the time to determine any source of stress in your life and try removing it one step at a time. And above all, remember that money can’t buy time and your priorities determine your happiness and a way for you to thrive,” she said.

“Make sure to seek help if you are having symptoms of anxiety or depression or any mental illness. In our Caribbean culture, we don’t like to talk about anxiety and depression. Poor mental health can cause stomach problems, affect your digestion, and cause inflammation in your body,” said Dr. Wiltshire, who disclosed that she was diagnosed with anxiety disorder, just before her 40th birthday.

“It can cause problems with sleep; it can worsen high blood pressure and cause a stroke. Heart disease affects about 44 percent of women in the United States and is the number one1 killer of women, causing 1 in 3 deaths each year,” said the board-certified medical professional, who, together with her team, helped to set up the first COVID-19 tent testing in Far Rockaway, Queens, enabling access to COVID-19 testing to hundreds of people in what was deemed a “hot zone.”

After immigrating to Antigua and Barbuda, from Guyana, moving to the US at age 13, and later graduating from Canarsie High School as valedictorian, Dr. Wiltshire who obtained a Bachelor of Science degree from St. Francis College, and medical degree from Ross University School of Medicine, before completing her pediatric residency program at SUNY Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn, said, “the way we think, can affect how we feel and our success. ‘Reset’ the mind to be positive with the right perspective.”

“Ask yourself, is my career bringing me joy? Are my relationships grounding me, supporting me, and making me happy?”

“What do I really want to do with my life. For me, it was moving to a whole other state but that is what I needed to do to reset. Think about what you need to change, this introspection might give you the clarity to pave a new pathway for a healthier, happier life,” she said.

The 2019 “Women of Influence” and Guyanese Girls Rock Foundation award recipient, who received the Special Recognition Education Award from the American Academy of Pediatrics for her contributions in Education, says women should be intentional.

“When your intention is clear, so is the way. Be intentional about your day, about what you say yes or no to, about who you keep as friends and the choices you make. Be intentional about what you pray for. Be intentional in seeking out like minded women or women you aspire to be like and connect with them.”

“When we’re in survival mode, we tend to retreat and shut ourselves off from the world,” she opined.

The 2018 Danny Glover “Women of Power” empowering rural women and girls, recipient, whose interests include advocacy for health justice and equity in the community, said, “a woman should have vision for what we want for ourselves, know our purpose because this will guide our actions and act as a compass towards a successful future.”

Dr. Wiltshire who in 2021, relocated to Winston Salem, North Carolina with her family, advocate for health justice and equity in the community, says her journey to becoming a physician leader was not easy. She encountered many failures and setbacks along the way but used her experiences as fuel for her success. She loves to share her story so other’s experiencing difficulties in their life journey, can be encouraged and have hope.

In 2023 she founded the Wiltshire Clinical Quality Improvement and Innovations Consulting Company where she helps community health centers to improve their quality metrics which impacts positive patient outcomes. She also helps to manage Sole Support Guyana, which is a non-profit organization founded by her 16-year-old. The organization’s mission is to donate shoes and basic supplies to orphans in Guyana.

She is a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the secretary on the board of directors for Health Education Relief Organization (HERO), an organization that provides medical and surgical missions to Guyana.

Dr. Wiltshire enjoys creative writing, learning about new cultures and meeting new people, and is enjoying visiting all the cool places and restaurants in North Carolina with her husband and four children.