Pink (November 2018)

ISSUE169∫NovEmbEr2018

Are we overmedicating?

SNIFF OUT THE TRUE THERAPEUTIC BENEFITS OF MORE THAN TRENDY ESSENTIAL OILS

‘No, we are not mad!’

FIFTH ANNIVERSARY CATWALK READY FOR TAKE-OFF ChECk IN aNd ChECk oUt thE hIh-StrEEt lookS oN thE rUNway

HIGH-FLYING DIGITAL INFLUENCER IS THE FACE OF THE PINK FASHION SHOW @sosazerafa in her first full-blown fashion editorial

GROWN-UP WOMEN CAN HAVE ADHD TOO LIVING WITH THEIR KIDS’ SAME DISORDER

CALMING THE MIND & WINDING DOWN THE WORKLOAD The way forward in today’s age

INSIDE

November 2018

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FEATURES 16 PrivateEye adult ADHD Grown-up women continue coping with this disorder 23 WomensWorld a good shepherd Meet Malta’s ambassador for European Vocational Skills Week 28 ArtyFacts ladies who launch… the arts Behind the scenes at Malta’s international children’s arts festival 32 LifeStyle I’m still playing When lupus is the opponent

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FASHION 42 ShowStopper walking on air The Pink Fashion Show looks take flight

HEALTH & BEAUTY 51 OnForm healing the natural way Turning to essential oils instead of overmedication 56 InThePink a holistic experience in healthcare Midwife launches her own family clinic 61 RelationTips overcoming the overload Using mindfulness to switch off 65 PinkShrink workaholics anonymous Addiction to work is no positive trait 69 ParentingTips happy children The impact of interactive friendship cards

REGULARS 11 EditorsNote 12 MailShot 39 WomanKind the king’s mistress Madame de Pompadour 58 ThinkPink health & beauty 72 TableTalk a squash and a squeeze Butternut squash, sage and ricotta gnocchi 77 WomenOnWheels watch this space Ford Kuga MCA 79 ThinkPink events 81 SnapShot through her eyes Roberta Zammit Cutajar

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COVER Photography Kurt Paris ∫ Styling Marisa Grima [marisagrima.com] ∫ Hair Josephine Saliba from Screen Hair Salon Qormi ∫ Make-up Chris Attard from Franks, using Guerlain ∫ Loation Air Malta line maintenance hangar, MIA ∫ Model Sarah Zerafa, wearing cape, €199; blouse, €139; trousers, €149; boots, €229, all Marella.

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EDITORSNOTE

I’m trying to keep it light for a change. It feels frivolous, naïve and out of touch with reality, but focusing on the petty pretty little things in life and trying to switch off from the rest now and again allows for an element of sanity to prevail.

I don’t know, however, if the subject I wanted to broach about a lack of social media savviness as opposed to pre-teens’ and their obsession with mobile phones and, ultimately, themselves is a laughing matter, or should make me cry. And I don’t know if it should make me cry because I know too little, or because they know too much.

For now, I’m going to smile, half in amused bewilderment and half in resigned shock horror, at how young girls don’t find themselves remotely ridiculous to be pouting and posing to post a selfie in full public view.

I say this because as I was doing the same on a photo shoot with the chosen face of The Pink Fashion Show, super blogger/vlogger Sarah Zerafa, I was definitely not taking myself too seriously and the whole act was a complete selfpiss-take, which we all need to indulge in occasionally.

Sarah, on the other hand, is simply a pro, who has mastered the art, and it was enlightening to put myself into her picture and realise that you’re either a natural… or not!

Of course, the age difference – even though I’m in deep denial – means that what I look like when we photograph ourselves leaves me with no choice but to laugh it off. So, no, I can’t hide behind the simple fact that I’m not trained in the art of taking selfies.

But back to our pre-teens, who are not yet doing this for a living although they probably aspire to. We are now dealing with a generation of young girls who think public displays of vanity are acceptable; who do not even try to hide how selfengrossed they are; who think it’s seriously OK to strike a seductive pose in the middle of a public space; who actually know the meaning of sexy, know how to project it and don’t even think it’s inappropriate, out of place, or downright silly.

In my days, and again I hate to admit that the past is becoming quite distant, the most we could do to give vent to our vanity was sneak a blurry peek at our hair in the murky reflection of a shop window, the side mirror of a car with a bit of selfie-style manoeuvring, and if we were lucky, steal a glance – not to embarrass ourselves – in a proper looking glass.

You did check out and perfect your angles, but it was in the privacy of a locked bedroom and you pretended you were bursting a zit if you got caught red-handed.

Today, on the other hand, kids can find it in themselves to simulate a fictitious full-blown fashion shoot with a dexterous hand and a phone beyond the privacy of their bedrooms. And they think nothing of this explicitly narcissistic act, which excludes everyone else, except those at the receiving end of the image, who will no doubt scramble to show that their own afternoon, their own profile, their own pout and their own posteriors are much more prominent, posed and protruding.

But before this stops being about ‘petty pretty little things’ and more of a warning about future issues – and possibly the

milder ones – I’ll be grappling with in a decade, let’s go back to the unbearable lightness of being.

Let’s talk about the first full-blown fashion editorial for digital influencer par excellence, @sosazerafa, who has just hit a whopping 100,000 followers on Instagram and will also be conquering our catwalk with her star-quality attitude, fiery fun, winning self-confidence and good looks.

I’m a believer in moving with the times, and open to most things, including tricks on how to take a selfie – and who better to have as a teacher than the woman who never ever seems to look bad in a photo?! [This is, of course, not to take anything away from ace photographer Kurt Paris, who created and captured the mood through his lens and converged the whole ShowStopper team’s talent into one set of images…]

But still, look at it however you want, Sarah does not have a bad angle – and you realise this when you take 20 shots to get yourself half decent and she’s waxwork perfect in all. You realise this when, after selecting the best one of you, without even considering her, you need to filter it to the extent that you’ve almost washed her out.

Of course, it helps to learn that you can click away by pressing the side button – and not the middle one – of your phone, which means your hand isn’t in the way all the time and you have more reach.

Hold on a second, how was it again?!

While I figure it out, check in to page 42 to check Sarah out in some of the looks from the top high-street brands at our upcoming, exclusive, fifth-anniversary fashion show.

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for updates, sneak previews, surprises and how to get yourself to the most happening, invite-only catwalk of the season thanks to the collaboration of another star fashion blogger and stylist Caroline Paris.

November 4, 2018 ∫ Pink is a monthly magazine ∫ Issue 169 ∫ Executive editor Fiona Galea Debono ∫ Publisher Allied Newspapers Ltd ∫ Printing Progress Press Ltd ∫ Production Allied Newspapers Ltd ∫ Contributors Chris Attard, Adriana Bishop, Maria Cachia, Tezara Camilleri, Edward Curmi, Helena Fone, Mary Galea Debono, Marisa Grima, Josephine Saliba, Lara Sierra, Rachel Zammit Cutajar ∫ Design Manuel Schembri ∫ Photography Jonathan Borg, Kurt Paris, Chris Sant Fournier, Mark Zammit Cordina ∫ Advertising sales Veronica Grech Sant [2276 4333; veronica.grechsant@timesofmalta.com].

THIS PUBLICATION IS BEING DISTRIBUTED AS PART OF:

@pinkmagazine

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© 2018. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole, or in part, without written permission of the publishers, is prohibited.

Pink November 2018 ∫ 11

MAILSho

THE LETTER THAT TICKLED Pı FULL OF SELF-SACRIFICE Dear editor, I am going to send my views on what impressed me in Pink in the old-fashioned way of putting pen to paper. In these days of e-mails and texts, I get so excited and curious when the postman delivers a letter in a stamped envelope. I consider it a pleasant surprise. Well, as usual, I read Pink from cover to cover, front to back, enjoying your colourful ads, your articles and beautiful photography. But then I came across a striking photo in black and white that attracted my curiosity. The old-fashioned, pretty lady looked out with such an honest face, through sweet eyes. I had to get to know about her and so I read Smiling and Saintly [WomanKind, July 2018], the lovely story of Edel Quinn, the Irish legionary.

The good, self-sacrificing, young lady and her tale were such a sharp contrast to the rest of the cool, modern models in the attractive ads. That pretty face got my attention, but her story filled my heart with such sweetness. She also stirred up memories and emotions. I grew up with a special love and devotion for our Immaculate Mother of the legionaries.

My mum taught me and my siblings her prayer and we used to say it together every night before we slept. You see, she was the first head of the praesidium in our village about 70 years ago. She used to tell us children about the group, the legionaries, visiting the old, the sick and the dying… and praying to Our Lady with them. She described the peace and serenity that descended on the group while they were praying and sharing together.

But Edel was afire with zeal. How I admire her now that I have read her story full of selfsacrifice, but also full of love for her family and even for foreign strangers. We need more women like her in our society; women of mettle, who strive to do good and to ensure a better life for others, not through shrewd ambition, but through love, caring and honesty.

TANYA BALDACCHINO, FROM ATTARD

The writer of the letter of the month wins a Boucheron Quatre En Rose eau de parfum florale; a manicure; PLUS a selection of Diego dalla Palma make-up products, all from Chemimart.

Wrıte ı AND WIN

WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT’S AROUND THE CORNER Dear editor, I look forward to reading Pink magazine from month to month. Good work!

Keep it up. I read the article Rare and Deadly [InFocus, September 2018]. I was very touched by this rare disease and this young woman’s story. We always take life for granted, planning our future and that of our loved ones, but we do not know what’s around the corner. So instead of pushing our kids to study and go to private lessons, why not enjoy and share our time with them. After all, life is too short.

Tomorrow is promised to no one.

CARMEN AQUILINA, FROM DINGLI

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Write to Pink, with your contact details, at Allied Newspapers Limited, triq l-ıntornjatur, Mrieћel, BKr 3000, or send an e-mail to pink@timesofmalta.com Correspondence may be edited for length and clarity. If prizes are not claimed within two months, they will no longer be available. Winners should be willing to have their photograph taken for marketing purposes.

12 ∫ Pink November 2018

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PRIVATEEYE

Adult ADHD Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder tends to be associated with children, but what happens when they grow up? Do they grow out of it, or does the condition grow with them? It is estimated that 2.5 per cent of all adults have ADHD. In the wake of ADHD Awareness Month, ADRIANA BISHOP speaks to two women who live with the disorder. She finds more and more parents have started looking at themselves after their children are diagnosed with ADHD to analyse their own behaviour and learn strategies to cope.

I

have never met an adult with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder before and I am intrigued. I do not know what to expect. Like many, my knowledge [or lack thereof] of ADHD is coloured by misconceptions about misbehaving children.

Of those four words, “hyperactivity” is the one that stands out, casting a shadow over “disorder”, thus diminishing somewhat the fact that this is a neurodevelopmental condition that is still under-recognised in mental health circles – and not voluntarily capricious behaviour.

While it is now acknowledged to be one of the most common child mental health disorders affecting 5.29 per cent of children as a worldwide average, the incidence of ADHD in adults has been widely debated and questioned. However, research has now concluded that ADHD symptoms do indeed persist into adulthood, affecting 65 per cent of adults who had been diagnosed with the disorder in childhood.

If this sounds surprising, it’s only because adults learn how to adapt and manage their behaviour to mask their symptoms. It’s still there; it’s just well hidden.

16 ∫ Pink November 2018

So much so that nothing prepares me to identify the woman I am to meet as an ADHDer. Giannella Attard greets me warmly at the entrance to her new occupational therapy clinic a stone’s throw away from Mater Dei Hospital.

She’s just moved in recently, she explains, as she ushers me into a large room crammed with soft mats, colourful balls of all sizes, and a plethora of equipment designed to help children with developmental issues. It’s an organised chaos of colour and textures on different levels, and I can’t help feeling that it reflects Giannella’s life story too.

Now aged 45, Giannella was only officially diagnosed as having ADHD six years ago.

Two of her three biological sons have ADHD and so does one of her two adopted daughters, so she was already very familiar with the disorder before her diagnosis.

“I did the test out of curiosity,” Giannella admits. “I wasn’t diagnosed as a child. I was brought up in the vicinity of this clinic. I was always playing outdoors, riding horses in the fields where Mater Dei now stands. We had lots of animals around us. I was a very energetic child and it helped that I spent so much time outdoors. I was the ‘naughty one’; the most challenging of five siblings.”

PRIVATEEYE

“I wAs tHe ‘nAuGHty one’; tHe most cHAllenGInG of fIve sIblInGs” Giannella Attard was only officially diagnosed as having ADHD six years ago.

Pink November 2018 ∫ 17

PRIVATEEYE Giannella coped at school, but found government sixth form too chaotic and quit after four weeks, transferring to the smaller St Aloysius sixth form. “It gave me more structure, more routine and I found myself in a family-like environment,” she says. Structure and routine are very important to her and to ADHDers in general.

University proved to be a “big challenge” for her and again she quit within three months of starting the course. The occupational therapy course, on the other hand, had only 15 applicants, so Giannella found it easier to cope within the structure of a small group.

“I managed academically, but it was always balanced out with a lot of physical activity at home. I hyper-focus when I am doing something that I love, and during the course, I had a very close friend who was my study buddy, which helped a lot,” she says.

Giannella sought a diagnosis only to verify her suspicions. “My sons are literally almost a photocopy of me. For example, for me, it was acceptable that my son would take a spoonful of cereal, then run around the table before returning for the next. For my husband, that was not OK. “When I was diagnosed, I felt relief.

I was relieved to learn that my condition was due to a neurological disorder.

I was so used to it that it did not come as a shock or a surprise. Now, more and more parents have started looking at themselves after their children are diagnosed with ADHD to analyse their own behaviour.”

An ADHD diagnosis is still tainted by stigma and judgmental comments, fuelled by lack of information and education about the disorder. Children, especially boys, tend to be labelled with all sorts of ‘naughty’ adjectives [qalil, pastaz, arroganti, bla rispett, bla pacenzja], while girls tend to be ‘dreamers’. Their impulsiveness and strong sense of justice often lands them into trouble, while their boundless energy makes them difficult to handle.

“As an adult, you learn to control yourself,” explains Giannella. “It was thought that you outgrow ADHD, but you actually learn to live with the disorder and learn strategies to cope.

Sometimes, I don’t take the medication 18 ∫ Pink November 2018

and others notice it because I start answering back. If I am working with children, I don’t take it because work calms me down. But if I am studying, then I take medication to help me concentrate.”

Giannella addresses the stigma surrounding ADHD head on. “I am very open about it, especially with parents,” she declares. “Some parents are more open to seek help if I tell them I am speaking from personal experience.

older brother still couldn’t do certain things that he could. It was not before he was 12 or 13 years old that he could finally start to understand why.

“My sons are at two extremes of the spectrum: the ADHDers struggled academically while the middle one is gifted and is currently reading for a degree in applied biomedical sciences at university.”

Today, Giannella is not only an occupational therapist, but she also

“IF I AM GOING TO BE LABELLED, THEN I MIGHT AS WELL GET THE RIGHT LABEL” Others say there is a stigma, but I’d rather be aware that my difficulties are due to a condition rather than not know why I am the way I am and be labelled.

If I am going to be labelled, then I might as well get the right label.”

And her own experience, both as an ADHDer herself and as a mother of children with ADHD, has taught her how differently the condition can manifest itself in each individual and how it affects the family dynamics.

“In my family, I can see three very different presentations of ADHD. My eldest son, who is now 22, is having issues accepting ADHD. He thinks he can handle it without medication, but he can’t really. He is rebelling.

“The boys are open about their ADHD, but my 15-year-old daughter not so much. She probably thinks it’s not cool to say she has ADHD. “As a parent with ADHD, I am on the same wavelength as the children with this disorder. There are four of us with ADHD, versus three without, so of course, that’s going to affect the family dynamics.

My husband can understand the other two and he is also very patient with me.

We have learnt to live with each other.

“I tend to be more accepting and more laissez-faire when it comes to mess around the house, but he starts complaining about it. I tend to be very nervous, but he is calmer and balances me out. He is more organised, so bills are in his hands, whereas I have issues with organisation, procrastination and with transferring short-term memory into long-term memory.

“My middle son, who does not have ADHD, had issues accepting why his

works as a consultant for diversity and learning at Stella Maris College where 10 per cent of the students have ADHD. She is also reading for an MSc in Sensory Integration at the University of Ulster.

“I am successful in my career now, but if I had been diagnosed earlier, then certain struggles could have been avoided.”

Research has shown that adults with ADHD tend to manifest symptoms of poor attention, ceaseless mental activity, mood dysregulation, characterised by a persistently angry or irritable state of mind and frequent temper outbursts. They also tend to prefer exciting and busy occupations rather than sedentary jobs.

“Nowadays, we have these definitions for behaviour traits, but sometimes, I wonder if we are abusing labels,” Giannella continues. “We are more aware of diagnosis and inclusion, but we may be too quick to label children, or anyone for that matter.

On the other hand, some psychologists are quite reluctant to label children, which might be frustrating at times.

“I have a better understanding of children with ADHD not only because I have ADHD myself, but also because I am a mother. I can also understand parents because it is not easy dealing with such a diagnosis. My husband was very reluctant to give our son medication. It took us 18 months to start.

“The challenge as an adult is to identify if we need medication or not because we tend to compensate with our behaviour; with our own coping strategies.”

PRIVATEEYE

Mutual understanding: Christabelle Zammit and her son Blake share many symptoms.

Christabelle Zammit has learnt the hard way to cope with people’s prejudices against ADHD. Although not formally diagnosed, she believes she has ADHD too as she recognises the same symptoms her seven-year-old son has in her own behaviour.

As a young single mother, Christabelle has had to learn to deal with her son’s disorder while coming to terms with her own condition.

“There is a huge lack of information and understanding about ADHD. There isn’t enough education about the condition and teachers need to change their attitude towards all children,” she states.

Christabelle has just finished her morning shift as a taxi driver, a job that suits her because she says it calms her

down, with the odd exception when traffic gets too bad. She has been through countless jobs, at one point changing employment every month.

Research indicates that diagnosis of ADHD in adults – estimated to reach 2.5 per cent – is “complex and the diagnostic criteria may be unreliable”.

methods were created for children rather than adults. Moreover, ADHD symptoms may overlap other disorders and conditions in adults, making diagnosis even more complicated.

The disorder is highly heritable, with siblings and parents of a child with ADHD being four to five times more likely to have it.

“My son and I share many similar symptoms,” Christabelle admits. “I am very moody and so is Blake. We are both very sensitive, especially when we think things are not fair. We don’t feel the world should revolve around us, but we do feel that people need to understand us more even though we don’t share their point of view.

“I recently went to a psychiatrist, but he thought I simply had ‘big emotions’ and maybe the start of depression, so he has put me on medication. I have to confess I tried Blake’s ADHD medication before I gave it to him and it actually worked on me and helped to calm me down.”

Apart from having ADHD, Blake has also been diagnosed with Oppositional Defiant Disorder [ODD], but before an official diagnosis was made, he was simply labelled as “imqareb” [naughty].

“Blake repeated kindergarten three times. At that stage, I simply thought he was just too young. After all, both his father and I were ‘imqarbin’ when we were little. In Year 1, the school brought his behaviour to my attention and I went to see a psychiatrist. His behaviour at school was different from when he was with me at home.

At school, he was classified as ‘severe’ ADHD, while at home, he was ‘mild’.

“The school found him difficult to handle. The teacher used to take sick leave because of him and even reported this to the Malta Union of Teachers. I used to explain to the LSA

“SHE HAS BEEN THROUGH COUNTLESS JOBS, AT ONE POINT CHANGING EMPLOYMENT EVERY MONTH” According to a report in the Journal of the Malta College of Pharmacy Practice, children do not outgrow the disorder, but they outgrow the diagnostic criteria, which means there may be an underestimation of its true prevalence in adults. Diagnostic

how she should handle Blake. I used to suggest to her to take Blake out for a run every 20 minutes, but it all fell on deaf ears.”

Another teacher insisted Blake did not have ADHD or ODD; rather too much “ksuhat u fsied”. On one Pink November 2018 ∫ 19

PRIVATEEYE particularly bad day, Christabelle was called to the school by the headmaster only to find her son sitting inside a locker with the door open and all the teachers surrounding him. It was the proverbial last straw for Christabelle.

“I lost it that time,” she admits.

The boy was kicked out of that school and, eventually, transferred to another. However, he had to stay at home from October to January because there was no LSA available for him.

He has now started Year 2.

“ADHD does not manifest itself in the same way in all children. I get mentally tired as it is not easy trying to handle him. His ODD makes him more impulsive and he does exactly the opposite of the instructions he is given.

I am very strict on discipline. Now, I have learnt how to handle him and how to speak to him to get his cooperation, but until I learnt this, I thought I would have a nervous breakdown,” Christabelle says.

She too struggled to come to terms with the idea that her young son had to take medication and was distressed by the side effects. The first type of medication made Blake depressed.

The current medication makes him lose his appetite completely.

“HIS OPPOSITIONAL DEFIANT DISORDER MAKES HIM MORE IMPULSIVE AND HE DOES EXACTLY THE OPPOSITE OF THE INSTRUCTIONS HE IS GIVEN” “It is very challenging. We must stop this attitude that ADHD does not exist, or that the child is ‘mad’. It is not easy to give medication to children. With medication, he concentrates more and can focus better. He can sit and calm down,” Christabelle continues. “He is a very intelligent boy and he is very strong in Maths…

“But he gets blamed for everything at school. He is labelled because he has a loud voice; because he talks too much. He has a strong sense of fairness, and if a child takes his colouring pencils, he will retaliate, but he is the one who gets told off.

“I try to understand why he is behaving like that. I still discipline him and explain to him it is not right to retaliate. It hurts me when I see his friends pushing him aside. He is very caring, loving and likes to give hugs.

20 ∫ Pink November 2018

He also shares a lot while other children tend to be selfish, so when I see him feeling hurt, it’s like a dagger through my heart.”

Blake knows exactly what he has.

“He asked me why he takes medication and I have explained to him why and how it will help him. He understands me and I understand him. No one understands him the way I do.”

Christabelle insists teachers need to be better informed and prepared to handle children with ADHD and ODD. “They have no idea how to handle these children. There is a strong need for more awareness. Teachers, and other children, need to understand children like Blake; they need to see his positive side. Teachers need to explain this to other children.”

Christabelle is also concerned about his future. “Blake wants to be a lawyer

when he grows up,” she adds. “I feel for him. He won’t have an easy life, especially in future in the working world. I don’t make excuses for his behaviour just because he has ADHD. I still discipline him even though he will forget it. I want my son to grow up to be a man with strong values.

“Blake recently asked me: ‘Mummy, am I mad?” No, I told him. My son is not mad!”

ADHD Malta is a non-profit, non-governmental organisation, established to support, educate and embrace ADHDers and to advocate for the rights of people with ADHD. For more information, contact adhdmalta@gmail.com; or follow on Facebook @ADHDMalta.

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WOMENSWORLD

A GOOD SHEPHERD

Sometimes, the most obvious route through post-secondary education does not suit everyone, but that’s not to say there are no options. ADRIANA BISHOP meets Elaine Pavia, who has been chosen as Malta’s Ambassador for European Vocational Skills Week, to find out how career goals can still be achieved, via a different route, at any age.

“I

am terrified of university,” begins Elaine Pavia. “I have a huge fear of university,” she repeats, even though she has just enrolled to read for a master’s degree. It’s a surprising statement, coming from someone for whom no hurdle is insurmountable, no challenge too great, and for whom the word ‘cannot’ does not feature in her vocabulary.

At just 29, Elaine has already been head of services at the Good Shepherd

of dogged determination and a firm belief in the possibility of achieving one’s goals, no matter what.

And she has now been selected to spread her message of motivation and encouragement during European Vocational Skills Week to all those who are struggling to find their career path and may think that the standard academic route is not for them.

An initiative of the European Commission, European Vocational Skills Week takes place between

importance of vocational education and training [VET] and how it can open doors to future careers for young people as well as adults of all ages.

VET is often wrongly considered something of a second-rate option for young adults who have failed the standard academic route and are feeling lost while looking for an alternative career path.

However, the statistics for VET highlight how effective it is as a firstrate option with as many as 60 per cent

“VET IS OFTEN WRONGLY CONSIDERED SOMETHING OF A SECOND-RATE OPTION FOR YOUNG ADULTS WHO HAVE FAILED THE STANDARD ACADEMIC ROUTE AND ARE FEELING LOST WHILE LOOKING FOR AN ALTERNATIVE CAREER PATH” Sisters’ Dar Merhba Bik Foundation for the past three years, the youngest person ever to hold this position. Her route to the top has not been the easiest, or the most conventional, but it was the result

November 5 and 9 in Vienna in conjunction with activities in all EU member states, with the motto Discover Your Talent. The campaign aims to raise awareness of the

of VET graduates finding their first long-term job within a month of finishing their studies. This figure rises to a whopping 80 per cent after six months.

Pink November 2018 ∫ 23

WOMENSWORLD Elaine joins a distinguished group of VET ambassadors from across the EU, including several CEOs, entrepreneurs, high-flying executives, as well as the wife of the German President. But when she first received the letter announcing her selection, it took her a month to digest the news before revealing it to her nearest and dearest.

“I wondered if I was the ideal person to fulfil this role,” she confessed humbly.

“It’s not that I didn’t believe in myself, but I just wondered how people would judge me.” Given her natural inclination to help others succeed, she soon warmed up to her new role.

As we settle down in one of the meeting rooms at Dar Merhba Bik, where Elaine has been working in various capacities for the past 10 years, she explains how her irrational fear of university made her look at other ways to further her education.

Her original career choices were interior design, or hairdressing, but when she accidentally turned up late for an introductory meeting at the Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology [Mcast] with her father, the discussion had already turned to jobs in the caring profession. That was all Elaine needed to hear to make her mind up on her future career path.

At the tender age of 14, Elaine had already become a carer for her mother who was battling cancer, an experience that gave her a first taste of what would become her long-term career.

“I applied for a place at Mcast, but it was not easy. There were 100 applicants for 25 places,” explains Elaine. “We had to sit an aptitude test covering Maths, Maltese and English, and 50 were chosen. This was followed by one-toone interviews from which the final 25 candidates were chosen. I came first in the selection process. And so, the journey began.”

As she had no knowledge of biology, Elaine’s course started at foundation level and then progressed slowly through to a first diploma, followed by a national diploma and a placement in a specialised school for adults with autism and other disabilities in Lincolnshire as part of the EU’s Leonardo da Vinci programme.

However, while she was sailing through her studies, her family life took 24 ∫ Pink November 2018

a turn for the worse when her father was diagnosed with severe colon cancer. As she had done when her mother was battling cancer, Elaine once again rolled up her sleeves and took on the role of full-time carer to her father alongside her studies.

She was determined to be with him “all the way through the disease”, so the two-month stint in the UK was going to be a challenge for both father and daughter.

“I used to speak to him daily. I told him to take heart and to never give up,” says Elaine.

“I always consider life as a race. I left at the start line and I can see the finish, which is my milestone. Along the way, I might need to stop to catch my breath; sometimes, I can only jog, and other times, I am able to run faster. That is what keeps me going.”

Upon her return from Lincolnshire, Elaine continued her studies while working part time at Dar Merhba Bik and caring for her ailing father. He would never see her complete her studies as he died just months after she enrolled on a Higher National Diploma leading to her first degree in Health and Social Care Management.

Graduating was more than just a milestone for Elaine. It was the culmination of several years of hard work on all fronts, both at home, in the classroom and at the shelter – an emotional roller-coaster ride, which required deep reserves of tenacity and courage to see her through to the end.

“I am not a brilliant student,” confesses Elaine. “I sit through the lesson, but then I don’t have time to study afterwards. I am not interested in theories. I want to see tangible results.”

Now at the helm of one of Malta’s better-known shelters for women victims of domestic violence and their children, Elaine remains passionate about vocational studies as she feels they are “very close to what the industry wants”. With its wide spectrum of courses across nine different institutes, Mcast prepares adults to fulfil roles that form the backbone of society.

“The courses produce high-quality professionals because they offer apprenticeships and placements that prepare students for the real world

of work. And what’s more, they don’t look at the person’s age. Anyone is encouraged to follow a course, however old,” Elaine points out.

“We all have different abilities. And we have different abilities at different ages of our life,” she adds, recalling how a friend hesitated to apply for a course to become a kindergarten teacher because he was a man.

“He felt awkward because men don’t tend to go for that kind of course.

He thought he was not academically strong and that he was not capable enough. I helped him to apply for the course and start at foundation level.

Today, he is indeed a qualified kindergarten teacher.”

Elaine insists people need to feel empowered and should never give up without trying. “Trying is the key to success. Anyone can give it a go. Some may need to make more of an effort, but in any case, young adults should rope in their parents and family for support.

“There is still the misconception that attending Mcast instead of university is ‘a dishonour for the family’.”

Elaine points out that parents’ expectations and the stigma attached to vocational education can be ruinous to young adults.

WOMENSWORLD “Dar Merhba Bik has given me many personal rewards and satisfaction over the past decade. The children I have encountered here are especially important to me. I remember them all by name. I enjoy seeing them grow up and succeed in life. I miss those children with whom I have lost complete contact and don’t know what happened to them.

“I get huge satisfaction when I see women standing up on their own feet again. I remember that I am a daughter and that my parents gave me the best they could. These children are missing that, so I hope at Dar Merhba Bik we bridge the gap and give them the most we can while they are here.”

As Elaine continues to implement her road map for the shelter – just a few weeks ago, they inaugurated an olive grove to be used as a picnic area for the families there – she still has to conquer her fear of university as she embarks on a three-year, part-time master’s degree in Vocational Education [Health and Social Care].

“AT THE TENDER AGE OF 14, ELAINE HAD ALREADY BECOME A CARER FOR HER MOTHER WHO WAS BATTLING CANCER, AN EXPERIENCE THAT GAVE HER A FIRST TASTE OF WHAT WOULD BECOME HER LONG-TERM CAREER” “Society perceives those who go to university as bravi and those who go to Mcast as ‘second-class citizens’, which is not the case at all. We have to shift this misconception. Mcast offers a different platform to achieve one’s goals.

We have to appreciate every individual.

We are all part of a chain and a company needs people at all levels.”

But first of all, people have to show pride in their own jobs. “We often downgrade our job and others tend not to appreciate this kind of work.

Many think a job as a carer means ‘washing elderly people’. We need to be proud of our work and of who we are,” Elaine stresses.

Strong values and discipline are the key to success, according to Elaine, and she believes that children should be taught basic values from a young age.

“Values are being eroded, discipline is going downhill and children have no respect because they have no role models. During the summer holidays, children should attend a 15-day boot camp with soldiers to learn basic things

like ironing their own shirt and cleaning their shoes; in other words, how to behave properly. Standards have to be maintained. At Mcast, we used to wear a uniform and that helped us to learn to get used to certain ethics.”

Elaine admits she never thought she would achieve so much in such a short time. She was only 26 when she was offered the role as head of Dar Merhba Bik. “When I started this journey, I thought I would become a learning support assistant. Then new openings and opportunities came about. I got a five-week placement at Dar Merhba Bik, but by the third week, I was asked to stay on long term,” recalls Elaine.

Ten years later, the shelter has become more than just a job as she is on call 24/7.

“A couple of days before starting my new role as head of services, I envisaged the road map of where the shelter was at that point and how I wanted it to develop in future also based on my visits to other similar shelters abroad.

So, what is her strategy for success?

“I always dream big. I don’t just see a step; I see the whole race ahead of me, so then I can map out the way. I challenge myself. I always believed I’d make it, but I never expected it to be so quick.”

This academic year, Mcast is offering 200 different courses, including 24 new ones, and all are designed to cover subjects for which there are employment opportunities. For those who are still on the fence regarding their future career, Elaine stresses the importance of seeking information and help.

“I believe we are all good at something.

Seek out career guidance teachers, speak to them, ask questions rather than keeping quiet, thinking and wondering if you could do this or that,” she insists.

“Help is there; you just need to access it. And, as the Good Shepherd Sisters taught me, remember that every person is worth the world.”

For more information about Mcast and the courses on offer, visit www.mcast.edu.mt

Pink November 2018 ∫ 25

ARTYFACTS Giuliana Fenech, Stephanie Bonnici, Francesca Galea, Martina Zammit and Alessia Caruana.

LADIES WHO LAUNCH…

THE ARTS

As they prepare for this year’s edition of Malta’s popular international children’s arts festival, ŻiguŻajg, PINK speaks to five women working both behind the scenes and on stage to find out what it means to be a female in today’s arts world.

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ARTYFACTS the festival’s value for our cultural ecology. There is a sense of responsibility, ownership and belonging that is reflected in the diverse programme, the carefullycrafted customer experience, and the individuals who have continued to get involved, in one way or another, since the festival’s inception eight years ago.”

STEPHANIE BONNICI Stephanie is the festival coordinator for ŻiguŻajg, taking on the role almost a year ago as part of her work on the team of programme coordinators at Fondazzjoni Kreattività and following recent work experience at an arts education programme.

C

reative arts devised for children and young adults may, at first glance, seem like a niche market, but the ongoing popularity of ŻiguŻajg has proved otherwise.

This annual international event showcases professional arts tailor-made for children and young people, seeking out the finest in local initiatives and commissioning new work, to keep the national repertoire in this area steadily growing.

The festival is ground-breaking not just for channelling creative arts for the young, however. Every year, ŻiguŻajg is powered by women both within the experienced team working behind the scenes and by female artists featured throughout its diverse programme.

“At a time when the world is asking young adults to think critically about the decisions of past and current generations, we are in dire need of young people who are able to think and challenge that which is presented to them,” observes Stephanie.

“The arts provide an excellent platform, which encourages that [and a lot more]. What makes ŻiguŻajg outstanding this year is the diversity of initiatives on offer – from the immersive and non-verbal performances, to the interactive installations and the carefully curated shows for toddlers, to the vibrant parade in the streets – there’s really something for everyone to take in!”

MARTINA ZAMMIT Martina is the project coordinator for ŻfinMalta’s Play/Ground, an immersive dance experience that premieres on November 21 at Valletta Campus Theatre. She recently also took on the role of education and outreach officer for the National Dance Company.

For Martina, working in the arts isn’t about her gender; it’s about inspiring the creative potential of the young performers and audience in the case of ŻiguŻajg.

“Although I do not consider my gender within my work, women in the arts are vital because they are a part of life,” she notes. “Whatever their gender,

“WHILE I STRONGLY BELIEVE AND ADVOCATE FOR A ‘SKILL OVER GENDER’ APPROACH, I DO THINK THAT, ON A GLOBAL LEVEL, THE PRESENCE OF MORE WOMEN IN ROOMS WHERE DECISIONS ARE MADE IS ALWAYS NEEDED” Stephanie describes how the inherent diversity of ŻiguŻajg is also the philosophy of the festival team. “While I strongly believe and advocate for a ‘skill over gender’ approach, I do think that, on a global level, the presence of more women in rooms where decisions are made is always needed.

“Nevertheless, the festival’s core team has very visibly created an environment which allows all involved to understand

however, it is so important that children experience the arts, because it gives them the ability to unleash the creative dragon within. Children can teach us so much with their honesty, and it is by observing them in such moments that we reflect on our own lives.”

As she prepares Play/Ground, a dance piece devised by young people in which performers and audiences play in the adventurous world of a post-apocalyptic Pink November 2018 ∫ 29

ARTYFACTS fairy tale, Martina reflects on ŻiguŻajg’s ongoing popularity.

“It does so well year after year because of the vast and wonderful palette of works it showcases on the Maltese Islands. I have watched some of the most refreshing and innovative pieces within this festival, which have stuck with me through the years. There is a certain magical touch that allows me to leave the theatre feeling elated and inspired.”

“I have great admiration for the way in which Festival Director Daniel Azzopardi and his team bring together international hits and local commissions; work that is comforting alongside work that is provocative; beautiful venues and minimal ticket prices. This allows ŻiguŻajg to engage new audiences while enabling those who attend regularly to grow alongside the festival.”

this difference, which is sometimes also brought out in the creative field, can be beautiful.

“It’s important that women are also represented in the arts in order to cover the full spectrum of real-life experiences transcended into artistic creations.”

ALESSIA CARUANA FRANCESCA GALEA GIULIANA FENECH Giuliana is a researcher and practitioner in multimedia storytelling and literature, and leads Malta’s storytelling platform Lignin Stories. She is also the creator of Maltese fairy tale Sansuna and the Carob Tree, which will be performed as part of ŻiguŻajg from November 16 to 25.

“It is important that people of all genders, races, ethnicities and abilities are represented in the arts, because they are a powerful platform that enable us to live many lives through the stories that we witness,” states Giuliana.

“I enjoy creating stories with strong female characters that children can look up to, especially presenting young girls with empowering mentors. The arts invite children to experience life through many journeys, even those they are unlikely to live themselves. This allows them to nurture compassion and empathy towards others.”

Giuliana also feels privileged to be a part of ŻiguŻajg’s legacy of daring, diverse and socially-aware programming. “A huge amount of work and dedication has been poured into making this a far-reaching festival, which is truly in touch with the needs of our society and responds to it sensitively by creating a diverse and exciting programme.

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Francesca is a musician and leader of popular musical group Perkuss’hawn Maracatu. She is also project manager for Barra bid-Daqq, a collaboration between Perkuss’hawn Maracatu and KażinSka, which includes street performances through Valletta and complementary workshops in schools, taking place as part of ŻiguŻajg.

The chance to inspire the creativity of childhood is one of the most exciting aspects of participating in ŻiguŻajg for Francesca. “It brings out the child in me – which I often have to suppress!” she smiles.

“Art is an enjoyable way of experiencing the world and perceiving it, so it makes sense that children start learning to see the world through art from a young age. It also helps plant inspiration in these little humans and, hopefully, entice them to follow suit and try their hands at art.”

Francesca also feels that while the arts should champion gender equality, they should also celebrate the many differences between men and women.

“I strongly believe that everyone has their personal strengths and weaknesses, based on personality and not necessarily gender. I do, however, acknowledge that men and women are different and that

Alessia is executive administrator for Teatru Malta, which is collaborating with ŻiguŻajg on the Preca Project along with San Ġorġ Preca College in Hamrun.

Being a woman in the arts brings a certain set of responsibilities, according to Alessia. “Even in this day and age, full of supposed gender equality, women must still fight to be heard or treated as equal, constantly reminding that we are more than our gender or appearance.

“I’m fortunate enough to work in an office where gender doesn’t factor into my day-to-day life, because equality isn’t an after-thought here; it’s something achieved through hard work and results.”

The opportunity to work with and inspire young children is also something Alessia truly loves about ŻiguŻajg, particularly as she was the festival’s assistant coordinator in 2015.

“Children are our future, and there’s no better way for them to grow and expand their imagination than through the arts. ŻiguŻajg is practically the only festival in Malta that caters to young audiences. There’s a thirst for activities of this nature, because there’s a need for quality material for young people.

“If anything, ŻiguŻajg should serve to inspire not just our children, but also local theatre-makers, to do more and create more opportunities for young audiences to engage with the arts.”

LIFESTYLE

I’M STILL PLAYING LARA SIERRA talks to Sylvia Gambino, a professional basketball player who was diagnosed with a life-altering disease and told she would never play again. But instead of watching her life ambitions shatter from the bench, against all odds, she is still killing it on the court, with a will of steel and a fighting-fit mental attitude.

T

he Box Gym is a self-healing haven amid the revelry of Paceville. It’s a free, open space, with motivational quotes scrawled on the chalkboard walls and cross-fit equipment in the green outdoor area. While Paceville reeks of excess, debauchery and indulgence, The Box exudes tenacity, grit and sheer determination.

“The doctor told me to forget ever playing basketball again. I was too sick to play. ‘Forget basketball?’ I thought.

‘Forget you!’”

Sylvia Gambino is a professional basketball player from Sicily, who has lived in Malta for the last four years, injecting raw talent into the renowned Hibs team. Yet while battling it out on the court, she has also, unbeknown to many, been facing a much more painful battle at home.

“It started a couple of years ago, the year ‘foreigners’ were banned from playing basketball, and I had had to switch to rugby instead. I started to find that my hands would just swell up in pain. It became so bad that I couldn’t get dressed or brush my teeth. My feet began to do the same and, sometimes, the pain would get so bad that I couldn’t get out of bed for the whole day. I had no idea what was going on. Eventually, someone suggested I might have rheumatoid arthritis.”

As luck would have it – if you can call it luck – Sylvia’s mother works in a hospital in Catania, and her job is related to rheumatology. So, she went home for a visit.

“I did all sorts of tests at the hospital. The results were negative for the rheumatoid factor, but on the ultrasound, the inflammation in my joints was visible, so it was clear it was arthritis of some kind. I was told it came about from stress,” Sylvia explains in her gentle, accented, but impeccable English.

32 ∫ Pink November 2018

“In my family, there is a history of stress-induced psoriasis and the doctors believe this is how I developed arthritis – through stress. But it was difficult to try and work out what that stress could have been. That year was the first time since I was six years old that I hadn’t been able to play basketball, so I thought it was perhaps that.

“At the same time, I also thought it might have been connected to moving to Malta and not being able to speak a word of English. In Sicily, I was always chatting with everybody around me, but here, I felt very limited. I couldn’t speak to anyone and then I couldn’t play. The stress was probably a combination of these two.”

LIFESTYLE

“THE DOCTOR TOLD ME TO FORGET EVER PLAYING BASKETBALL AGAIN. I WAS TOO SICK TO PLAY. ‘FORGET BASKETBALL?’ I THOUGHT. ‘FORGET YOU!” Moving to Malta was a decision that did not come lightly. Sylvia had, in fact, previously turned down many opportunities to move internationally with her sport. It took a combination of the right time and the right person to finally persuade her.

“It’s her fault I’m here,” she grins affectionately in the direction of her partner, owner of The Box Gym, Chris.

“We met when she got a contract to play basketball in Sicily. I hadn’t moved before because I didn’t want to leave

my family and friends, or my grandmother, who I used to have lunch with every day. But when she died, I decided I could be a bit freer.

“After Chris and I met, I agreed to come and stay with her for a summer. At the end of it, I got a contract to play with Hibs so I stayed on.

“The year after that was when I had to switch to rugby because of the foreigner rule, and that same year, we opened this gym together. Fortunately, it only took a Pink November 2018 ∫ 33

year for the rules to change again, so I could switch back to basketball. But after my diagnosis, it meant I couldn’t start playing again straightaway.”

Sylvia sighs and stretches out her neck, rubs her wrists with each hand, but does not want to pause the interview.

Determined to keep going, she stands up and we pace up and down the gym as we talk.

“Although they couldn’t say exactly what it was at this point, they knew it was an autoimmune disease,” she explains. “Your body wants to fight because it thinks there is an infection, so it tries to find something to cure, which creates problems. I started taking a heavy variety of steroids to reduce the swelling in my joints and was told I had to take a chemotherapy injection once a week to stop my autoimmune system working.

“That’s when the doctor said: ‘I don’t know if you can play basketball anymore; you can only swim.’ For me, that was a disaster. Dis-as-ter!” For someone who talks quite placidly about her life-changing disease, it’s worth taking that last statement seriously.

“That same year, I was also an assistant coach for the under-16 boys of the national team. They were great and I am an active coach, so I wanted to give them my all. But every time I passed the ball, it hurt. Then Hibs said they wanted me to play as their ‘foreigner’ once the rules had changed again, so I thought: ‘How can I stop playing?’ I had these boys to look after and my team to play with.

“Then suddenly, the injections started to work, so I thought, alright, I’ll start to swim and see what happens.

I’ll see if I can work my way back to basketball. I went to the pool and the sea and I just swam and swam and swam.

“Swimming helped me feel better, and because I lost all of my muscle since I had stopped playing, it helped to bring everything back. I took baby steps and read a lot to make sure I didn’t cause any damage. I did a few squats, using tiny dumbbells, and did exercise in the water as it puts less pressure on the joints.

“This was in September last year. I told Hibs that maybe I could try playing again in January. Even though my doctor in Malta kept telling me I couldn’t play basketball, I knew that I could. I knew I was getting strong enough.”

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Photography: Domenic Aquilina

LIFESTYLE

When Sylvia heard there was a rheumatology conference in Sicily, she wanted to attend and told my mother she was coming for another visit.

And what happened next can only be described as the first glimpse of light at the start of a very long tunnel.

“At the conference, I spoke to one of the doctors who works with many athletes and asked him if he thought I

LIFESTYLE could ever play again. He said: ‘You know best. You have to feel your body. If you feel good, go for it. If you feel pain, then pause.’

“So, I came back to Malta and I really started to listen to what my body was saying. I carefully started to train more, and I went back to Sicily every month to do my blood tests and exams. I only allowed myself to play 20 minutes at a time, but in my first game back – funnily enough against Chris’s team, Athleta – I ended up playing 50 minutes nonstop. I was very tired afterwards and scared of what would happen, but I was alright.”

“Then in January, I started to play more… And we won,” Sylvia laughs, the grin spreading right across her face, removing any hint of the pain she is in.

“We had played three games in one week. I decided to go out that evening to celebrate; I hadn’t drunk alcohol in so long, but I just wanted to celebrate with my teammates. Of course, after that, I had a really bad week,” Sylvia laughs.

“I had taken a lot of anti-inflammatories just to be able to play, but once I felt better, I started to reduce my medicine again. I started to introduce more food like rice and eggs.

“DEPRESSION IS A BY-PRODUCT OF LUPUS AS IT IS LINKED TO INFLAMMATION, SO EXERCISE IS KEY TO COMBATTING THAT. DEPRESSION IS EVERYWHERE ONLINE; IT SPREADS. I POSTED ABOUT THE DIET THAT HELPED ME. I WANTED TO TELL OTHER SUFFERERS HOW IT HAD HELPED, BUT THEY TOLD ME I WASN’T SICK ENOUGH” Sylvia grins as she chats excitedly about that game and the thrill of being able to play again. But then, in the way that life can take the wind out of your sails just as you have pulled yourself back up, things took another turn for the worse.

“With my weekly injection, I’m really sensitive to infections as it stops my immune system. But in March last year, I had been feeling so good that I started having the injection only every two weeks. I went for a coaching course in Montenegro, and when I came back, I felt really bad, so my doctor called me to Sicily to do several tests to see if I had caught an infection.”

All the results came back negative, but Sylvia was getting worse. “I had a fever for a full month and no one knew what was going on. By the time September came around, I was still so unwell that I couldn’t play. I couldn’t even stand straight. My knees would get stuck and I felt so stiff.

“The results of my blood tests kept changing until my doctor said my disease must have changed again. Finally, after months, it was diagnosed as lupus.

“The disease had been dormant for years,” Sylvia explains.

“It couldn’t be diagnosed until I had this explosion. You normally have a flare-up on the skin of the face as it is an inflammation of the connective tissues. In my case, it attacks all my organs, kidney, liver, heart…

“My kidneys were attacked badly, so now, I am careful not to eat too much protein, which could weaken them again. The fever had never completely gone away, so I was given a high dose of steroids and the weekly injection again. My liver began suffering with all this medication, which is taking its toll.

So, Sylvia decided to start reading about whether she could make changes to her diet. “My research suggested I should go for a strict paleo diet, so no grains whatsoever, and not even coffee because the beans are technically grains.

“I did my blood test after this very strict diet, and in three weeks, my inflammation had almost halved. I felt so much better, I started to train and told Hibs I might re-start playing in January. I started training here, in this gym, which is my safe place.

“Once again, I began with baby steps. I slowly started playing on court with the ball, and if I couldn’t train, I would just watch. In November, I started to play. My coach made sure I’d stop and take breaks; I started to play for five minutes at a stretch. This was amazing as it let me build up slowly.

When my inflammation is very bad, food makes it worse.

I tried a coffee when I was bad, for example, but within 20 minutes, I was so swollen. At the moment, I can have a bit every now and then. I still can’t have gluten or dairy, although I try a little bit every so often.

“After we played all those games and won, I decided this would be my last year playing basketball as I need to take care of my body. But I don’t know what I will do. I love it!”

Chris steps in. “The goal is different now,” she says, watching as Sylvia tries to straighten out her stiff joints. “It’s not for her to be as strong as she can, but to live as healthily as possible.”

“Whenever I have my injection, I feel so nauseous and dizzy the next day, so I always have to check myself. I’ve joined some of the online groups and forums for this disease, but they’re so depressing. Depression is a by-product of lupus as it is linked to inflammation, so exercise is key to combatting that. Depression is everywhere online; it spreads.

I posted about the diet that helped me. I wanted to tell other sufferers how it had helped, but they told me I wasn’t sick enough. They only post negative things there.

“I’m constantly striving to find that right balance now.

I’m not giving up!”

At the beginning, Sylvia thought: “Why me? Why someone whose life revolves around being active? But then I thought, if I weren’t active, I may have been bedridden.

“Sport helped me, as did the sporting attitude. I call my family when I’ve played badly, or we’ve lost, and I tell them I want to be the best! But they remind me: ‘Sylvia, you played.

Be happy that you played.’”

INFLAMMATION AND DEPRESSION Recent studies have shown that high levels of inflammation in the body are linked to depression. Why is this relevant?

Because it suggests there may be different ways that depression can be treated in the future. Lifestyle medication such as diet, exercise, mindfulness and meditation are all being tested in a number of ongoing studies. The Inflamed Mind: A Radical New Approach to Depression by Cambridge Professor Edward Bullmore is a game-changing book about the links between our mind and our bodies.

Pink November 2018 ∫ 35

WOMANKIND

The king’s mistress Madame de Pompadour was not just a beautiful woman; she was also a woman of culture, style and good taste. MARY GALEA DEBONO talks about her role as mistress – and more – to King Louis XV. Theirs was a ménage à trois - the king, the mistress and the art.

T

he 18th-century French artist François Boucher made several portraits of Madame de Pompadour; one of them, the largest and perhaps the most significant for the history of art, is now at the Alte Pinakothek in Munich.

In this painting, she is portrayed sitting on a divan in her boudoir, wearing an elaborate dress of shimmering green satin, decorated with scores of pink roses on the skirt and matching pink bows on her bodice, sleeves and round her neck.

Pink satin shoes peep out from under the ample folds of her skirt. She reclines elegantly on the divan, with her left arm resting on cushions, but in her right hand, she holds an open book lying idly on her lap.

Madame de Pompadour has been reading, but she has taken a break from her book to gaze contentedly at an object that is out of sight for the onlooker. It is the reflection in a mirror placed behind her that reveals that what she is serenely contemplating are her many books. Strewn on the floor, there are maps, manuscripts and more books, while next to her divan is a writing table with paper, seal and an inkpot with the writing quill still in it – she has also been busy writing.

Madame de Pompadour was King Louis XV’s mistress, but when Boucher painted this decorative and

Madame de Pompadour by François Boucher, 1756.

fanciful portrait in 1756, he was careful to avoid any sexual innuendoes. That year, the king had made her his wife’s lady-in-waiting, which was the most prestigious position for a woman in his court, but it was also clear to everyone that their relationship had become purely platonic.

culture, style and good taste.

When she died, she left 3,525 books, which were sold in an auction sale the catalogue for which affords us a glimpse into the range of her varied interests.

During her lifetime, thanks to the unlimited financial support from the

“WHEN SHE DIED, SHE LEFT 3,525 BOOKS, WHICH WERE SOLD IN AN AUCTION SALE THE CATALOGUE FOR WHICH AFFORDS US A GLIMPSE INTO THE RANGE OF HER VARIED INTERESTS” The message that the artist wanted to send is simple: Madame de Pompadour is not just a beautiful woman; she is also a woman of

king, she could indulge in her favourite passion – building and acquiring houses, which she then filled with beautiful furniture, paintings, Pink November 2018 ∫ 39

WOMANKIND “SHE WAS A GIFTED STUDENT, WHO COULD RECITE WHOLE PLAYS BY HEART AND WRITE ELEGANT PROSE. BUT FOR 18TH-CENTURY FRENCH SOCIETY, THIS IN NO WAY ALTERED HER STATUS; A BOURGEOISE SHE WAS BORN AND A BOURGEOISE SHE REMAINED” tapestries, statues, silver and porcelain.

In the gardens, she planted exotic trees, built wooden pavilions and erected aviaries for tropical birds. It took eight years to auction all her accumulated possessions, which could have filled several museums.

The king’s mistress was not just a perfectionist; she was a talented woman; a very good amateur actress and a gifted singer. The king shared her passion for beautiful things; one of her legacies was the setting up of the Sèvres porcelain factory. Theirs was a relationship à trois – the king, the mistress and art.

Madame de Pompadour’s background was decidedly bourgeois. Her real name was Jeanne-Antoinette Poisson. Her father was a steward to the four Pâris brothers, who, with their immense wealth as bankers and suppliers of the army, practically ruled the French economy.

Her mother was a renowned beauty, which led to rumours that JeanneAntoinette’s father was not M. Poisson.

When the latter fled from Paris to avoid arrest, it was M. Tournehem, a rich family friend, who undertook to educate JeanneAntoinette and her brother Abel.

Mlle Poisson was a gifted student, who could recite whole plays by heart and write elegant prose. But for 18th-century French society, this in no way altered her status; a bourgeoise she was born and a bourgeoise she remained. In 1741, the family’s benefactor arranged a marriage between her and his nephew, Charles le Normant d’Etoiles. Their daughter Alexandrine was born in 1744.

Mme d’Etoiles’ vocation was to have a salon, where she could invite the intellectuals of the moment, the philosophes, whose aim was to compile an encyclopedia of human knowledge.

Among these was Voltaire, with whom she cultivated a close and lasting friendship.

The Château d’Etoiles, where they lived, was in the forest of Sénart, where the king often went hunting when he was residing at Versailles. On such occasions, as a neighbour, Mme d’Etoiles had permission to follow the king and his entourage in her own carriage. As a bourgeoise, she was, however, precluded 40 ∫ Pink November 2018

Madame de Pompadour as Diana the Huntress.

from being introduced to him. But in 1745, on the occasion of the wedding of the king’s son, several splendid fêtes were organised to celebrate it and it was during one of these balls that the opportunity to meet him personally presented itself.

Nancy Mitford, in her biography of Madame de Pompadour, narrates how this presentation took place. The culmination of these festivities was two masked balls to be held one in the palace of Versailles and the other at the Hôtel de Ville in Paris. At the preliminary balls that preceded these two grand occasions, it had not escaped the attention of the public, ever hungry for any morsel of gossip, that the king always danced with the same person, rumoured to be Mme d’Etoiles.

For the masked ball at Versailles, where food and drink were free, and the staterooms were open to everyone provided that they were properly dressed, the king dressed as a yew tree and Mme d’Etoiles as the goddess Diana. It was at this ball that they made a rendez-vous for the ball at the Hôtel de Ville in Paris, where attendance was by invitation.

But things went wrong with the organisation, and the king decided to leave. He accompanied her home before making his way back to Versailles – a decision that provided great enjoyment for those who saw them leave together, their conclusion reinforced by the fact that Mme d’Etoiles’ carriage was

thereafter often seen at the palace of Versailles.

A convenient pretext was duly found for sending M. d’Etoiles to Provence; when he returned home, he was informed about his altered marital situation. The husband implored his wife to return to him, but it was too late; Mme d’Etoiles had been installed as the titular mistress of the king and had already been given an apartment in Versailles, where many courtiers resided. Although the d’Etoiles and Poisson families remained on cordial terms, M. d’Etoiles never again spoke to his wife after their break-up.

The court followed the development of this new relationship with more than usual interest. It was not just a matter of gossip. French society was then at a crossroads. Apart from the fact that a French king had never dared bring a bourgeoise to Versailles, the courtiers resented her presence in their midst, constantly reminding them of a class that seemed set on accumulating more wealth and power while they were inexorably losing theirs.

The French court was ruled by innumerable codes of behaviour, which cannot be described as anything other than silly and ridiculous. Only a person brought up in this background could hope to master the many customs that ruled every single action of a courtier’s daily life. All eyes were, therefore, on the new mistress of the king, expecting her at any moment to make a faux pas.

But Mme d’Etoiles was cleverer than the courtiers had bargained for. During the four months of the War of the Austrian Succession, when King Louis was unavoidably absent from Versailles, Mme d’Etoiles learnt all there was to learn about court etiquette and King Louis, pleased with his beautiful, fun-loving and intelligent companion, not only wrote to her every day, but in one of his letters, she found enclosed the title deeds that made her Marquise de Pompadour.

Anyone who had dared continue to hope that the king would tire of his mistress unwillingly admitted that she was there to stay. With a role which brought material benefits to both family and friends, they reluctantly had to accept that

the marquise was a force to be reckoned with and a real power behind the throne.

It was not just the courtiers who were antagonistic to Madame de Pompadour and everything that she stood for. Among her implacable enemies were some of the closest collaborators of the king, such as the Duc de Richelieu and the king’s own children, whom he Madame de Pompadour at her Tambour Frame by François-Hubert Drouais, 1763-4. adored, but who were forever trying to steer their father away from his mistress also for religious reasons.

Even the public, especially in Paris, was against her and sought to harass her in every possible way, blaming her extravagant lifestyle for the taxes imposed on them. She received much ‘bad press’ in the form of poems and epigrams – poissonades – circulated solely to ridicule her. But no one managed to unseat her; in this tug of war, the king always took his mistress’s side.

It is to her credit that Madame de Pompadour did her best not to antagonise her opponents; she sought to be civil and conciliatory with everyone. The astuteness with which she managed her position can best be seen in her conduct towards Queen Leczinska, a rather dowdy and boring woman, “impervious to fashion and charm”.

At the ceremony of presentation at court, she showed a determination to please her totally unlike the previous mistresses, who had sought to humiliate her whenever the chance arose. “If there has to be a mistress,” said the queen, “better this one than any other.”

The marquise had always been a rather cold woman, and when she developed a condition that made sexual relationships impossible, the physical aspect of her rapport with the king naturally suffered. She also lost her looks, and her health, which had never been robust, deteriorated. But none of this affected her power over the king, or in any way undermined her ascendency over the courtiers.

The king visited brothels, meeting young lower-class girls, who had no idea who their lover was, and he continued to go hunting, but he spent the rest of the day with the marquise, whose new bedroom still had a secret staircase to his.

“Born sincere, she loved the king for himself,” wrote Voltaire.

She became indispensable in other ways; not only as a companion but also as his private secretary on whom he could totally rely. This was clear during the difficult period of the Seven Years’ War, when in her role of advisor, she proved to be his staunchest political supporter.

When it became clear that she was dying, the king brought her from her house in Choisy to the palace of Versailles, and until her death, he rarely left her room. Madame de Pompadour was only 42 when she died in 1764. She was buried in a small church in the Place Vendôme – now no longer there – near her daughter, who had died when she was 10.

SHOWSTOPPER

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ONFORM Hands-on sisters: Gus and Annabel Grima.

HEALING THE NATURAL WAY RACHEL ZAMMIT CUTAJAR finds we seem to be taking medication for absolutely everything these days… And despite a society that Gus Grima believes is overmedicated, chronic illness seems to prevail. Together with her sister Annabel, they are spreading the knowledge of the therapeutic benefits of essential oils, not as an alternative to modern medicine, but as a complement, as well as a support to overall health.

S

tepping through the door of Gus and Annabel Grima’s parents’ house in Gharghur, where the essential oils class is to be held, you are instantly hit with fresh aromas of peppermint, lavender and wild orange [there were probably many more, but these were the ones I seemed to notice].

They come from a diffuser, gently releasing aromas from doTERRA essential oils that Gus is going to be talking about today.

The use of essential oils for their therapeutic benefits has become quite the trend, with many people looking for an escape from excess chemicals in their everyday life, whether it be in their medicine cabinet, skin care regime, or even their cleaning cupboards.

This is where Gus corrects me. The use of essential oils is more of a return to tradition, rather than a new way of living; before modern medicine, people used plants and their extracts to treat illnesses and promote health.

WHERE IT BEGAN Gus, born in Malta though based in London since her 18th birthday, worked in advertising before she had a family. After her children came along, she retrained as a functional nutritionist – something that was more in line with the way she was feeling at the time.

Every parent feels a little frustrated when their children are going through that phase when their immune systems are being tested Pink November 2018 ∫ 51

ONFORM and are consequently picking up every cold and virus that spread so quickly around schools.

“I was tired of only having Calpol and a visit to the doctor, which usually only meant more medication, in my artillery against those colds and flus. I was sure there was a better way to fight this.”

When an adult feels a little under the weather, there are a number of foods that Gus recommends, like ginger, herbs and garlic, however it is not easy to persuade a three-year-old to drink a potent ginger tea.

“I remembered one of my university lecturers coming into the classroom and spraying essential oils around the room to keep everyone awake during that 3pm slump. I remembered being surprised at how effective this was at uplifting the mood and energy in the room.

“On further enquiry, I discovered that my lecturer was using doTERRA essential oils, which she highly recommended for their therapeutic benefits, and I thought maybe this could be something that could help my family make it through the winters with fewer trips to the doctor.”

THE BARE ESSENTIALS As a nutritionist, Gus has always been conscious of ingredients that are put into anything she uses, and in her search for essential oils, this was no different.

“There are many brands of essential oils out there and, as with everything else, they vary in quality. If you’re looking to freshen up a room, any brand will do, but be aware you will be bringing toxins into your home environment by using ‘scented’ products.

“If you want to take advantage of the therapeutic benefits of the oil, you need to make sure they are pure. While many brands use carrier oils, doTERRA only uses the neat essential oil that is cold pressed, or steam distilled, and while oils at this potency sometimes need to be diluted, it is better for you to dilute them yourself so that you can adjust the potency as desired.”

Not long after selecting the right brand, she bought herself a starter kit and used it on the kids for colds, cuts, scrapes and any other minor ailments.

“I was so surprised at how well they 52 ∫ Pink November 2018

worked. I bought one diffuser that the whole family fought over, so I got another one, and that still wasn’t enough. Now we have one in every bedroom and another in the living room that we use on a daily basis.

“We use oils for different times of day. Peppermint oil has uplifting qualities, so we put a few drops of that with a few drops of lemon oil into the diffuser when we’re getting up and ready for school in the morning.

NOT ANTI MODERN MEDICINE Gus emphasises that she is not against modern medicine, especially when serious illness is involved. However, essential oils can be used alongside regular treatment and this has been well documented in scientific research.

The Royal Marsden Hospital, a world leader in cancer research, based in London, organises short courses that explore how essential oils can

“OVERALL, THE ESSENTIAL OILS, ALONG WITH A BETTER DIET, EXERCISE AND SLEEP REGIME HAVE HELPED ME BALANCE MY LIFE FROM A PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL AND SPIRITUAL PERSPECTIVE” “In the evening, there’s lavender to soothe the system and promote relaxation. We use oils to boost the immune system and to promote digestive health.”

Not long after she was convinced about the therapeutic benefits of essential oils, she had passed on this information to her family, and now Annabel and their parents are firm advocates of essential oils, even using it on their dog when she was sick.

Annabel had a health scare two years ago and, looking for more natural solutions, turned to her sister for help on a more functional basis. Gus put her on a six-month protocol of healthy food intake, exercise and elimination of all the nasties [coffee, sugar and wheat, to mention a few]. She also insisted Annabel bought a doTERRA starter kit.

“As soon as my kit arrived, I started to delve into the world of essential oils, learning more about them and experimenting. I felt an overall change immediately. The cysts I had developed were healing faster and regrowth had stopped. Healing of cuts and burns was faster as was recovery from colds and flus.

“My digestion changed completely; my metabolism is faster; I’m no longer bloated; and my gut feels happier, which, in turn, boosts energy levels.

They work well as an aid to sleep as well as managing stress and anxiety.

“Overall, the essential oils, along with a better diet, exercise and sleep regime have helped me balance my life from a physical, emotional and spiritual perspective,” Annabel says.

support mood, cognition, behaviour and coping strategies at varying stages of the cancer journey.

Gus reiterates this same sentiment: “I would never recommend that anyone who, let’s say, requires surgery avoids it if it is absolutely necessary. However, the use of essential oils before surgery could calm anxiety and post-operative use could help speed up healing.

“The beauty with the oils is that you are empowered within your home to provide proactive, preventative health care, which is much better than waiting until you get sick and reaching for over-the-counter medications.

“Modern medicine has improved our ability to deal with infectious disease and with acute/emergency situations. However, there is a rise in chronic illness – diabetes, obesity, asthma, cardiovascular and autoimmune disease – that is not being addressed by drugs.”

There are also a number of “discomforts” that doctors dismiss because blood tests and any other tests come out normal.

“In my line of work, I meet many people, more often women, who start to notice health problems, especially after they have children. Visits to the doctor render no diagnosis, so they start looking elsewhere for answers.”

Lifestyle medicines, mainly nutrition and gut health, stress management, proper movement, adequate sleep and reduction of toxins in the body as well as the environment are starting to gain more traction even in the medical world.

ONFORM Dr Terry Wahls, a clinical professor of medicine at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, was diagnosed with relapsing remittent multiple sclerosis and bound to a wheelchair for four years. She reversed some of the effects of the disease using a paleo diet along with other lifestyle changes and has developed protocols that will help with any autoimmune disease.

“The everyday use of essential oils will not treat any one condition, but what it does is give the body the support to do the job that it should be doing naturally. Ultimately, it is providing the tools to help support a system that is failing for some reason or other.”

HOW TO USE THEM Essential oils can be used in three different ways: aromatically, topically, or internally [the latter only applies to doTERRA oils that have been tested

for safe ingestion by the FDA and the FSA].

Simply inhaling the oils through a diffuser placed in the room affects the olfactory nerve that has a direct link to the part of the brain connected to emotions, memory and even the production of chemicals in the brain, such as neurotransmitters and hormones, thus affecting mood and even decision making.

“Something simple like having the right oils in the diffuser means you are happier and much more likely to make better decisions regarding what you want to eat, whether to move your body or not and even how you react to your partner or children,” Gus maintains.

Placing the oil on your skin may be helpful in relieving pain, soothing sunburn, or acute burns and even healing pimples – when using the oils like this, they must always be diluted by a carrier/base oil like jojoba or fractionated coconut oil.

When using essential oils internally, it is important to make sure that the quality of the oil is guaranteed. Many essential oils carry a warning that they are not to be used internally, though doTERRA’s oils are perfectly safe.

“Adding a drop of lemon oil to your water provides a lovely flavour, as well as creating a gentle cleansing and purifying action in the body,” Gus advises.

Though you may already use lemon in your own water, the difference between using essential oils over the real fruit lies in the potency. Around 45 lemons are used to extract enough oil to fill one 15ml bottle.

Gus shows us how the oils work perfectly as flavouring by passing around some raw chocolate bites, flavoured with wild orange essential oil. However, she warns, heating the food – as with baking – removes the therapeutic benefits of the oil, though still provides great flavour.

Pink November 2018 ∫ 53

ONFORM

“TRY OREGANO AS NATURE’S ANTIBIOTIC WHEN YOU’RE STARTING TO FEEL UNWELL” SPOILT FOR CHOICE DoTERRA have a range of 88 different essential oils and blends, many of which are used for different purposes, though some may overlap in their therapeutic benefits. Peppermint oil is good for respiration and opens up the airways so it is beneficial whenever these are blocked like they would be when you have a cold.

“I have had an asthmatic client who worked closely with her doctor and started using essential oils alongside her medical treatment.

Over time, she was able to reduce the medicine she required as a result of work with oils and changes to her diet,” Gus states.

The menthol chemistry in peppermint oil also makes it a good pain reliever and it can also be used for motion sickness.

Lavender oil is emotionally calming and aids restful sleep while also being good for the skin for sunburns and acute kitchen burns. Frankincense helps reduce inflammation and aids cell integrity so is useful for chronic illness and general cellular health and anti-ageing.

Melaleuca, better known as tea tree, is a natural antiseptic and is useful in skin infections, including fungus, warts and even athlete’s foot. Try oregano as 54 ∫ Pink November 2018

nature’s antibiotic when you’re starting to feel unwell.

DoTERRA also makes blends of oils for specific purposes. On Guard boosts the immune system and contains cinnamon, cloves, rosemary, eucalyptus and wild orange. Breathe helps the respiratory system, is great for colds, can stop snoring and can reduce panic attacks and anxiety.

MADE TO MEASURE Both Gus and Annabel use doTERRA oils to make their own skin care products like moisturisers, facial masks and scrubs.

Annabel avoids using commercial deodorants, which, she says, are full of chemicals that clog the pores. “I use a blend of eight drops each of patchouli and melaleuca in a glass deodorant bottle, diluted with doTERRA’s fractionated coconut oil [base oil] and voilà! You’ve got your own homemade deo,” she explains.

LESSONS IN LOVE Because of the increased interest in essential oils, Annabel and Gus have created classes that are held throughout the year to help people

understand how the oils work and what to use them for, from beginner classes, like the one I attended, to more advanced levels.

These are just a handful of oils – and yet, understanding what each of them does and what works for you can seem like a daunting task. However, Gus is encouraging.

“You start with learning a little bit about the oils, like in an introductory class, and get yourself a starter kit.

From then on, it’s just a question of experimenting and trying out things that suit you and your family. If all else fails, go for what smells good and be aware of how it affects your body.”

Gus provides ongoing support and education to anyone getting started, with the course both in person and online via a private Facebook community.

Confused about which oil to use for which ailment and in what quantities? Gus and Annabel organise regular classes on how to use doTERRA essential oils both in the UK and in Malta. For more information, visit Gus’ Facebook page www.facebook.com/bemarvellous; Instagram bemarvellous_gusgrima’ or send an e-mail gus@bemarvellous.co.uk

INTHEPINK

A HOLISTIC EXPERIENCE IN HEALTHCARE Emma Bondin Beck’s passion for healthcare is infectious, spreading to the setting up of her own clinic that is inspired by her late midwife mother’s dream and looks forward to offering a holistic, advanced and nurturing medical experience for patients.

RACHEL ZAMMIT CUTAJAR is the first to feel the warmth.

W

hen Emma Bondin Beck walks into the room, her radiant smile and large personality fill the air with a lighter feel.

She makes you feel instantly relaxed and ready to tell her everything.

This is a good trait for a psychotherapist, but she is also taking it a step beyond with the opening of her own Sweet Valley Family Clinic.

A qualified midwife in her final year of reading a master’s in psychotherapy at the Gestalt Psychotherapy Training Institute Malta, Emma is fulfilling a childhood dream of becoming both a midwife and a psychotherapist.

“There are so many ways in which my mother is present in the clinic. We decided to call it Sweet Valley as a subtle way of naming it after her. When we were children and passing through the valley in San Gwann, she used to sing a song to us, and though neither me nor my sisters remember it, we all remember the lyrics ‘down on the sweet valley’, so we decided that was an apt name for the clinic.”

Located in Balzan, near St Aloysuis College, it is just a few roads away from where Emma’s family used to live, “making us feel, again, like it is a part of her”.

In the first year of her midwifery course, Emma announced that she wanted to be a bereavement

“IN THE FIRST YEAR OF HER MIDWIFERY COURSE, EMMA ANNOUNCED THAT SHE WANTED TO BE A BEREAVEMENT MIDWIFE, A SPECIALIST IN DEALING WITH MISCARRIAGES AND STILLBIRTHS” Emma’s interest in healthcare is likely to have stemmed from her mother, Miriam [pictured right], who was also a midwife. Despite having lost her to breast cancer at the age of nine, Emma’s passion for healthcare still burned brightly, and while she was both studying and setting up Sweet Valley, she came to understand that this was also her mother’s dream.

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midwife, a specialist in dealing with miscarriages and stillbirths. Though her lecturers cautioned her against choosing such a dreary speciality, she persisted and has become a healthcare professional with a special interest in bereavement and mental health.

“Providing counselling to people who have been through such traumatic times is really rewarding. When

INTHEPINK “WE USED WARM COLOURS AND WOODEN PANELLING TO CREATE A HOMELIER ENVIRONMENT, AND WE DECIDED AGAINST A BIG SCARY DOCTOR’S CHAIR, SO WE HAVE OUR DOCTORS SIT IN ARMCHAIRS THAT GIVE THEM A MORE APPROACHABLE FEEL” I see that I can help people who are going through the worst times of their lives, that’s what gives me the drive to carry on.”

While on an Erasmus programme in Nottingham in the UK, Emma attended several home births and saw there was a gap in the Maltese market, perhaps not for birthing at home – the clinic does not provide a home-birthing service – but for all the services involved in having a child in a more familiar environment than a hospital.

“This is where I really saw how much being relaxed helps a patient. And being in an environment that is less clinical helps this aspect. This is where the first seed for the clinic was planted.”

Once qualified, she and her husband Jean Karl Bondin – an architect by profession – set out to pursue her dream of creating a family clinic in which patients can feel at ease; where they do not feel like merely a number, sitting in a waiting room; where they can feel a sense of belonging and like part of a family.

“We want our patients to be able to visit a curated space that has the ability to make them feel safe through its warmth, the attitude of the people around them, as well as the talented specialists available at the clinic,” Emma says.

“If you take a child in for a vaccination and they are left waiting in clinical surroundings, they tend to become anxious and this makes treatment more difficult both for the patient and the healthcare professional.

“We used warm colours and wooden panelling to create a homelier environment, and we decided against a big scary doctor’s chair, so we have our doctors sit in armchairs that give them a more approachable feel.”

To make the children feel more at ease, rooms are not numbered, but given a colour, making it easier for them to identify where they are going. Some of the walls have special tiles so the children can draw on them. These can be wiped down at the end of the day, ready for the next patients to express their artistic side.

These, Emma says, are “just a few ways in which we can make our patients feel more relaxed and happier about treatment”.

But what also sets the clinic apart from the rest is the holistic approach the team is taking when it comes to family care, whether dealing with infertility, gynaecology and obstetrics, or paediatrics.

When you think of the word holistic in terms of healthcare, you tend to think of hippies treating illnesses with food and herbs while avoiding allopathic medicine. But this couldn’t be further from the truth for Emma.

What holistic means at the clinic is that it has a multidisciplinary approach, where doctors work together and pool information to ensure the best treatment is being given to their patients, Emma explains.

“The human body is influenced by a number of systems and there are specialists in each and every one of those systems.

However, none of these work in isolation,” she continues.

“Every part has an effect on the other, and while patients seek out individual specialists, these professionals rarely work together as a team.”

The idea behind Sweet Valley Family Clinic is for practitioners to share information about patients so that they can understand the bigger picture while being sure they are suggesting the best way forward.

“If you’re treating a patient dealing with infertility, you might have them seeing a gynaecologist, geneticist, an endocrinologist, a nutritionist and even a psychotherapist. When all the professionals involved are aware of what the other is prescribing, and what potential problems can arise, they are in a better position to come up with an overall solution to help the patient.

“When dealing with something as complex as infertility, it is difficult to explain to patients what is going on without overwhelming them with medical terms. Like this, we are able to use all the medical jargon we need to convey the problem to other medical professions while using language patients can understand with them,” she continues.

The clinic has approximately 16 practitioners working on a roster. Specialists will include a gynaecologist, an obstetrician, a general practitioner, an endocrinologist, a geneticist, an acupuncturist and reflexologist, a nutritionist, a psychotherapist, a paediatrician, speech therapist, podiatrist, midwives, an audiologist and an ultrasonographer.

“We are really excited about the ultrasound scans [pictured above] we are going to be able to perform,” Emma says. “We have invested in a GE E10 ultrasound machine, which is state of the art and will be the first in Malta.”

The 4D scans are so clear you can count the baby’s toes and see little idiosyncrasies in his face. The machine is so sensitive that you can even see the other side of the baby.

“This is really important when you’re looking for abnormalities in the foetus, which could be hidden because of how the baby is positioned in the womb. This ultrasound machine is capable of removing layers so that you can see the depth of the anomaly, you can see how deep a tumour is, for example, or how far a cleft palate goes,” Emma points out.

Her passion is truly inspirational and infectious. She has taken on a role that few would seek out for themselves. Her goal is to make people more comfortable through all aspects of having a family, and she is doing it in simple but innovative ways, joining many aspects of healthcare to create a truly holistic experience. www.sweetvalleyclinic.com.mt

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THINKPi HeAlH & BeAu

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RELATIONTIPS

OVERCOMING THE OVERLOAD Relaxation techniques can ease the overload our brains are subjected to, but the one that’s caught the attention of scientists worldwide is mindfulness. Psychotherapist HELENA FONE, who is a Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy trainer, talks us through switching off the overactive mind through this unique technique.

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hat is going on in the world when bus passengers are so impatient they didn’t want to wait for an ambulance to arrive to help an unconscious man in the road, as was the story in Times of Malta recently?

A study, conducted by researchers at the University of California, San Diego, believes that people are inundated with the equivalent of 34 GB of information a day, a sufficient quantity to overload a laptop within a week.

With all this going in, in one day, it’s no wonder that we become stressed, forget things, become impatient and our mind jumps from A to B to Y to Z. All this activity exhausts the mind and body and is quietly sabotaging productivity at home and in work. Our physical body is clearly affected too as symptoms of stress among children and adults is at an all-time high, with dependency on medication reaching unprecedented levels.

OUR BRAIN ON AUTOPILOT The mind does its best to cope with this overload by reverting to ‘autopilot’.

This is the brain’s ability to carve out a new neuropathway, making it easier to access information, much like an app works on your phone. We call this action ‘neuroplasticity of the brain’.

You will recognise you’re on autopilot in the morning when getting washed and dressed; when brushing your teeth; driving your car; or using your phone without putting too much thought into any of it.

These neuropathways, however, can’t differentiate between what’s good or not so good for you. Bad habits, behaviours, or thoughts can include impatience; phobias; smoking; eating when you don’t intend to.

Overthinking and negative thoughts that go around in a loop are also a product of the overactive mind, where too much can lead to anxiety-related problems such as Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, or Generalised Anxiety Disorder.

The amygdala in the brain responds to a threat [real or perceived] and signals to prepare for fight, flight, or freeze. The prefrontal cortex can decide whether this threat is real or not.

and nervous system, hormones, and the body’s cells and organs. Hence the heart racing, sweating and panic that ensues.

Emotions play an important role in how we experience stress because the brain is the conductor of this system.

The way we think about stress and what we choose to do about it can affect the impact of a stressful event.

So how our brain responds depends on whether we have calmed down the amygdala, or not. Think of that the next time someone cuts in front of you in traffic!

HOW MINDFULNESS CAN HELP Apart from taking medication to help with the overload, what else can be done? Well, relaxation techniques help, of course, but the one that’s caught the attention of scientists worldwide is a technique called mindfulness.

And you wouldn’t be alone in thinking it was about people

“THE WAY WE THINK ABOUT STRESS AND WHAT WE CHOOSE TO DO ABOUT IT CAN AFFECT THE IMPACT OF A STRESSFUL EVENT” Unfortunately, if the anxiety is overwhelming, information bypasses the prefrontal cortex, which cannot do its duty, and goes straight to the amygdala.

This sets off a chain of events through a complex interplay of sensory input – sights and sounds – as well as the brain

sitting cross-legged on the floor and humming with their eyes closed.

All a bit ‘off the wall’ probably, but it’s actually been taken very seriously by medics, mental health experts and neuroscientists, to name but a few professionals.

Pink November 2018 ∫ 61

RELATIONTIPS Mindfulness is practised by all, including political ministers, school teachers, Church clergy, prisoners and prison staff. It’s been introduced extensively into schools and the workplace to combat stress.

Prof. Jon Kabat-Zinn helped to bring the practice of mindfulness into mainstream medicine in the 1970s when it was used as a pain reduction technique.

The therapeutic practice of Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy [MBCT] was later developed as an intervention that has been scientifically proven to work for symptoms of recurring depression, stress, anxiety and pain. It has also been proven to bring about positive changes in physical and psychological symptoms, resulting in overall improvements in our levels of happiness.

Modern-day MBCT is taught in a secular fashion, meaning in a nonreligious way, and although the key elements are based on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, it’s actually more about being observant of our thoughts, feelings, surroundings, attitudes and behaviours.

It is the practice of purposely focusing our attention on the present moment – and accepting it without judgment.

The techniques sound simple enough: sitting in a quiet place, deep-belly breathing, paying attention to your body, training the mind to observe, focus and filter. But for some people, even setting 10 minutes aside each day can be difficult, and stopping the mind wandering can be even more difficult, but it does get easier.

BENEFITS FOR CHILDREN An article in Times of Malta in 2016 said: “The World Health Organisation study, entitled Health Behaviour in School-aged Children, found that of all nationalities, Maltese 11- to 15-year-olds were the most stressed by the amount of academic work they had to do every day…”

In a 2007 study, students who had been taught meditation techniques revealed a decrease in test anxiety, nervousness and self-doubt. Further studies have shown reduced absenteeism and suspensions in schools where

mindfulness programmes have been implemented.

Other benefits for children who practise mindfulness regularly include a longer attention span; a greater ability to regulate emotions; an increased ability to plan and judge; an increase in memory function; as well as an improved sense of self and empathy.

Films like Kung Fu Panda, Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Last Samurai feature characters that gain power – as well as peace of mind – through meditation. The Jedi Knights of Star Wars consistently preach mindfulness to each other, specifically as a way to foster compassion and restraint.

It’s important to note, however, that mindfulness is not a panacea, or suitable for everyone, so a qualified trainer should always be contacted if you want to know more about it.

To learn more about the MBCT for adults and Mindfulness in Education programmes and to access free downloads and research papers, check out www.eftandmindfulness.com; www.mindfulnessineducation.com Live classroom and online courses are also available.

INSTITUT ESTHEDERM products and facial treatments are available in selected Pharmacies, Med-aesthetic clinics and Beauty clinics.

Distributed by Vivian. For more information contact Sarah Mifsud – sarahmifsud@viviancorp.com or +356 99728079

PINKSHRINK

WORKAHOLICS ANONYMOUS Work addiction claims thousands of lives every day due to burnout, stress and heart attacks… So why do we continue to consider it such a positive trait? Dott. EDWARD CURMI assesses the typical characteristics of workaholics and addresses some solutions to fighting this ‘disease’.

P

eople who make their work the centre of their life are called workaholics – something that is often perceived with admiration by our culture and as a positive trait of one’s worth.

The unfortunate truth no one seems to be getting, however, is that workaholism is a disease that tends to isolate people.

Work addiction claims thousands of lives every day due to burnout, stress and heart attacks, not to mention the enormous psychological effects on a family, which could possibly even lead to divorce.

Here are a few questions that can help you understand if you are adopting a workaholic mentality: • Do you find yourself reading the news on your smartphone while trying to gobble your food in lunch breaks?

• Do you get up early in the morning regardless of what time you would have gone to bed?

• Do you get nervous at the thought of doing nothing?

• Are you so ambitious that you find yourselves constantly ruminating on whether you are working harder than all your colleagues?

• Do you think sleep is a waste of time?

• Do you find yourself not having patience or any time for people?

• When you go on holiday, do you find it extremely hard to switch off from work?

• Are you able to work from anywhere [restrooms, beaches, etc…] and at all times of the day?

• Do you find yourself constantly making lists of things you need to do?

If your answer to most of these questions is ‘yes’, the chances are that you are adopting a workaholic attitude towards life.

estimate a minute to be 52.6 seconds while a healthy individual often sees a minute as 75 seconds. This phenomenon possibly explains a number of attitudes that workaholics adopt around others.

First and foremost, a work junkie hardly has time to talk to others and, more often than not, is constantly on the go. Secondly, whenever you bump into them they are always in a hurry. Finally, when you meet workaholics, you begin to wonder whether somebody is chasing them as they indulge in eating, talking and driving faster than anyone else, which is typical behaviour.

“ONE INTERESTING FACT ABOUT SELF-CONFESSED WORK ADDICTS IS THAT THEY ESTIMATE A MINUTE TO BE 52.6 SECONDS WHILE A HEALTHY INDIVIDUAL OFTEN SEES A MINUTE AS 75 SECONDS” Today, both men and women are equally at risk of becoming workaholics.

According to clinical psychologist Dr A Vrolijk from the University of Amsterdam, the real work junkie puts in between 60 to 115 hours a week and works for six to seven days a week.

One interesting fact about selfconfessed work addicts is that they

Workaholics detest doing nothing as they firmly believe their identity is their work. In fact, when they meet up with colleagues, friends, or family, they have serious difficulty not talking about their jobs. Their favourite statement to others is: ‘I am so busy’; or ‘I cannot cope’.

Tragically enough, if you ask workaholics whether they are happy, Pink November 2018 ∫ 65

PINKSHRINK the majority will answer with a clear ‘yes’.

However, the real victims of workaholics are their family members, or partners.

The truth is that work junkies are married to their job, seeking an adrenaline rush through work and not family life… so much so that if you had to ask them what they think about weekends, they are likely to say they are a waste of time.

American psychologists Ray Rosenman and Meyer Friedman wrote an interesting paper about workaholics.

They compared human beings in a workforce to animals. In their findings, they described two types: the tortoise and the hare. The workaholic happens to be the fastest of all hares as his/her goal is to do as many things as possible in the shortest span of time.

WHAT CAN YOU DO IF YOU ARE A WORKAHOLIC Slow down Learn to appreciate the simple things in life. After all, life is too short to spend it always at work. There must be more to life than work!

Learn to trust others No one is indispensable and delegation is a must in today’s fast-paced world.

Stop micromanaging Snap out of your ‘god superiority complex’ and give others the chance to prove themselves.

but it may actually be your weakness and lead you to burnout.

Invest more in your loved ones. Family time gives you the chance to get in touch with your roots and remind yourself who you really are.

“THE REAL VICTIMS OF WORKAHOLICS ARE THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS. THE TRUTH IS THAT WORK JUNKIES ARE MARRIED TO THEIR JOB, SEEKING AN ADRENALINE RUSH THROUGH WORK AND NOT FAMILY LIFE… SO MUCH SO THAT IF YOU HAD TO ASK THEM WHAT THEY THINK ABOUT WEEKENDS, THEY ARE LIKELY TO SAY THEY ARE A WASTE OF TIME”

Go for long holidays Do not take your laptop with you. Switching off and recharging yourself can give you enormous benefits.

Learn to accept the mundane and boring side of life Ironically, most people get their best ideas when they are quiet and at peace with themselves.

Pick up a hobby that has nothing to do with your job. But do not fall into the trap of trying to push yourselves even in your hobby as this would defeat the whole scope of having a pastime.

Stop getting paranoid about your work colleagues Wanting to be better than them might be a driving force to you,

Nobody takes their treasures and accomplishments to their grave. We all die and leave behind a legacy that might be appreciated by those who will live after us, but we will never get the chance to appreciate it with them. Ironically, it’s the simple things, such as family and friends, that can make the difference in life.

Dott. Edward Curmi is a registered clinical psychologist, psychotherapist and author of the book Common Sense: a Better Understanding of Emotional Well-being, and its sequel More Common Sense: a Better Understanding of Emotional Well-being, available from Agenda Bookshops.

PARENTINGTIPS

HAPPY CHILDREN How to use interactive cards to make a real social impact…

C

ommunication is a valuable skill that is often overlooked in today’s fast-paced life. And Julian and Joanna Sant Fournier, founders of the Relationships are Forever Foundation, have created an ingenious way to combat this issue from an early age.

Together with a team of volunteers, the Sant Fourniers have developed a series of illustrated cards that facilitate children’s development of emotional literacy and communication in an entertaining and interactive way.

Structured in the form of a game, the cards use illustrations that children can identify with to encourage them to express their feelings, while the accompanying questions prompt reflective thought and communication.

The first edition of the cards focuses on resolving conflicts by equipping children with the right skills to be able to establish the source of a conflict, recognise wrong actions and take the right steps towards a positive outcome.

After launching an initial set of cards in 2016, Julian and Joanna realised the potential for this concept and submitted their initiative, which they aptly called the Happy Children Project, to the 2017 Malta Social Impact Awards for the opportunity to receive both financial and non-financial support.

The Malta Social Impact Awards, a collaboration between Inspirasia and the

Gasan Foundation, brings the private sector and innovative change-makers together to create opportunities for the latter, while also inspiring others to give and give well. It supports local projects that have a positive social impact on Malta, combining business and philanthropy and supporting social purpose organisations to grow into stronger entities.

Before the final event, all the shortlisted teams underwent three months of mentoring by Takeoff at the University of Malta. The Happy Children Project was chosen as one of the final winning projects, receiving a €35,000 grant as well as support from PwC and further mentoring from LevelUP, allowing the team to

continue to take our project forward and grow. Without these awards, we wouldn’t have been able to make the reach we have made today.”

Over 500 sets of Friendship Cards have been distributed so far, with hundreds of children and families benefiting from them. Over 90 teachers, social workers and counsellors from over 30 different schools and organisations in Malta have been trained to use the cards, while the Migrant Learners’ Unit, the Children and Young Persons Support Services and Sedqa’s Prevention Services have all approached the Sant Fourniers to explore the possibility of incorporating the cards in their education programmes.

After using the cards, teachers and parents have returned with their feedback and suggestions, which the Happy Children team are currently using to create a knowledge base – an online guide that offers a variety of activities and exercises that correspond with the individual cards, as well as testimonials from children themselves, links to additional resources and training videos.

Many teachers have also shared individual stories of the positive impact the cards have had on their students, such as reconciling differences between parents and children, as well as eliminating feelings of loneliness at school.

In one case, a teacher explained how the Friendship Cards might have saved an eight-year-old boy’s life. While playing with the cards, he expressed suicidal thoughts that his teachers were previously unaware of. He was then able to receive the appropriate help and guidance he needed.

“MANY TEACHERS HAVE ALSO SHARED INDIVIDUAL STORIES OF THE POSITIVE IMPACT THE CARDS HAVE HAD ON THEIR STUDENTS, SUCH AS RECONCILING DIFFERENCES BETWEEN PARENTS AND CHILDREN, AS WELL AS ELIMINATING FEELINGS OF LONELINESS AT SCHOOL”

disseminate the Friendship Cards to a wider audience, while also working on capacity building and developing the effectiveness, efficiency and sustainability of the project.

“Non-financial support is very important to us. Having people guide you through the process is as valuable as the funding,” Julian explains. “The Malta Social Impact Awards helped us to

To extend their reach and impact even further, the Friendship Cards are currently being translated into various languages and the Sant Fourniers hope they will one day be distributed and used all over the world.

The 2018 Malta Social Impact Awards will be held on November 15. To support the initiative, send an e-mail to info@siamalta.org www.friendshipcards.org

Pink November 2018 ∫ 69

TABLETALK

A SQUASH AND A SQUEEZE MARIA CACHIA’s butternut squash, sage and ricotta gnocchi make a heart-warming autumn meal.

METHOD INGREDIENTS Serves 2 125g roasted butternut squash 200g flour [white or a mixture of white and spelt flour], and another 50g set apart to help separate the gnocchi 8-10 sage leaves, finely chopped 90g grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino, or a mix of both 125g ricotta 1 tbsp butter

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Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a roasting tray with baking paper. Cut the butternut squash in half lengthwise and remove the seeds. Drizzle a little olive oil onto the squash and season generously with freshly grated salt and pepper. Place on a roasting tray, cut side facing upwards.

Roast for about 30 minutes until the flesh is very tender when pricked with a knife.

Allow to come to room temperature. Once cool enough to handle, remove 125g and chop finely. The rest of the butternut squash can be frozen for later use.

In a large bowl, place the flour, sage and grated cheese. Drain the ricotta from any excess whey and place in a bowl with the flour. Add the butternut squash. Bring all ingredients together with very quick

movements using a spatula. Roll the dough in a cylindrical shape, wrap with cling film and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Dust a working surface with the remaining flour and divide the roll of dough into four pieces lengthwise. Roll each into a smaller cylindrical shape, with a diameter of roughly 3cm. Cut each cylinder into small pieces and place onto a roasting tray lined with baking paper and dusted with flour. Place the sheet of gnocchi in the fridge until ready to use.

Cook the gnocchi in salted boiling water for about three minutes or until they float.

Before serving, gently warm the butter in a frying pan. Drain and toss the gnocchi in the butter. Serve with more Pecorino or Parmigiano Reggiano shavings and some herbs, such as roughly chopped rocket and parsley leaves.

TABLETALK

QUALITY AND ORIGIN GUARANTEED Know your DOK and IĠT wines.

T Can-DO CannellOnI It only takes 30 minutes to whip up this main course of average difficulty, but above-average taste. Here’s how to make courgette cannelloni with a tuna mayonnaise.

METHOD INGREDIENTS Serves 4 2 medium-sized courgettes 150g tinned tuna 50g mayonnaise 4 gherkins Handful of Borges pitted green olives 4 medium-sized ripe tomatoes 2 hardboiled eggs Borges olive oil A pinch of salt Oregano

Wash the courgettes and use a peeler to cut them into thin strips lengthways. Put aside and mix the mayonnaise with the strained tuna and egg yolks to make the filling. Finely chop the gherkins, egg whites and olives and put aside. Arrange the courgette strips alongside each other, overlapping a little, and put a generous spoonful of the filling on one side. Roll up the courgette strips to make a cannelloni-shaped roll. Arrange some grated tomato and dressing on a plate, place the courgette cannelloni on top and finish off with the mixture of finely chopped gherkins, egg whites and olives.

[HINTS] You can fill the courgette cannelloni with whatever ingredients you fancy. How about some hummus mixed with turkey or ham and your favourite nuts? Or goat’s cheese with toasted pine nuts or crushed hazelnuts?

And if you like your vegetables well cooked, you can always lightly grill the courgette strips in a frying pan with a few drops of Borges olive oil.

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he EU has been promoting Geographical Indication [GI] both for wines and other food products for decades. The GIs [similar throughout all EU member states] certify that a particular product originates from a specific territory or locality and has specific quality and characteristics.

The system adopted and developed by the EU for quality designation based on geographical indication provides a guarantee for wine lovers as well as for the wineries and grape growers. The DOK or IĠT seal is, indeed, an EU guarantee as to minimum standards of quality and origin of the wine.

All those other wines that do not manage to obtain such a GI, but are produced from grapes cultivated in Malta or in other countries in the EU, may only be marketed as table wines. This wine – which does not have any geographical indication – may be said to be at the lower end of the hierarchy of wines produced within the EU. It is amply evident that these certifications need a series of controls, checks and balances all throughout the process from the cultivation stage to the final bottling stage. This is a very arduous and stringent process, involving various and continuous controls by the Agriculture Directorate, which is the controlling body responsible for the observation of these production protocols.

In order to fulfill its duties, the Agricultural Directorate starts with inspections at the vineyards during the growing stage and continues at the wineries during the harvest.

Wineries are, indeed, obliged to inform the directorate as to the dates when crushing of the grapes destined for a GI wine is taking place so that all the process is registered.

Information collated during this period is then crosschecked with the Vineyard Register wherein all areas under vine cultivation in the Maltese Islands have been previously registered. This is an essential task to be performed so that the origin of the grapes can be easily identified. Moreover, other important data, including the harvest from year to year, wine produced on a yearly basis and most importantly wine stocks, are always under control.

WOMENONWHEELS

WATCH THIS SPACE If you want to make the switch to an SUV, the Ford Kuga MCA is definitely one to consider, says TV personality TEZARA CAMILLERI.

I

drove the Ford Kuga MCA Trend 2WD SUV 2.0 Turbo Diesel in white through the breathtaking, tree-lined streets of Buskett. I don’t often get to do that; you know, drive around nature and really stop to take it all in. It was good to get away from the busy roads to an area that is more tranquil and peaceful.

The model I drove was automatic and also had a panoramic sunroof – which really allowed me to capitalise on my beautiful surroundings and take it all in. [This car is, of course, available in the manual version and with the standard top.]

Speaking of comfort, I find dual air conditioning so convenient, especially if you’re in a relationship like mine where you’re never in sync with your partner when it comes to temperature. There are also air-conditioning vents at the back for passengers to enjoy direct cooled air.

I would say the main reason anyone would consider purchasing a Kuga is because it is super spacious. Both as a driver and a passenger, I absolutely did not feel restricted as there is ample space to move around. But it is the boot that is particularly roomy.

“SIX SPEAKERS WERE CERTAINLY MORE THAN ENOUGH TO ENJOY THE TUNES [FROM XFM], ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU CAN CONTROL THE SOUND THROUGH THE BUTTONS ON THE STEERING WHEEL” I have to say I particularly liked the blue dash lights on the display and the Push Button Start and Stop System feature, as well as the 8-inch touchscreen.

Although it hasn’t got a rear-view camera, it does come with sensors, so you’re still guided safely when parking.

Six speakers were certainly more than enough to enjoy the tunes [ from XFM], especially when you can control the sound through the buttons on the steering wheel. And the seats have a very sporty feel, while being extremely comfortable.

This has a mini spare wheel and a toolkit underneath, leaving so much free space to be used that you wouldn’t even need to put down the passenger seat for more room. You certainly wouldn’t have any issues trying to fit in groceries, a buggy, satchels and everything else, including the kitchen sink.

If you want to make the switch to an SUV, the Kuga is definitely one to consider.

You’ve got all the essential features, and a little bit more, for an extremely good price.

It is spacious, safe and reliable and is selling at a fantastic starting price of €23,700 – quite a steal for what you’re getting!

Pink November 2018 ∫ 77

THINKPINK EVENTS Jenny Fenton, Anki Ellul and Kirsten Grenside

Do you have a favourite memory or story related to the band?

Kirsten: My favourite story about

HAVING THE TIME OF YOUR LIFE! Ahead of the multi-award-winning SOS! ABBA Revival – The Tribute charity event, three of the brilliant women behind it, Jenny Fenton, Kirsten Grenside and Anki Ellul, chat about their efforts to contribute to the Save Valletta’s Skyline Restoration Appeal.

T

he UK’s top ABBA tribute band Revival will be bringing the Swedish supergroup’s iconic hits to life in a one-night-only charity event next Friday, November 9.

All proceeds from the event will go towards SOS – Save Our Skyline – to carry out restoration on St Paul’s Anglican Pro-Cathedral in Valletta, and to safeguard the breath-taking skyline that captures the hearts of all those who witness it.

Here, Jenny, Kirsten and Anki speak about the importance of preserving Malta’s historical skyline.

I am lucky enough to have the most incredible team of women who have all played a major role in making this happen.

Jenny: As we sipped a glass of wine one evening, Kirsten mentioned that her husband wanted to call the event SOS [Save Our Skyline] and said what a shame it was that there were no ABBA tribute bands in Malta, as SOS is one of their most popular songs. I had seen ABBA Revival in Libya in 2010, so I quietly sent a text. Five minutes later, we received a response that they would love to come back to Malta and things started falling into place.

Why did you decide to organise ABBA Revival – The Tribute in Malta?

Kirsten: I joined a committee to

What’s your favourite ABBA song?

Jenny: ABBA’s music has truly stood

Save Valletta’s Skyline last February, thinking it would be a good way to meet new people, while also contributing to an important cause for Malta, the country that has been so very good to us. What started as an idea for a small dance activity has turned into a massive event that we are very proud of. The best part is that

the test of time and is enjoyed by people of all ages – I can’t pick just one!

Anki: It would have to be Waterloo or Ring Ring as those tracks take me back to the Eurovision days of my youth when ABBA stormed onto the scene.

Coming from Sweden, I can tell you that it was truly phenomenal and they had the whole country buzzing!

Kirsten: Take a Chance on Me.

the real ABBA is that they had to negotiate the rights to the name ABBA with the Abba Seafood company, a canned herring giant that had been around since the 19th century.

Anki: One of the band members, Benny, used to sing in a band called The Hep Stars and, when I was a kid, my sister knew a lot of people in the music industry. They used to congregate on a farm, south of Stockholm, and I actually got to meet many of them. I hadn’t even started school yet, but a few of these guys ended up entertaining me. Little did I know that some would end up becoming superstars – Benny was one of them!

What can people expect from SOS! ABBA Revival – The Tribute?

Kirsten: They will have a fantastic

time with loads of dancing. In all seriousness, we have worked hard to organise a very professional, highenergy show, involving multiple costume changes and lots of audience participation. DJ Ian Lang will open and close the evening and bar prices are reasonable. The Gianpula Main Room is an incredible venue that brings back lots of memories for so many people in Malta and we believe it is the perfect place to hold this event. Kinnie will also be giving a delicious Kinnie Kiss as a welcome drink to everyone.

What are you all most looking forward to about this event?

Donating a very large cheque to the charity! Also, since this is a crossgenerational event, we hope that it will raise universal awareness about the iconic skyline in Valletta, which has played a central role in Malta’s heritage for many centuries. So, bring out your flared trousers, slap on the blue eyeliner and polish your dancing shoes.

Come and dance the night away!

SOS! ABBA Revival – The Tribute will be held at Gianpula Main Room. Doors open at 8pm.

Tickets are available from www.ticketline.com.mt

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SNAPSHOT

THROUGH HER EYES Roberta Zammit Cutajar has been painting for a few years now, but it’s the first time she’s getting out of her comfort zone and putting up a solo exhibition. Here she is, opening up for Opening Doors.

Y

ou’ve been painting for a few years now. What encouraged you to take the plunge and put up your first solo exhibition and did you find it daunting? My dear friends and

teachers Tonio Mallia and Debbie Caruana Dingli encouraged me to get out of my comfort zone and finally go ahead with this at 56. Yes, I did find it daunting. It’s putting yourself out there, which is not really me!

The exhibition is in aid of Opening Doors, which is close to your heart.

Why is that? My son, Mark, is 26 years

old and has Down Syndrome. He attends the Opening Doors sessions and absolutely loves it! It is, therefore, quite close to my heart. Opening Doors Malta is an organisation that teaches music, drama and dance to people with intellectual disabilities. They also get to travel abroad to perform in international events.

Your aim is to also raise awareness about Opening Doors. What would you like to say about you and your son’s own experience with the organisation? I find the whole team to

be so very professional and dedicated.

They are giving people with intellectual disabilities a chance to show their talents while having a great time and opportunities to travel abroad and perform at international events. It gives my son another purpose; he’s learnt so much about music, theatre and dance and working as a group.

How would you describe your art and what do you like to paint? I would say my

art is bold and impressionistic. I love colours, especially the intensity of blue and green hues. I like to paint the sea; I find it to be a mesmerising show of natural beauty.

My paintings in this exhibition are all in oil on canvas and are just what I’ve been working on this past year.

Your exhibition is titled Through My Eye, inspired by the fact that you lost your vision in one of your eyes a few years ago.

How has that affected you, your outlook on life and your art? I try not to think too

much about it. I pray and get on with doing just about everything I always did, but don’t take anything for granted. I think it helps my art to be free.

Pink November 2018 ∫ 81

SNAPSHOT

“MY DREAMS ARE MAYBE TO BE ABLE TO PLAY THE PIANO OR GUITAR – I JUST LOVE LIVE MUSIC – AND TO BE A NANNA…” Most of your work is donated to various charities. What do you yourself get out of your art? I enjoy painting very much

and find it very fulfilling. It’s a release and very satisfying, especially if I can give something back through it. I have also made some amazing friends along the way.

Do you ever wish you started earlier? I feel there is a time and a place for everything. I was raising my three children, who are very close in age, and I have no regrets.

What would you say to other budding artists about pursuing this interest? Definitely go for it! Painting is a great

way to be creative in an expressive and meaningful way.

Are there any other dreams you still want to fulfil? I think life tells you when or if it’s the right time. We all need to try and find the right balance. My dreams are maybe to be able to play the piano or guitar – I just love live music – and to be a nanna…

Through My Eye opens on November 14 at the Chamber of Commerce in Valletta.