Dr Sandra Swaby: Helping others to become the best versions of themselves

WHEN Dr Sandra Swaby walks into a room, one can’t help but be pulled in by her magnetic aura. Her glistening bald head, luminescent skin, and defined physique join forces to elevate her presence to that of an Amazonian woman. Her steady eyes and warm persona tell the tale of a woman who has always been determined to live her life in such a way that she is radiating the best version of herself, while helping others to achieve the same.

Following a panel discussion with a trailblazing panel of female leaders on February 10 at The Millionaire CEO conference in New Kingston, Dr Swaby got comfortable in her newly opened Spa, Zen Oasis on Trafalgar Road, to share her journey to becoming one of the Caribbean’s most accomplished cosmetic surgeons.

Dr Swaby, whose name is now followed by numerous professional designations, started her life’s journey as Sandra Allen, a headstrong and adventurous child who was born as the third of four daughters to two Pentecostal reverends in the quiet district of Dunsinane, Manchester. From the age of three years old, Dr Swaby said that she knew she wanted to be a doctor.

“Being a doctor was always a part of my calling, and I never strayed from that. Everything I did was leading me in the direction I was meant to be,” she said.

Planning for success, Dr Swaby shared, is a core part of how she accomplishes whatever she sets her mind to.

“By age five, I had a five-year plan, and another one by age 10 then another at age 15, and every single one of those plans were realised,” she said.

As a fearless teenager, after graduating high school Dr Swaby went on a global quest of self-discovery and adventure, spending time in some of the most unlikely places — chief among them was when she spent approximately six weeks living with a tribe in the Amazon rainforest.

In addition to that life-changing experience, Dr Swaby also spent time in Venezuela, Brazil and Colombia as part of an American Field Study Programme. At age 17, almost two years after leaving home, Dr Swaby returned to Jamaica to start her formal studies at The University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona campus.

After completing her first degree in biochemistry and zoology, Dr Swaby, who is fluent in Spanish and Portuguese, received a Caricom scholarship to study medicine in Cuba.

Post-Cuba, she went on to work at the Bustamante Hospital for Children for nine years as an emergency room physician. During that time, she developed the Cuban Jamaican Eye-Care Programme and led it for two years, while obtaining a master’s degree in public health from The UWI.

Always one to look for professional development opportunities, Dr Swaby was awarded a Fulbright Fellowship to pursue postgraduate studies at Emory University in the United States, where she specialised in population health. When Dr Swaby came back home, she spent some time working as a public health advisor to the United States ambassador to Jamaica at the time, which saw her liaising with bodies such as USAID and the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

While making these major contributions to public health, Dr Swaby, who is also TEDx speaker, found herself falling deeper in love with the work that she did in her private practice — aesthetics. After learning to use products and medicinal techniques to overcome her own severe acne, which she had struggled with since adolescence, she decided to further her studies in aesthetics.

In 2012, Dr Swaby became a board-certified cosmetic surgeon and founded her practice — Harmony Health Cosmetic Clinic. Since then, Harmony Health has grown to become one of the most well-known cosmetic practices in the region, earning Dr Swaby the moniker of ‘Jamaica’s Queen of the BBL’. According to Dr Swaby, Harmony Health is a patient-centric practice that celebrates body positivity and is dedicated to providing the best professional care. The clinic’s mantra is, “looking and feeling great”.

“I firmly believe that enhancements have to be done from a place of self-love,” she said. “You have to love yourself enough to want to become better, because cosmetic procedures require maintenance, and if you don’t already love yourself, you won’t put in the work to maintain your results.”

Speaking from a place of experience, Dr Swaby shared, “When I look at myself now, I love what I see in the mirror, and I have worked hard on being physically, spiritually and emotionally healthy, and it’s something that I keep working on.”

Reflecting on the last 51 years of her life, Dr Swaby said she is filled with gratitude and joy that she is living her dream, while helping others become the best versions of themselves.