DO’ing something different

Razeen Ramji

When Razeen Ramji was 14, she began working voluntarily for Catholic Blind Services and Church Action on Disability. “I remember making Bible recordings and learning Braille,” she says. “I felt a great sense of accomplishment and I knew then that I wanted to do something that helped people.”

Razeen graduated from Anglia Ruskin University with a degree in Optical Management and Dispensing in 2010 and she has been practising ever since – both as a dispensing optician (DO) and manager.

“One of the things I truly love about my job is getting to meet new and wonderful people every day and seeing how much of an impact we can all make in our jobs,” says Razeen. “It’s easy to underestimate what we all do – but for a lot of people coming to the opticians can be a daunting. The cliché of ‘no two days are the same’ is really true and that’s one of the reasons I love doing what I do.

“I have two young children and I’m I trying to raise them with values that encompass the notion of charity and kindness. We do a lot of things outdoors and so when lockdown hit, whilst I was pregnant with my second, being housebound was a big shock for the family. I became very aware that my son, Rhys, who we always encouraged to play outside was suddenly then told that we have to stay in. I wondered how this might affect him so I started researching and learning more about mental health.”

Ensuring Rhys’s wellbeing inspired Razeen to create something that other parents and carers could benefit from. “I wanted to write a book that was enjoyable for children to read whilst allowing them to express any concerns,” she explains.

Encouraging mindfulness for children

The concept of mindfulness is at the core of Razeen’s children’s book – Lost in the Book: The Adventures of Bear and Raccoon.

Razeen says: “The book gently introduces the idea of mindfulness by conjuring up a bubble in which children can write, imagine or draw anything that could be worrying them. We use it at home for things we are grateful for, as well as our worries.”

Razeen has also created an Instagram page to share posts and tips on mental health and mindfulness, which can be found @bear_and_raccoons_world

To keep her own mental health in check and stay fit, Razeen paints and runs in her spare time. “I began training for a 10k run at the start of this year and running is now an important part of my day. Rhys, now seven, has really taken to the idea of mental health and sometimes joins me on my shorter runs. He has also decided to run in the children’s race at the Birmingham Marathon on 7 May in support of the mental health charity, Mind.

“If I had to offer any words of wisdom to fellow ABDO members on the topic of mental health, it would be to remember how much of an impact we can make in our jobs as DOs. Taking the time to practise empathy with every patient really makes a difference. I would also encourage everyone to look after their own mental health. Ultimately, this will allow you to ensure the well-being of all those around you. This could mean making time for your hobbies, passion projects or even picking up the phone to talk to someone you care about every day,” Razeen concludes.

If you would like to support Rhys in the Great Birmingham Run click here.