ISLAMABAD: A pillar of courage Prof of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Dr Fareesa Waqar, who cured others without revealing her pain, passed away at the age of 61 early last week.

A gynaecologist at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims), Dr Nabila, while talking to Dawn, said that it was quite upsetting for her to inform that such a wonderful doctor had passed away and left thousands of patients and friends sad.`Dr Fareesa was a wonderful doctor who earned respect and name through devotion and care for her patients and students,` she said.

Dr Fareesa had served as Head of Department at Railway Hospital, IIMCT and Riphah International University Islamabad.

`She was suffering from a disease for decades but she never revealed it to anyone. She always remained well dressed, used handbags and sandals that matched her dress and had a smile on her face,` Dr Nabila said.

Even doctors, who used to work along with her for decades, were not aware of herdisease.Soitisinappropriate toshare her disease as she herselfnever shared it with anyone,` Dr Fareesa`s daughter Ursala Waqar said while talking to Dawn.

`She never refused to see and treat anypatient. Patients used to call her even after midnight and she never put herphone on silent mode or switched it off.

She believed that Allah had given her something by which she could serve people and alleviate the suffering of her patients,` Ursala Waqar said.

Dr Fareesa also used to work at Ali Medical Centre in Sector F-8. She remained admitted there but even her close friends and colleagues were not aware that she was admitted.

The deceased left behind her husband, Waqar Ahmad Shah, a retired bureaucrat and two daughters, Nusabbeh Waqar and Ursala Waqar, to mourn her death.

She was buried at her ancestral land in Datta, near Mansehra on Nov 6th, and Qul was held in Abbottabad.

The deceased`s sister, Fauzia Sayeed, told Dawn that whenever she used to visit the US [Fauzia`s residence], she wouldattend phone calls throughout the night as her patients would call her mostly late at night because of the time difference between the US and Pakistan.

`I would request her time and again to switch off her mobile phone but she would go to the lawn so that I would not get disturbed; she recommended medicines and advised precautionary measures after examining the reports of her patients, she said.

Fehmina Faisal, the deceased`s other sister, said Fareesa was a pillar of strength for the whole community.

`She was beacon of light and very down to earth woman,` she added.

Her niece, Niveen Sayeed, said the deceased was the best role model because she led by example rather than just words of advice.