What does it take to push through personal and professional hardships and emerge stronger? In this episode, I sit down with Kwame Osei Owusu, an NHS clinical pharmacist with a special interest in mental health, as he shares his compelling journey of resilience and perseverance. Kwame is not only a dedicated healthcare professional but also an award-winning mental health advocate, having received the Diana Award in 2021 for Youth Leadership and Mental Health Advocacy, and recognition at the BLAC Awards in 2023 for his contributions to healthcare. In 2024, he was honored with the Potential Unlocked Award, marking his impactful role in raising mental health awareness. Kwame reflects on his path to becoming the first in his family to earn both a pharmacy qualification and a master’s degree simultaneously. From facing the challenges of medical school applications to coping with the emotional loss of his sister and navigating remote learning during the pandemic, Kwame’s story is one of determination. He dives into how his mother’s battle with type 2 diabetes ignited his passion for pharmacy, shedding light on the rigorous education and training that prepared him for his role today. Kwame provides an inside look at the often overlooked but critical work pharmacists do in healthcare, recounting his path from university to pre-reg exams, where multiple attempts and unwavering emotional support from friends and family, especially his mother, made all the difference. Beyond his professional achievements, Kwame opens up about his advocacy for mental health and his journey as a podcaster and healthcare content creator. His passion for conversation, creativity, and helping others has become a platform for mental health awareness. This episode is a celebration of persistence, highlighting the crucial roles pharmacists play and the triumph that comes from overcoming adversity. Sign up to our FREE community called Behind The Mic!  We are excited to engage with you and provide you with the support & guidance you need to get started.  Register here: https://behindthemic.circle.so/    SIGN UP to my NEWSLETTER below so you’ll be the first to know when new episodes are being released. You’ll also receive regular inspiration, tips, tools, and free content. https://pharmacistdiaries.ck.page/newsletter PARTNERSHIPS and DISCOUNTS: The Naked Pharmacy is offering my podcast listeners a 20% discount on all their products. Use discount code PD20 at checkout to receive the offer. https://www.thenakedpharmacy.com/ 🎙️ Audiio: We used to spend (waste) ages looking for free royalty free music on the internet. If you’ve ever tried to find images, music or video that is unconditionally 100% free, you’ll know how difficult it is. We now use Audiio for all our music.  Use this link to get 70% off your first year of Audiio pro 🚀 Check out our Amazon storefront dedicated to podcasting gear! We will keep adding/reviewing the list but there’s a selection of microphones, audio interfaces, and more to help you elevate your podcasting game. 🛒 Explore Our Storefront Here CONNECT WITH KWAME: LinkedIn: Kwame Osei Owusu YouTube: @OOKSHELF Instagram: @ook.shelf TikTok: @ook.shelf Follow me on⁠⁠⁠ My Website⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠ YouTube⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠ Instagram⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠ Facebook⁠⁠⁠,⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠, and/or⁠⁠⁠ Twitter⁠⁠⁠. Feel free to subscribe to the podcast on your favourite podcast platform so you can be notified when a new episode is released or leave a review on apple podcasts. If you have any suggestions for guests you want me to talk to or if you’d like to come on yourself, please feel free to contact me via social media, or email at [email protected].