a day ago
Making her mark in acupuncture in US
Published on: Sunday, August 17, 2025
Published on: Sun, Aug 17, 2025
By: Zia Holly Text Size: The proud Sabahan from Keningau now runs a thriving acupuncture and wellness practice in Florida. SHE was diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder after moving to the US in early 2000. When the illness struck, she turned to acupuncture which she was already familiar with back in Malaysia. Today, Keningau-born Dr Pamela Petrus-Purser runs a thriving acupuncture and wellness practice with hundreds of patients across America. 'The moment the needle touched my skin, my body sighed. I fell asleep right there on the table,' she said of her first acupuncture session in Malaysia, which started the beginning of both her healing and a new career path. Her Malaysian university degrees not recognised in the US, forcing Pamela to make a bold decision to restart her education, while battling her illness. She enrolled in the Pacific College of Health and Science in San Diego, eventually earning both a Master's in 2011 and Doctorate in Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine 10 years later. Her love for natural remedies can be traced to her grandmother, who served as a wartime midwife, had Bobohizan lineage (traditional Kadazan healers) all of which influences Pamela's practice today. Dr Pamela also studied business and entrepreneurship. She learned to create systems that allow her to serve patients effectively while maintaining work-life balance. 'Helping people should not cost you your life,' she said, pointing out the importance of sustainable business practices in healthcare. The patients who known on Dr Pamela's door range from newborns to 89-year-olds, addressing conditions including chronic pain, post-stroke recovery, fertility challenges, anxiety, digestive issues and sleep disorders. Rather than treating diseases, she focuses on treating individuals, identifying imbalances such as heat, cold, excess or deficiency according to Traditional Chinese Medicine principles. Her treatment approach is structured in phases, relief, stabilisation and maintenance. She credits her husband, a military veteran whom she met in Japan 25 years ago, as her greatest supporter. He was also her first patient. The couple live in Navarre, Florida, where Dr Pamela has built a thriving practice. Despite being far from home, Dr Pamela remains deeply connected to Sabah through social media and cherished memories. She misses traditional food like bambangan, tuhau and bosou, which she describes as food that speaks of the earth. Her educational journey in Malaysia included St Anthony Primary School in Tenom, Stella Maris Secondary School in Tanjung Aru, Polytechnic Kuching and University Malaya, where she later lectured as UMS Labuan Campus until 2003. 'There were many points I could have given up. But I kept going. One step. Then another,' said Dr Pamela who lost her mother in a road accident when she was 16. Dr Pamela believes alternative medicine will become increasingly mainstream as Artificial Intelligence disrupts conventional healthcare systems. She sees traditional practices like Chinese medicines and Ayurveda gaining more recognition. 'We are not here to replace anything. We are here to restore balance,' she said, viewing her work as complementary to modern medicine rather than competitive. Her message to young people: 'Your struggles do not define you, they can lead to your purpose. You do not have to be perfect, just keep going. Your roots and hardships can become your strength'.
