Maureen dedicated both her personal and professional life to the improvement of the health and wellbeing of others, particularly for vulnerable women and children. She began her career in her home country of Myanmar, where she studied medicine at the University of Yangon. Following her medical degree, she worked as the Acting Medical Superintendent at Wesley Hospital in Kalemyo and finalised her specialisation Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

Her close engagement with Heidelberg University started when she joined the Master of Science course in Community Health and Health Management at Heidelberg University in 1995. Her excellent master thesis on maternity care in Nepal enabled her to pursue a medical doctorate, supported by a DAAD scholarship, with a landmark study on maternity services in Nepal, which was published in papers and also as book.

She then used her immense expertise to serve as a medical missionary (through the Dienste in Übersee and United Mission to Nepal Partnership) in Okhaldhunga and Kathmandu, Nepal for over 20 years where she became deeply committed to providing maternal and child healthcare services. It was through her passion and dedication that she later served as a Team Leader and Senior Advisor for the Department of Health Services of the Nepali Ministry of Health and Population, contributing to national strategies surrounding maternal & newborn health, nursing, midwifery, and primary healthcare. 

In all these years, she kept contact with her Alma Mater Heidelberg, including teaching as Alumna in the very master course she had attend herself. And returned to Heidelberg University to pursue research where she was a dedicated colleague at the Heidelberg Institute of Global Health for the past five years. She was a vital member of research teams investigating COVID-19 outcomes in humanitarian settings (Yemen) and implementing gender-based violence services to women in Tanzania. One of her dreams was to lead a study on the health outcomes of Chin refugees from Myanmar housed in India. 

Her dedication and contributions to global health were recognized in many ways.  One being her nomination as a Woman of the Year on International Women’s Day 2023 through the Global Health Hub Germany (https://www.globalhealthhub.de/de/news/detail/international-womens-day-2023).

She was not only a remarkable doctor and researcher; but a remarkable person. She was an inspiration for us all, she radiated wisdom, grace and kindness. She showed up to work every day with a smile and a hug. She will be greatly missed by all of her colleagues. Our thoughts are with her daughter and her son-in-law.