Mother's Day is a special occasion to honor and appreciate the mothers in our lives. At BGI Genomics, we value the contributions and achievements of mothers and women who seek personal happiness while balancing their work and family responsibilities.

We feature two colleagues who share their perspectives on motherhood and career, Natalia Pereiras, the mother of a two-year-old girl and Laboratory Director based in Montevideo, Uruguay, and Fang Zhang, an expecting mother who works as a Commercial Senior Manager at BGI Genomics, based in Boston, U.S.

Q: What does Mother's Day mean to you?

Natalia: Mother's Day is a day to recognize the daily work of raising and accompanying mothers during their upbringing. The important thing is to enjoy and celebrate it with the family.  To adapt to the faster pace of modern life, we must balance work and family. Family support is crucial as nobody can be everywhere all the time. With this support, you can easily complete and enjoy your daily tasks. Though I wake up
early in the morning to bring my daughter to school, this habit fills me with joy as it gives me a chance to spend time with her and fills me with vitality for my workday.  

Fang Zhang: Mother's Day is a time to celebrate the joys and challenges of being a mother and express gratitude to my mother and mother-in-law for their love and support. It is also a time to reflect on the journey of motherhood that I am about to embark on and to prepare myself mentally and emotionally for this new role.

Q: How do you balance your work and family commitments?

Natalia: I am fortunate to be able to do a job that I enjoy, and that is why I have achieved a good balance. I hope my daughter can also accomplish this. Without happy parents, there can be no happy children, so striving to do what we enjoy is vital. When we enjoy our work, we can better handle the challenges of any job! We are in the challenging stage of launching a laboratory in Uruguay with our team, so
there are many urgent tasks, such as obtaining certification from the Ministry of Health and other relevant departments.

Fang Zhang: Personally, since this is my first baby, I cherish it very much. Especially whenever I feel fetal movement, it is my happiest moment. In the U.S., family doctors have a more significant role, particularly in the early stages of pregnancy. In addition, non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) and carrier screening tests occur from week 12 of pregnancy. In China, NIPT can be conducted from week 10 of pregnancy.

There is nervousness and stress that comes with motherhood, so I am grateful that my bosses have been very supportive and flexible. I now travel shorter distances and less frequently. I also plan and prioritize my tasks in advance to manage my time and energy more efficiently.  

Q: In what ways can companies support or celebrate mothers and women in general?

Natalia: BGI Genomics is a company that encourages a good working atmosphere and is characterized by empathy, which is helpful to work relationships and having time for family.

Fang Zhang: We have an inclusive and caring culture. HR colleagues proactively inquired about my well-being and informed me about maternal leave benefits and how to apply.  More importantly, the company offers working mothers equal opportunities and career advancement. This is vital as many working mothers are keen to continue growing at work to take on more responsibilities.

Get in touch!

We would love to hear from you as well. How do you think working mothers and women, in general, can be better supported at work? Please share your feedback or comments below @BGI Genomics on social media channels. Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers and mother figures out there!

About BGI Genomics

BGI Genomics, headquartered in Shenzhen China, is the world's leading integrated solutions provider of precision medicine. Our services cover over 100 countries and regions, involving more than 2,300 medical institutions. In July 2017, as a subsidiary of BGI Group, BGI Genomics (300676.SZ) was officially listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange.