{"id":3541,"date":"2025-03-07T21:54:49","date_gmt":"2025-03-07T21:54:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.manchester.ac.uk\/bmh-athena-swan\/?p=3541"},"modified":"2025-10-24T20:14:26","modified_gmt":"2025-10-24T19:14:26","slug":"how-she-inspired-me-dr-sudeh-cheraghi-sohi","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.manchester.ac.uk\/bmh-athena-swan\/2025\/03\/07\/how-she-inspired-me-dr-sudeh-cheraghi-sohi\/","title":{"rendered":"Inspirational Woman: Dr. Sudeh Cheraghi-Sohi"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Photo taken by Sudeh's Dad at her graduation.
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In October 2024 the world lost a truly inspirational woman, Dr. Sudeh Cheraghi-Sohi.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n
She inspired everyone who had the privilege to meet her on their path. Below are some of the stories of how Sudeh inspired her students, colleagues, friends and anyone who met her.\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n
To learn more about Dr. Cheraghi-Sohi’s research please see her\u00a0<\/span>research profile<\/a> and the\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>SPCR tribute<\/a>.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n
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Poem written by John inspired by Sudeh and Virginia Woolf:<\/em><\/div>\n
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‘A Room of Ones Own’\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n
A space to think<\/p>\n
A space to act<\/p>\n
A female gaze upon a male world<\/p>\n
An articulate strong woman<\/p>\n
Mother, partner, daughter, sister<\/p>\n
Friend<\/p>\n
Kind, generous, loving<\/p>\n
Smile<\/p>\n
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Artwork created for Sudeh by Ali Hindi:<\/em><\/div>\n
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Poem and photo selected by Sudeh’s Mum:<\/em><\/div>\n
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To honour you\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n
I get up every day and take a breath,<\/p>\n
And I start another day without you in it.<\/p>\n
To honour you\u2026<\/p>\n
I laugh and love with those who knew your smile,<\/p>\n
And the way your eyes twinkled with mischief and secret knowledge.<\/p>\n
To honour you\u2026<\/p>\n
I take the time to appreciate everyone I love,<\/p>\n
I know now there is no guarantee of days or hours spent in their presence.<\/p>\n
To honour you\u2026<\/p>\n
I listen to music you would have liked,<\/p>\n
And sing at the top of my lungs, with the windows rolled down.<\/p>\n
To honour you\u2026<\/p>\n
I take chances, say what I feel, hold nothing back,<\/p>\n
Risk making a fool of myself, dance every dance.<\/p>\n
You were the light, the hearth, the gift of love, from the very highest source.<\/p>\n
So every day, I vow to make a difference, share a smile, live, laugh and love.<\/p>\n
Now I live for all of us, so all I do,<\/p>\n
I do to honour you.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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Personal tributes from students, friends, and colleagues:<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_accordion _builder_version=”3.17.6″][et_pb_accordion_item title=”%22You were a real champion for women in academia … we stayed best friends%22 by Dr Nic Small, Health Services Researcher” open=”on” _builder_version=”3.17.6″ title_text_shadow_horizontal_length=”0em” title_text_shadow_vertical_length=”0em” title_text_shadow_blur_strength=”0em” body_text_shadow_horizontal_length=”0em” body_text_shadow_vertical_length=”0em” body_text_shadow_blur_strength=”0em” background_size=”contain”]<\/p>\n
Dear Sudeh,<\/em><\/p>\n
We met in Primary Care at the University of Manchester and we stayed best friends for over 18 years. You were wonderful to be around, kind, considerate, compassionate, intelligent and forgiving. We shared a passion for knitwear and coloured nail varnish and earrings – we connected straight away and laughed a lot! <\/em><\/p>\n
We experienced so many good and bad life events together and supported each other as we navigated the challenging world of academia and surviving on fixed-term contracts. I have so many happy memories – Your Dr Sudeh celebrations were one of the best! You were loved by so many of your colleagues and friends and partners in research \u2013 a testament to your character. I had the privilege of collaborating with you on so many of your research projects. We worked in synergy and with passion and in partnership with underserved communities within Greater Manchester, and most recently, on your maternity research for Black and Asian women, championing inequalities. You were admired professionally and personally and inspired everyone you came across \u2013 you were extremely intelligent but kept it real and cared enormously about everything in life.\u00a0 <\/span>You were a real champion for women in academia. You supported me enormously through pregnancy, breastfeeding, maternity leave and working as a new mum. You were the first friend I messaged to let you know our son had arrived safely 10 weeks early into the world. We shared our experiences of premature babies and we laughed and cried together when times were tough. You came over to give us some lovely snow mittens passed down from your children. <\/em><\/p>\n
You were such a dear friend to me and I will always think of you. I will be forever grateful for your guidance, mentorship and friendship. My grief is immense, a reflection of my love for you. You have a legacy of kindness and are unforgettable in every way. Thank you Sudeh for everything, you were just a wonderful role model, friend and colleague, and I hope that I have some of your inspirational attributes embedded within me. <\/em><\/p>\n
All my love, Nic x<\/em><\/p>\n
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