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Britons are expected to shell out a total of £4.6 billion in the Boxing Day sales this year, with the average shopper forecast to spend £236, new research from Barclays shows.

Although that figure is marginally lower than in 2023, when £4.7 billion was spent, it still points to a robust appetite for deals despite ongoing cost-of-living concerns.

The projected outlay per person has slipped by £18 compared with last year, yet shoppers are set to part with £50 more than they did in 2019, before the pandemic. Researchers note that while some of the increase is attributable to inflation, it also reflects a continuing desire among consumers to seek value for money during the post-Christmas period.

Spending patterns appear to favour men, who are set to outspend women by £53. Karen Johnson, head of retail at Barclays Bank, said it was “encouraging to hear that consumers will be actively participating in the post-Christmas sales”, despite mounting financial pressures.

“We’re likely to see a shift towards practicality and sustainability this year,” she said. “Many shoppers will be on the lookout for bargains on kitchen appliances and second-hand goods.”

Indeed, air fryers and similar kitchen gadgets have surged in popularity, with year-on-year sales up by 7 per cent. Barclays attributes this to a focus on “functional finds” and efforts to save on big-ticket items that would ordinarily be out of reach for many shoppers.

The research also suggests a cautious mood: nearly a quarter of consumers will only buy what they deem essential in the sales. Yet some shoppers are still keen to make the most of the in-store experience. More than a quarter of the public plan to hit the shops in person — up from 15 per cent in 2023 — driven by a desire for social interaction, the ability to touch and feel products before buying, and the traditional thrill of high-street shopping.

“Boxing Day feels extra special this year,” said shopper Gabrielle Kirkham, who will be returning to the high street for the first time since the pandemic. “I’m planning to pick up discounted clothing and skincare. It’s much easier to try on clothes in person, which can be more challenging online.”

Although some bricks-and-mortar retailers are choosing to remain closed on Boxing Day, those that open will likely see a boost. A quarter of people planning to shop in the sales say they will spend most of their money in physical stores. Many cited the ability to see items first-hand and the enjoyment of socialising while shopping as key reasons.

High streets and shopping centres remain top destinations, with around a third of British consumers planning to visit them. Supporting local businesses is also a factor, with 17 per cent aiming to back their local high street and 15 per cent intending to shop with independent retailers.

Online channels, however, are set to capture the lion’s share of post-Christmas spending. Barclays forecasts that 65 per cent of Boxing Day purchases will be made online, slightly up on last year’s 64 per cent. Nonetheless, retailers hoping to coax more people onto the high street might consider in-store-only offers: around a third of shoppers say they would be swayed by discount codes that can only be redeemed in person, while 27 per cent would be enticed by a free gift with in-store purchases.

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Boxing Day splurge forecast at £4.6bn despite cost-of-living concerns

Myenergi, a British startup that produces home chargers for electric vehicles and energy-saving devices, has swung from a £8.8 million profit to a pre-tax loss of £25 million in the year to May.

The company, whose high-profile backers include former Tesco chief Sir Terry Leahy, blamed the downturn on weaker demand, intensifying competition, and a write-down of £10 million on unsold stock.

Founded in 2016 by Lee Sutton and Jordan Brompton, Myenergi sells the popular Zappi home charger and technology that helps homeowners optimise power usage, particularly when generating their own electricity. However, in its latest results the company reported an 18 per cent drop in sales to £55.7 million, largely due to what it called “a challenging trading year” and rival chargers being bundled with car sales and finance deals.

In a bid to shore up its balance sheet, Myenergi raised £28.6 million in new investment from New York-based Energy Impact Partners in October at an undisclosed valuation, spending £5.6 million on related fees. As part of broader cost-cutting measures, it also reduced its Grimsby-based workforce from 445 to 339.

Chairman Peter Richardson, previously an executive at Dyson, hopes this will give Myenergi the firepower to compete. The company insists it remains in a strong financial position, with “good prospects for growth,” supported by more than a quarter of its revenue coming from overseas—primarily Europe.

Myenergi has reset its ambitions around a possible sale or stock market listing. Share options issued in 2022 were to vest if the business reached a valuation of at least £400 million, but these have since been cancelled. New options introduced this year will be triggered whenever existing shareholders exit the company.

The company’s struggles come as the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders reported a 45.5 per cent year-on-year drop in UK output of electric or hybrid vehicles in November. Market analysts, including Euromonitor International, say the growth rate of pure EV sales is slowing, with buyers increasingly attracted to hybrids that combine both engine and battery power.

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Home charger maker Myenergi slips into the red as EV demand stalls

Homebase is set to return in a slimmed-down format after the DIY chain’s collapse last month, with its new owner CDS confirming plans to reopen 70 former stores under the Range Superstores banner.

Each outlet will preserve the Homebase name in garden centre sections, and some will also incorporate Homebase-branded kitchen departments.

CDS, founded by ex-market trader Chris Dawson, intends to launch the first three converted stores on 17 January in Pollokshaws (Glasgow), Christchurch (Bournemouth) and Kings Heath (Birmingham), followed by 10 new openings per month from February. Headquartered in Plymouth, the privately owned retailer operates around 220 sites in the UK and Ireland under the Range and Wilko brands.

Homebase’s online presence will come under CDS’s control in early 2025, and Teneo – the administrator of the defunct chain – is seeking buyers for 49 outlets not included in the deal. During the transition, those remaining stores will continue trading under the Homebase name.

Alex Simpkin, chief executive of CDS, said: “We’re fully committed to retaining the best of Homebase’s heritage while introducing the broader product range and value that customers expect from us as the Range.”

The Homebase acquisition comes on the heels of CDS’s purchase of the Wilko brand in September 2023, after the budget homeware retailer fell into administration. CDS has since opened seven Wilko stores, primarily on high streets and in shopping centres, and plans further locations next year. However, targets to open 40 Wilko outlets this year have been scaled back due to tough competition in the discount retail sector and challenges in finding suitable premises.

Industry observers suggest the dual acquisitions of Wilko and Homebase could prime CDS for a stock market debut, a step it explored but later abandoned some years ago. Simpkin says the company’s “substantial investments in infrastructure” have prepared it for the “next phase of growth.”

He adds that the group is well positioned financially to expand into hundreds of potential sites, moving beyond the more traditional retail parks favoured by the Range to test a variety of store formats and locations.

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Homebase lives on as CDS revives DIY chain within newly branded the range stores

British consumers are opening their wallets more freely in the final run-up to Christmas, with retailers reporting a 2.3 per cent year-on-year rise in spending for the seven weeks to 20 December, according to figures from Visa.

Online sales led the increase, up 6.1 per cent, while electronics and homeware purchases enjoyed the most significant boost as department stores reported a 7 per cent uptick in trade.

However, not all retail categories shared in the festive lift. Clothing and accessories sales dropped by 2 per cent, underlining consumers’ desire to allocate their budgets more strategically. Analysts suggest a combination of careful spending and a mild autumn, which triggered widespread discounting, contributed to fashion’s subdued performance.

Alicia Ngomo Fernandez, head of UK consulting at Visa, said the data pointed to “moderate growth” in sales, accompanied by “stronger online shopping and solid growth in spending at department stores”. This cautious optimism comes as households benefit from an improvement in disposable income, which rose by 10.5 per cent in November, marking six straight months of double-digit gains, according to Asda’s Income Tracker compiled by Cebr.

Footfall on what retailers dubbed “Super Saturday” was up 0.8 per cent against the same day last year, with the consultancy Sensormatic Solutions estimating consumers would spend roughly £3 billion. Yet, visitor levels in high streets and shopping centres for the first three weeks of December remained 3.6 per cent below 2023, likely reflecting the continued impact of higher costs for essentials such as energy and groceries.

Commentators suggest part of the shortfall stems from an unusually late Black Friday period, which bled into December and pulled forward some Christmas purchases. Meanwhile, the timing of Christmas itself—arriving with two full weekdays left for last-minute shopping after the weekend—may also prop up footfall, especially as many families only started their holidays on Saturday.

Andy Sumpter, retail consultant at Sensormatic, expects a further push on Monday, tipped to be the third-busiest trading day of the year. “While ‘Super Saturday’ delivered a frenzy of festive footfall for retailers, the big question is whether these final flurries of Christmas trade will compensate for the earlier dip,” he said.

Despite the uneven performance, some retailers have not waited for Boxing Day to bring out the sale signs: New Look, The Range, and Debenhams launched early discounts, and Next offered VIP customers early access to its post-Christmas sale. With consumer sentiment warming but still tempered by cost-of-living pressures, many industry watchers are keenly awaiting the final figures to see if this year’s spending surge truly lives up to expectations.

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UK Christmas shopping rebounds with higher spending on high street and online

London’s iconic black cabs could all but vanish by 2040, warn long-serving cabbies who have seen their ranks thin by a third in the past decade.

At the heart of the crisis are mounting pressures to switch to electric vehicles, an ageing workforce reluctant to invest in pricey new taxis, and city-wide “anti-car” measures that drivers say make it harder than ever to serve passengers swiftly.

The scale of the downturn in driver numbers is striking: from a record high of 25,538 in 2014, figures from November 2024 show only 16,965 now remain—a 33.6 per cent fall. While demand for black cabs has stayed strong, the pool of available vehicles and drivers is steadily draining, with many nearing retirement and fewer newcomers taking the plunge.

Steve McNamara, head of the Licensed Taxi Driver’s Association, believes cabbies are being taken for granted. He claims that a proliferation of low traffic neighbourhoods, along with a maze of cycle lanes and 20mph restrictions, has turned London into a place “virtually impossible” to navigate. “They’ve built a road network for white middle-class men using cycle lanes to the detriment of the majority of Londoners,” he says. “It’s incredibly stressful and a lot of people think, ‘I can’t do this anymore.’”

For drivers who remain on the road, earnings have been buoyant. Fewer taxis in circulation means black cabs now control a bigger slice of the market, enabling some drivers to earn as much as £100,000 a year. Even so, Transport for London (TfL) is considering raising fixed fares by a further 7.5 per cent in 2025, on top of recent hikes totalling more than 15 per cent since 2022.

Ironically, those rising fares have not dampened passenger demand. Yet cabbie Tom Hutley worries about how rising prices, coupled with re-routed journeys due to road restrictions, will affect customer perceptions. “If it takes twice as long and costs £15 instead of £10, people might choose a different option next time,” he warns.

The ever-growing number of private hire vehicles, including Uber, once threatened to undercut black cabs with low-cost fares. However, a combination of surge pricing and inflationary pressures has made black cabs more competitive. “We’re no longer necessarily more expensive than Uber,” McNamara says. For many passengers, a metered taxi with a regulated tariff now feels no different in price.

Despite the environmental upsides, the shift to electric taxis poses a financial barrier for many drivers. A new electric black cab can cost up to £80,000, or £100,000 on finance. Around 60 per cent of London’s black cabs are now zero-emission vehicles, but part-time drivers and those nearing retirement are reluctant to invest so heavily. Diesel taxis must be taken off the road at 12 years old under TfL’s green policies, meaning older vehicles with plenty of life left can no longer operate.

“I’m in my 60s and don’t plan on shelling out £80,000,” one veteran cabbie explains. “I haven’t got an issue with electric, but I won’t be doing that.” Previous grants of up to £10,000 to scrap older diesel taxis have ended, leaving drivers with fewer incentives to upgrade.

The Knowledge—London’s famed requirement to memorise 25,000 streets—still attracts newcomers, yet not enough to offset the mass of drivers reaching retirement. TfL data shows 62 per cent of current cabbies are over 53, with limited interest among younger generations to replace them.

Neil Garratt of the London Assembly says the city’s black cabs are “at a crossroads” and has urged the Mayor to act quickly: “Black cabs are a vital means of transport, and it’s within the Mayor’s powers to secure their future.”

TfL’s Graham Robinson adds that a revised action plan is in progress to support “hard-working black cab drivers”. Funding, he says, has helped many switch to greener vehicles, along with improving the city’s taxi ranks and widening access to bus lanes. But for many cabbies, these measures might be too little, too late to save an industry on the brink.

Read more:
London’s black cabs on the brink: why driver numbers are plummeting and what’s at stake

BMW has acknowledged that more than 100 of its high-end vehicles were sold to Russian customers, breaching international sanctions imposed after the Kremlin’s invasion of Ukraine.

The German carmaker attributed the sales to a handful of rogue employees at its Hanover branch, who have since been dismissed.

BMW, along with other major German manufacturers like Volkswagen, Porsche and Mercedes, halted direct exports to Russia in early 2022. However, the incident underscores how Western goods are still reaching the Russian market, often via so-called “back door” routes that circumvent sanctions.

Although trade volumes between Germany and Russia have plummeted since the restrictions were introduced, there has been a significant uptick in exports to former Soviet states such as Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Armenia and Georgia—countries not themselves subject to sanctions. The Institute for International Finance points to a 5,500 per cent jump in German car exports to Kyrgyzstan and sharp increases for Kazakhstan, Armenia and Georgia, noting how reported figures often fail to match local import records, indicating “phantom destination” shipments.

A BMW spokesman said the group has now stopped any pending deliveries following the “irregularities” uncovered by its internal controls. “In recent months, the products of various companies have been available for purchase in Russia even though the companies themselves have acted in accordance with all the applicable sanctions. Usually, this is the result of ‘grey market’ imports. The BMW Group has a range of measures in place to prevent such imports.”

The spokesman added that, while it continues to comply with the embargo, some staff had knowingly facilitated unauthorised sales. “Further deliveries of vehicles ordered have now been halted, and the decision was taken to dismiss the main employees responsible,” he said.

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BMW admits ‘irregularities’ with 100 Russian car sales despite sanctions

Aviva has struck a definitive agreement to purchase Direct Line for £3.7 billion, creating one of the largest motor insurance providers in Britain. The FTSE 100 insurer will pay 275p per share for the FTSE 250-listed company, representing a 73.3 per cent premium to Direct Line’s share price before talks emerged in November.

The acquisition, set for completion by mid-next year, will also create a leading home insurance business and is forecast to bring in around £125 million in cost savings. However, the resulting consolidation is expected to put roughly 2,000 jobs at risk. Aviva says it aims to address some of these redundancies through existing vacancies and redeployment opportunities across the combined group.

Danuta Gray, chair of Direct Line, said the offer delivered “significant value” for shareholders, noting the company’s established brands, robust customer focus and skilled workforce. Once merged, Aviva will stand toe-to-toe with Admiral in the fiercely competitive motor insurance market, while also solidifying its position as the UK’s biggest home insurer.

Dame Amanda Blanc, Aviva’s chief executive, said the deal accelerates her strategy of building more capital-light lines of business. She emphasised the strong alignment in how both companies serve customers, adding that the enlarged group will offer “competitive pricing, an enhanced claims experience and even better service.”

Having sold eight international operations since 2020, Aviva has been refocusing its portfolio on the UK, Ireland and Canada. Its surprise approach for Direct Line last month also included bids for Churchill and Green Flag, both of which are part of Direct Line’s suite of brands.

The takeover follows a challenging period for Direct Line, which was hit by a series of profit warnings in 2022 and 2023 amid rising motor insurance claims. An earlier £3.2 billion offer from Belgian insurer Ageas fell through last year, just months after Direct Line appointed Adam Winslow, formerly of Aviva, as its chief executive.

Aviva expects the combined entity to boost earnings per share by about 10 per cent once it achieves the targeted cost savings. It plans to lift its dividend by a mid-single digit percentage after the deal closes; at present, Aviva yields 7.4 per cent, among the highest in the FTSE 100.

Under the terms of the deal, Direct Line shareholders will receive a mix of cash and shares: 0.2867 new Aviva shares, 129.7p in cash, and up to 5p in dividends. Aviva will own approximately 87.5 per cent of the newly merged company upon completion.

Shares in Aviva closed up 1.1 per cent at 462½p, while Direct Line gained 3.8 per cent to 252½p.

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Aviva agrees £3.7bn deal to acquire Direct Line, forming a UK motor insurance powerhouse

The prospect of swift economic recovery remains elusive, Sir Keir Starmer warned on Monday, as official figures confirmed the UK economy stagnated in the third quarter.

Downing Street stopped short of denying the possibility of further tax rises, fuelling concerns among businesses that the government’s package of fiscal measures might not be enough to steady the ship.

Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed gross domestic product (GDP) flatlined at 0.0% between July and September, down from an initial estimate of 0.1% growth. The revision raises the spectre of recession, particularly after the ONS downgraded second-quarter growth to 0.4% from 0.5%. The legal and advertising sectors, along with pubs and restaurants, were cited as the main drags on output.

Paul Dales, chief UK economist at Capital Economics, noted that despite a strong first half of the year, momentum has dissipated. “The economy ground to a halt in the second half of the year due to lingering higher interest rates, weaker overseas demand and concerns over the budget,” he said. Dales expects 2025 to be “a better year” but warns that the economy is losing steam in the final months of 2024.

With Paul Johnson, director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, cautioning that Labour’s Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, may have to “come back for more money” from the public, the government has been reluctant to rule out further tax hikes. When pressed, Starmer’s spokesman highlighted Reeves’s statement that her October budget was “once-in-a-parliament” and had “wiped the slate clean” by addressing a £22 billion fiscal shortfall. Yet he admitted the possibility remains that additional tax rises could be necessary.

Reeves’s inaugural budget introduced around £40 billion in tax increases, including a £25 billion rise in employers’ national insurance contributions. The measures have been linked to faltering business confidence, with the Confederation of British Industry reporting its weakest growth forecasts since November 2022. The Bank of England also revised its fourth-quarter outlook down to 0.0% from 0.3%, indicating a stalling economy in the latter part of 2024.

Starmer’s spokesman insisted the government is laser-focused on spurring economic growth that “delivers for working people,” but acknowledged that fixing the damage done over the past 15 years “won’t happen overnight.” Reeves echoed this sentiment, describing the scale of the task as “huge” but adding that it has only intensified Labour’s determination to “deliver for working people.”

Liz McKeown, the ONS’s director of economic statistics, explained that the ongoing weakness across key service sectors is compounding the slowdown. Meanwhile, although household disposable income rose annually by 4.5% in the third quarter, the savings ratio remains well above its pre-pandemic average, hinting that many households are bracing for further financial turbulence.

Read more:
Flatlining economy prompts Starmer’s warning: ‘no overnight fix’ amid fresh tax hike fears

Moonpig, the UK’s largest online card retailer, has introduced a new artificial intelligence (AI) feature that aims to recreate the sentiment of a handwritten note—without the need to pick up a pen.

Announced this month, the tool allows users to generate a unique digital font based on their own handwriting, which can then be stored in their account and reused for messages on future cards.

According to Nickyl Raithatha, Moonpig’s chief executive, the innovation was a year in the making and addresses the biggest shortfall of sending digital cards. “Handwriting has always been a major barrier for people who think that e-cards aren’t personal enough,” Raithatha explains. “Our new tool bridges the gap between the convenience of online shopping and the warmth of a heartfelt, handwritten message.”

Customers can create their custom “font” by writing each letter of the alphabet—both upper and lower case—using their usual handwriting style. Once complete, the technology processes these samples and produces a bespoke digital typeface that’s saved to their Moonpig account, ready to lend a personal touch to any card.

Launched in 2000 by Nick Jenkins, Moonpig went public on the London Stock Exchange in 2021. Under Raithatha’s leadership since 2018, the retailer has ramped up its focus on tech and data-driven features to personalise customer experiences. Earlier this year, Moonpig integrated ChatGPT, enabling users to generate written content for cards, whether it’s a playful poem or a thoughtful condolence message.

Surprisingly—though perhaps not for some—Raithatha says men are “twice as likely” as women to use the AI text feature. “It’s used a lot for Valentine’s Day, but we’re also seeing a spike in using AI for condolence cards because many customers find it hard to express such sentiments.”

Moonpig has already hinted at further AI innovations, including computer-generated stickers due to launch before the year’s end. Yet not all its ventures are running smoothly. The company reported a £33.3 million interim pre-tax loss for the six months leading to October, compared with an £18.9 million profit a year earlier. While revenue grew by 3.8% to £158 million—buoyed by a 10% rise at the Moonpig brand itself—an underperforming “experiences” division has delayed the company’s plans to integrate gift experiences more fully into its offering. That business, acquired for £124 million two and a half years ago, was recently written down by £56.7 million.

Despite these challenges, Raithatha is confident that AI-led personalisation remains a winning formula, promising a future in which ordering cards online no longer sacrifices the unique charm of handwriting. As the holiday season approaches, users seeking to add a dash of personal flair to their digital greetings have a new, technologically sophisticated way to do so—no pen required.

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Moonpig debuts AI handwriting tool to bring personal touch back to online cards

Dr. Suganthan Kayilasanathan is a dedicated family physician and the visionary Founder/CEO of a virtual healthcare service, designed to enhance patient care through technology.

Born and raised in the Seychelles Islands before migrating to Canada in 1988, he brings a unique perspective to his practice, shaped by a diverse background and a commitment to community well-being.

Dr. Kayilasanathan earned his BSc from the University of Western Ontario in 2001, followed by an MD from the Medical University of the Americas in 2007, and completed his residency in Family Medicine in 2009. In addition to his medical practice, he is actively involved in sports, having played on the Ontario U19 cricket team and engaged in various other athletics including volleyball and track & field. His hobbies include meditation, yoga, hiking, chess, and stamp collecting, each reflecting his holistic approach to life and health.

Suganthan is also a committed volunteer at his local temple, where he contributes to health education and community outreach programs, aligning his professional skills with philanthropic efforts to support and educate his community.

Dr. Kayilasanathan, let’s start with your early life. What was it like growing up in the Seychelles, and how do you think that influenced your choice to pursue a career in medicine?

Growing up in the Seychelles was a unique experience that deeply shaped who I am. The close-knit community and the natural beauty of the islands instilled in me a sense of responsibility towards health and well-being, not just for myself but for the community. The support and mentorship from my family, especially coming from a family of lawyers, encouraged a rigorous approach to my studies and career, steering me towards medicine where I felt I could make a significant impact.

You’ve been quite active in sports, notably cricket. How have sports influenced your approach to medicine and your role as a family physician?

Sports taught me about teamwork, discipline, and resilience—qualities that are invaluable in medicine. As a family physician, I see my role not just as a caregiver but as part of a larger team that includes patients, other healthcare providers, and the community. Cricket, with its strategic depth, improved my decision-making skills and patience, which are crucial when managing complex cases or long-term care plans.

Could you share more about your initiative with virtual and mobile healthcare services? What inspired you to start it and what was the goal?

I had a desire to bridge gaps in our healthcare system, particularly in providing accessible, efficient, and comprehensive care. The idea was to leverage technology to enhance patient care and streamline administrative processes, allowing doctors more time to focus on patient interactions. Our goal is to make healthcare more proactive and preventive, rather than just reactive.

As a physician, you must have a busy schedule. How do you incorporate hobbies like meditation, yoga, and hiking into your routine?

It’s all about balance and setting priorities. I find that these activities, particularly meditation and yoga, are not just hobbies but essential components of my personal well-being. They help me manage stress, maintain my physical health, and enhance my mental clarity, which in turn makes me a better doctor. I schedule these activities into my week just like any other appointment.

What does your role as a volunteer at your temple involve, and how does this align with your personal and professional life?

Volunteering at the temple is a way for me to give back to the community and stay connected to my cultural roots. It involves organizing community events, providing health education sessions, and supporting outreach programs. This role complements my professional work by allowing me to approach health from a holistic perspective, considering spiritual as well as physical well-being.

Stamp collecting is quite a unique hobby. What sparked your interest in this, and what is one of your favorite pieces?

My interest in stamp collecting began during my childhood in the Seychelles, where I was fascinated by stamps from different parts of the world, each telling its own story. It’s a hobby that requires patience and attention to detail. One of my favorite pieces is a vintage stamp from the early 20th century Seychelles, which reminds me of home.

With such a rich and varied life, how do you define success?

For me, success is about impact—whether that’s improving a patient’s health, inspiring a community, or nurturing a family. It’s measured by the positive changes we bring into the lives of others, not just by personal achievements.

Can you share a significant challenge you’ve faced in your medical career and how you overcame it?

One significant challenge is integrating technology with traditional healthcare practices. There was skepticism and resistance. Overcoming this involved a lot of dialogue, demonstrations of efficacy, and adapting solutions in real-time to suit practitioner and patient needs. It taught me a lot about change management and resilience.

Looking to the future, what are some goals or aspirations you have, both personally and professionally?

Professionally, I aim to improve healthcare accessibility across Canada and potentially globally. Personally, I am working towards enhancing my understanding and practice of holistic medicine, integrating more alternative therapies into my practice. I also plan to continue my travels, learning from different cultures and their approaches to health and well-being.

Finally, for anyone aspiring to enter the medical field, what advice would you give them?

Be prepared for a lifelong journey of learning. Medicine is constantly evolving, and so should you. Embrace the challenges as opportunities to grow. Always remember the human element—compassion, empathy, and genuine care are as important as scientific knowledge.

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An In-Depth Conversation with Dr. Suganthan Kayilasanathan: Balancing the Scales of Medicine and Life