A junior doctor who won Miss England diagnosed a fracture in a fellow Miss World contestant’s wrist during rehearsals after other doctors allegedly told her it was ‘just a sprain’.
Bhasha Mukherjee, 23, was approached by Miss Luxembourg, Melanie Heynsbroek, 20, during rehearsals for the world famous pageant in London last week because her wrist was painful.
The beauty queen examined her fellow contestant’s wrist and suggested an X-ray as she believed it was fractured – and when Melanie was rushed to A&E doctors there confirmed the bone was broken.
Ms Mukherjee claims Ms Heynsbroek had already been to see a doctor and had an x-ray in Luxembourg after she fell over at an ice rink, but medics missed the fracture.
The pair are currently rehearsing for the Miss World pageant, which is due to take place on December 14 at ExCel London.
Miss Luxembourg, Melanie Heynsbroek, (left) in her cast after fellow contestant, Bhasha Mukherjee,correctly diagnosed her fractured wrist
Bhasha Mukherjee (above) at Pilgrim Hospital, Boston. She started her new NHS hospital role as a junior doctor in August just hours after winning the Miss England final in Newcastle
Ms Mukherjee when she won the Miss England contest in August. She diagnosed her fellow contestant with a broken wrist at the Miss World pageant in London
Ms Mukherjee at Pilgrim Hospital. She was scouted in 2016 to compete in a pageant aimed at increasing diversity in beauty contests across the UK, before entering Miss England this year
Ms Mukherjee, who grew up in India but now lives in Derby, said: ‘Melanie approached me a day after rehearsals saying her wrist was painful and asked if I could have a look.
‘I went to her room and took a thorough history and examination – I had to do some quick revision as I hadn’t dealt with fractures for almost a year.
‘I accompanied her to the Miss World office and told them my findings and that we should really x-ray it.
‘It’s possible due to Melanie using that wrist for carrying luggage that the two bone fragments may have moved and caused the new pain.
‘But we have a saying in medicine to treat a patient, not the x-ray – the x-ray is a confirmation but history and examination is primary.’
Miss Luxembourg, Ms Heynsbroek, believes she could have sustained the fracture falling on ice filming a video for the pageant.
She said: ‘Two weeks ago, I made the official video for the Miss World pageant and then I fell down in an ice arena in Luxembourg.
Melanie Heynsbroek asked Ms Mukherjee for help during rehearsals for the Miss World pageant in London last week because her wrist was painful
The Miss World 2019 contestant, Bhasha Mukherjee, joined her rivals on a boat cruise along the Thames to take in London’s most famous landmarks and attractions last week
Bhasha Mukherjee at work in the hospital. She is now a junior doctor as well as the current face of Miss England
‘I went to the hospital the same day and they did an X-ray to scan it and [the doctors] said that I sprained my hand.
‘One week later I fell [on the same hand] one more time. On the day of the sports challenge I woke up and I wasn’t able to move my hand and [was in] a lot of pain.
‘I took medicine and went to the sports challenge and told no-one about my hand.
‘Because I know Bhasha is studying medicine and she is also a doctor, I wanted to ask her if she could check my arm and see if everything was fine.
‘Bhasha did such a good job – she is a great doctor and I hope that she will continue her work and I wish her all the success.
‘I must wear the cast until I get home and I feel a little bit sad about it, but this shows me that to participate at the Miss World pageant, all girls must be strong.’
Ms Mukherjee, who has a genius IQ of 146, grew up in India but moved to the UK at the age of nine and settled in Derby.
She was scouted in 2016 to compete in a pageant which aimed to increase diversity in beauty contests across the UK, before entering Miss England this year.
Miss World contestants (left to right) Northern Ireland’s Lauren Eve Leckey, Wales’ Gabriella Jukes, England’s Bhasha Mukherjee, Scotland’s Keryn Matthew, and Ireland’s Chelsea Farrell
Bhasha Mukherjee, 23, at the Pilgrim Hospital in Boston with her scrubs on as well as her new crown and sash
And the current Asian Face of Miss England 2019, who already holds a bachelor degree in medical sciences, graduated in July with a second degree in medicine and surgery from the University of Nottingham.
She started her new NHS hospital role as a junior doctor at Pilgrim Hospital in Boston, Lincolnshire, in August just hours after winning the final in Newcastle.
Ms Mukherjee has commended Ms Heynsbroek for her courage after having to wear a cast for the remainder of the competition.
The junior doctor, who also speaks five languages, added: ‘Melanie has been brave and was initially demoralised by having to wear a cast after being at A&E.
‘She never doubted my judgement though and we have all kept her spirits up!
‘The diagnosis felt like a personal victory – during my time working at the hospital, the leadership and decisions are mostly consultant lead.
Here I was able to make my own diagnosis from scratch, it felt great I was proud of myself.’
Miss England, Bhasha Mukherjee, hard at work as a junior doctor. She holds a bachelor degree in medical sciences and graduated in July with a second degree in medicine and surgery
Ms Mukherjee’s mother Mita revealed her daughter was bullied at school for her glasses and crooked teeth and for ‘being an immigrant’
The beauty queen is now looking forward to competing in the final stage of Miss World next weekend after intense daily stage rehearsals and activities.
She added: ‘It doesn’t feel real that the finale is next week – for us, each day feels like seven days.
‘We have so many activities fitted into one day and it’s like being at a camp.
‘We’ve been preparing daily with seven hour long stage rehearsals and are putting together a show, and I’m going to miss all these rehearsals and the team bonding we had.
‘We are so close to getting the crown this year, it’s in our home country and we really need everyone’s support.
‘Let’s bring home the crown for Miss World and inspire young people to make a change.’
You can vote for Dr Bhasha Mukherjee through the Mobstar mobile app by following her and liking her posts.