Awakening Doctor
The Awakening Doctor podcast explores the personal stories of those who work in the medical and health professions. Each episode aims to highlight the humanity of an individual doctor or healer, and thereby challenge and transform social perceptions of the profession and the individuals who practice it. Join Dr. Maria Christodoulou as she meets with colleagues, leaders, and educators in healthcare to reveal the human side of being a medical professional.
Episodes
Dr Anne Biccard, Grand Old Lady of the ED
Dr Anne Biccard has spent nearly three decades working on the frontlines of South Africa’s healthcare system, much of that time in the intensity and unpredictability of the emergency department. In this episode of Awakening Doctor, Anne speaks candidly about the stubborn determination that carried her through medical school, the realities of life in the ED, and the emotional cost of always having
Dr Wonderful Thabiso Khumalo, A Young Man from Katlehong
What are the odds that a young man from Sluma View, Katlehong, will find himself at Oxford University?Whatever they are, Dr Wonderful Thabiso Khumalo, medical doctor, Rhodes scholar, award-winning poet, and emerging global health researcher, has defied them. In this episode of Awakening Doctor, Thabiso speaks candidly about growing up without his biological father, losing his mother as a teenager,
Chloe Hope, The End-of-Life Doula
What might change if we allowed ourselves to really be with death? If we turned towards our mortality, rather than away from it?In this episode of Awakening Doctor, host Maria Christodoulou speaks with end-of-life doula, death educator, and writer Chloe Hope about what it takes to accompany people at the threshold between life and death.Chloe shares the childhood loss that shaped her relationship
Sarah Stein, Being a Good Human
Before she even graduates as a doctor, final-year medical student Sarah Stein is already asking questions many doctors avoid.Her widely published article, What They Don’t Teach in Medical School, in which she wrote candidly about moral distress, emotional isolation, and the realities of becoming a doctor in South Africa’s resource-constrained public health system, travelled far enough beyond the l
Dr Lethukwenama Letsoalo, A Girl from Bergville
In this episode of Awakening Doctor, we meet Dr Lethukwenama Letsoalo, a medical doctor from Bergville in rural KwaZulu-Natal, whose personal journey into medicine and public health is deeply shaped by community, identity, and purpose.Lethukwenama reflects on growing up as the only girl in a household of seven children, the early inspiration that drew her to medicine, and the youthful certainty th
Dr Bianca Leigh Edwards, The Children's GP
What do you do when the plan you’re committed to doesn’t work out the way you’d hoped, but your sense of purpose stays the same? Dr Bianca Leigh Edwards - or Dr B, as she’s affectionately known by her patients - had her heart set on becoming a paediatric oncologist even in her teens. Life, however, had other plans. In this episode of Awakening Doctor, we reflect on the early childhood influences
Prof Lydia Cairncross, Reclaiming the Feminine
From growing up among political exiles to advocating for the right to health and shaping national policy, Professor Lydia Cairncross's career traces the edges of the operating table and the front lines of social change.Voted one of Mail & Guardian's 50 most powerful women in 2022, she is a pioneering researcher in breast and endocrine surgery, and the first female Head of the Departm
Prof Tasleem Ras, Leading with Community at Heart
What would the world be like if we understood that each time a patient shares their story, they are inviting us into the sacred ground of their life? What wisdom might we gain from truly listening to those we aim to help? How might we transform our institutions to better serve our communities?For Professor Tasleem Ras, family physician, educator, researcher, and Head of UCT's Department of Fa
Dr Yumna Moosa, Truth-Teller
In this episode of Awakening Doctor, we meet Dr Yumna Moosa, clinician-scientist, mathematician, mother, activist, and truth-teller.Fresh from her PhD graduation, Yumna speaks with striking honesty about navigating motherhood and dealing with the breakdown of her marriage while completing her studies. She reflects on how trauma can disrupt even the most resilient among us, and how the love and sup
Dr Angela de Sá, Reclaiming the Humanity in Healthcare
What are the deeper reasons that draw us into the healing professions, and how do they shape the way we practice medicine?In this episode of Awakening Doctor, Dr Angela de Sá – family physician, integral coach, and senior lecturer at UCT's Department of Family, Community, and Emergency Care – reflects on the experiences that have shaped and defined her medical career. From childhood illness a
Prof Hennie Botha, Leading with Humility
Professor Hennie Botha is a renowned gynaecological oncologist and the Executive Head of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Stellenbosch University. A leading clinician, teacher, mentor and researcher, with a particular interest in cervical cancer treatment and prevention. In this episode of Awakening Doctor, Prof Botha joins Dr Maria Christodoulou to reflect on his leadership journey and medical caree
Prof Beth Engelbrecht, Leading with Grace
Servant leadership is not a job description; it’s a way of being. One that Professor Beth Engelbrecht has embodied with rare clarity and quiet conviction across more than three decades of public service in South Africa. In this episode of Awakening Doctor, we learn about her extraordinary personal and professional journey from young district surgeon to transformative leader shaping a more ethical
Dr Anita Parbhoo, Leading with Heart
As a child, Dr. Anita Parbhoo waited in the car outside Cape Town’s world-renowned Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital while her father did pre-med ward rounds. Today, she leads that very same hospital as its CEO, and her innovative leadership contributions are setting a benchmark for excellence in child health services nationwide.In this episode of Awakening Doctor, we trace her journey fr
Dr Aisha Moolla, Doing Hard Things
What happens when you walk away from the life everyone expects you to live? In this episode of Awakening Doctor, Dr. Aisha Moolla shares her personal story of walking away from a career in clinical medicine midway through her internship - not because she couldn’t do it, but because she finally surrendered to the truth that she didn’t want to.Now a PhD candidate at the University of Sheffield, Aish
Dr Hloni Bookholane, Breaking Up With Medicine
Is it okay for a doctor to decide that medicine is not the nucleus of their life?In this episode of Awakening Doctor, we sit down with Dr. Hloni Bookholane, author of Becoming a Doctor: Learnings and unlearnings about life and the politics of medicine, to discuss his decision to walk away from clinical medicine shortly after completing his community service - a choice he likens to a difficult but
Dr Rosemary Pitsi, A Heart for People
Dr. Rosemary Pitsi is a dedicated young doctor currently working at a tertiary hospital in South Africa's North West province. She is also the founder of Book Buddies, a literacy initiative for underprivileged children, and co-founder of Medtimes, a medical rostering platform designed to streamline scheduling for healthcare workers and institutions.In this episode of Awakening Doctor, we expl
Prof Nomafrench Mbombo, A Bloody Difficult Woman
Prof. Nomafrench Mbombo is a distinguished leader with over three decades of experience spanning healthcare, academia, politics, and public service; a woman with an unwavering commitment to social justice, equitable healthcare and the empowerment of marginalised communities.In this episode of Awakening Doctor, we learn about her humble beginnings in Mdantsane township, her thwarted ambitions to go
Dr Moratwe Masima, A Driven Dreamer
From her achievement as the Miss South Africa runner-up in 2021 to her impactful roles as medical doctor, health advocate and social media influencer, Dr Moratwe Masima is determined to redefine what it means to be a health professional in the 21st century. In this episode of Awakening Doctor, we explore her commitment to living an intentional life, the courage to dream big, and the tension betwee
Prof Elma de Vries, Doing What Her Hands Find To Do
In this inspiring episode of Awakening Doctor, senior family physician and MBChB Programme Coordinator at Nelson Mandela University, Professor Elma de Vries, reflects on her journey of growing up in apartheid-era South Africa to becoming a passionate advocate for marginalised communities and a leading champion for gender-affirming care. Drawing on a rich tapestry of personal and professional expe
Dr Danielle Botma, A Junior Doctor
Have you ever wondered what it’s like to endure the sleepless nights and emotional highs and lows of being a doctor? In this episode of Awakening Doctor, Dr. Danielle Botma offers an intimate glimpse into the life of a junior doctor in South Africa's public healthcare system.Through the lens of her personal story, we’re made aware of the stark contrast between the idealism that drives young s
Dr Yonela Sanelisiwe Kentane, A Stellenbosch 'Dokter'
In this episode of Awakening Doctor, we meet Dr Yonela Sanelisiwe Kentane, a young doctor standing at the threshold of her medical career after completing six years of medical school, two years of internship, and one year of community service in South Africa’s public healthcare system. As she navigates the uncertainty of her next steps and reveals the struggle to balance personal life with profess
Dr Nabeela Kajee, Walking Through Places of Privilege
Is it possible to be a full human being when your profession demands so much of you? Does being a clinician require you to be removed from your patient’s experience, or from your own experience as you witness theirs? What is it that we need to protect in medicine? These are the questions that Dr Nabeela Kajee, medical doctor, writer, thinker, poet and Rhodes scholar, grapples with as she navigates
Prof Regan Solomons, Shaping the Future of Paediatric Healthcare
What distinguishes a 21st-century paediatrician working in a resource-constrained setting from his predecessors? This is the question at the heart of Professor Regan Solomon’s leadership vision and one that he unassumingly answers with his own presence and way of being in the world.A highly esteemed Paediatric Neurologist and the Executive Head of Paediatrics and Child Health at Tygerberg Hospital
Prof Hoffie Conradie, Navigating the Continuum of Care
In considering the landscape of modern healthcare, the conversation often centres around technological advancements, groundbreaking treatments, and cutting-edge research. In this episode of Awakening Doctor, Professor Hoffie Conradie, Emeritus Professor of Family Medicine and dedicated life coach and mentor, reminds us that the heart of medicine lies in relationships and continuity of care.As we n
Dr Gianna Brummer, Reclaiming the Soul in Medicine
If you’ve ever felt like a square peg in a round-hole world, especially within the hallowed halls of medicine, then this episode of Awakening Doctor is for you. Dr. Gianna Brummer, a medical doctor with extensive psychotherapeutic training, shares her personal story of reclaiming body, mind, and soul within medical practice.Together, we explore the evolution of her career from the confines of conv
Dr Nondumiso Makhunga-Stevenson, Redefining the Narrative of a Medical Career
Dr. Nondumiso Makhunga-Stevenson is a medical doctor, clinical epidemiologist and physician coach whose story weaves together threads of traditional wisdom, social justice, and cutting-edge medical practice. In this episode of Awakening Doctor, we explore the many contrasts that have defined her professional career, the legacy that shapes her holistic approach to patient care, and her deep convict
Prof Lynette Denny, Living in the Body of the World
The late Professor Lynette Denny was one of medicine’s foremost trailblazers in the field of cervical cancer research. A world-renowned gynaecological oncologist, distinguished scientist, and passionate advocate for women’s health issues around the globe.In this episode of Awakening Doctor, recorded a few weeks before her passing, Lyn talked candidly about her lifetime of public service in South A
Dr Paul Abramowitz, Bridging Biology & Consciousness
Dr Paul Abramowitz is a specialist periodontist, sex and intimacy therapist, and the author of "Sexed, Hardwired by Nature, Evolving by Choice". From childhood epiphanies about the nature of reality to the legacy of his family’s medical lineage and the weighty influence of apartheid, race, privilege, and an ongoing journey with long COVID, Paul's story is an invitation to a deeper c
Reflections on the First Year of Podcasting
Join host Dr. Maria Christodoulou and producer Amy Kaye, as we reflect on the podcast journey of 2023. With more than 1200 downloads, 8 episodes, and listeners in over 30 countries and 137 cities around the world, we are grateful for the meaningful connections we have forged and the budding community we are building. Each episode has provided us an opportunity to weave our love of storytelling int
Irene Sullivan, The Heart of a Healer
In this episode of Awakening Doctor, we meet the extraordinary Irene F. Sullivan, a trauma nurse practitioner with a multifaceted career spanning art, medicine, theology, philosophy, and cultural anthropology.Her story takes us from the hustle of an inner-city hospital in the United States to the vast expanses of remote Alaska, and from the rural landscapes of Boulder, Colorado, to an artist’s stu
Dr Patrick Hanaway, Walking Between the Worlds
Dr. Patrick Hanaway is a board-certified family physician and leading role player in the evolution and expansion of Integrative and Functional Medicine across the globe. He is also an initiated Mara’akame (indigenous healer) in the tradition of the Wixarika people of the Sierra Madres in Mexico, holding community fires, leading ritual ceremonies and offering traditional healing sessions. A modern-
Dr Lisa Joy Africa, An Artist in Medicine
Dr Lisa Africa’s journey into medicine was guided by her artistic sensibilities and her fascination with the intricate wonders of the human body. Today, she is a healer and a visual artist who seamlessly integrates her artistic ability and her medical expertise to empower and educate her patients. In this episode of Awakening Doctor we sat down to talk about her experiences as a young doctor worki
Rod Suskin, Astrologer & Sangoma
Rod Suskin is an internationally renowned astrologer, sangoma, teacher, author, academic, and TV and media personality based in Cape Town, South Africa. In this episode of Awakening Doctor, Rod shares his personal story of becoming a traditional healer and offers unique insights into the interplay between destiny, purpose, and the cosmic forces that shape our lives.We talk about the divination too
Dr Sheron Forgus, Family Physician
Dr Sheron Forgus is a specialist family physician, budding novelist, dedicated wife and mother, and passionate advocate for coaching and mentoring as a means to personal and professional wellbeing.In this episode of Awakening Doctor, Sheron talks to us about her experiences as a senior clinician at a community clinic in Cape Town and gives a candid account of the personal circumstances that eventu
Dr Liana Roodt, A Woman in Surgery
Dr. Liana Roodt is a breast, endocrine and general surgeon based in South Africa. In this episode of Awakening Doctor, Liana shares with us her personal story of pursuing a career in a traditionally male-dominated field.We explore her motivation for specialising in breast cancer surgery, her commitment to “surgery with soul”, and the inspiration that led her to found Project Flamingo, a non-profit
Dr Keith Cloete, A Son of the Western Cape
From his humble beginnings in Cape Town’s District Six to his appointment as Head of the Western Cape Government’s Department of Health in 2020, Dr Keith Cloete shares his unique perspective on leadership as “a son of the Western Cape” and reveals how core values instilled by his parents have helped him to make meaning of his purpose and destiny.In this inaugural episode of the Awakening Doctor po
