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Miriam Mutebi: The Hidden Cost of Caring for Others in Healthcare

Miriam Mutebi/LinkedIn

Aug 29, 2025, 10:51

Miriam Mutebi: The Hidden Cost of Caring for Others in Healthcare

Miriam Mutebi, Breast Surgical Oncologist and Assistant Professor in the Department of Surgery at the Aga Khan University Hospital, shared a post on LinkedIn:

“→ 𝐈’𝐯𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐨𝐧 𝐚 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐦𝐲 𝐧𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐥 𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐞.

At least, that’s what my calendar says.

It hasn’t really felt like a break because sometimes, the nature of who we are and what we do makes it that the wheels never really stop turning.

Even when we step away from the wards, the theatres, the clinics, the long consults, our minds don’t always follow.

That’s the story of so many healthcare workers.

We fight hard to make sure no one dies on the operating table. We push through exhaustion to ensure patient after patient gets the quality care they deserve. Somewhere in between, we forget that we, too, are human.

We forget to unplug. We forget to rest or don’t know how. Even when it’s recommended, we forget to put ourselves first.

This isn’t just about getting burned out. It’s about the quiet cost of caring for everyone else, while often neglecting the one person who makes that care possible: yourself.

Think of it like a seed.

A seed has all the potential to bloom into something beautiful. But if we don’t water it, it withers before it ever flowers.

We are no different. Our pause; our rest, is the water we need to keep showing up. Without it, even the strongest among us eventually runs dry.

If you’re a health worker reading this, please hear me:

Your rest is not a luxury. Your well-being is not negotiable. It’s the foundation for every life you touch.

So my gentle reminder today is as much to myself as it is to you:
Take that pause.

Protect your downtime moments. I know it’s hard to put yourself first when the wards need you, but the wards will always need us.

You can’t pour from an empty cup.

Below:

Me, looking like my cup is full, but trust me, it’s the coffee! :-).
Let’s be intentional about rest and downtime this weekend. Happy Friday!”

Miriam Mutebi