Miriam Mutebi: A Simple African Analogy for My Patients

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

“Chemotherapy feels like swallowing a whole cow. Surgery? Just the hind legs. Radiotherapy? The tail.

I was thinking about this the other day. Not swallowing a real cow, but how undoubtedly, while cancer treatment is intense, surgery, done right, is often simpler than you think.

When people hear the word surgery, it can feel overwhelming.

In breast cancer treatment, chemotherapy is usually the trickiest part.

(Please note, however, that this is relative, and most people tolerate chemotherapy well and can go about their day-to-day activities uninterrupted. Many even remark that it was not what they were expecting.)

I often give my patients this simple (African) analogy:

• Chemotherapy – like swallowing a whole cow.
• Surgery – just the hind legs.
• Radiotherapy – the tail.

Why the analogy?

Because surgery, if timed and performed correctly, is usually a shorter, more straightforward step in the journey, and one with a very good recovery.

Here’s what you need to know:

1. Timing matters. Surgery usually happens 4–6 weeks after the last chemotherapy, to give your body time to recover from the ‘hit’ of chemo. (surgery can also be upfront for smaller breast tumours)
2. Preparation is key. It’s elective surgery, so we optimize everything first: blood pressure, stopping or adjusting blood thinners, and addressing any uncontrolled health factors.
3. Recovery is quicker than you think. Most patients are walking the same day or by the second day, home within a few days to a week, and healing steadily over the next few weeks.

Think of surgery as controlled trauma. Yes, it’s serious, but it’s also carefully planned, managed, and designed for your best possible outcome.

I sound like a broken record, but your team’s goal isn’t just to remove the cancer from your twin towers.

It’s to restore your dignity, confidence, and the chance to live fully beyond the diagnosis.

PSA: No unsuspecting happy bovines were harmed during the drafting of this post.”

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