Miriam Mutebi, Breast Surgical Oncologist and Assistant Professor in the Department of Surgery at the Aga Khan University Hospital, shared a post on LinkedIn:
“These photos stopped me this morning.
Women, and readers across Africa, holding a book I spent years finding the courage to write.
I want to tell you what I hope it does for every single one of them.
I hope it saves lives. Not just in the operating room, though, early detection absolutely saves lives. But in the quieter ways that matter just as much.
- The woman who finally schedules a mammogram she’s been putting off.
- The mother who teaches her daughter that breast self-examination is as routine as brushing teeth.
- The family that stops treating cancer like a shameful secret and starts treating it like the medical condition it is.
- The young woman who advocates for herself when a doctor dismisses her concerns.
Every one of those moments is a life saved in ways that don’t show up in medical charts, but matter profoundly.
I hope it changes conversations.
I hope families start talking about breast health over dinner instead of in hushed whispers. I hope religious communities realise that faith and medicine aren’t enemies, they’re allies in the work of healing. I hope health care providers recognise that cultural competency isn’t optional… it’s essential for effective care.
I hope it builds bridges.
Between patients and providers who speak different languages. Between traditional healing and modern medicine, that don’t have to compete. Between women across Africa, fighting the same battles in isolation when they could be fighting them together.
I hope it inspires the next generation.
The 15-year-old who decides surgery is possible because she finally saw a surgeon who looks like her. The medical student who realises healthcare can be both technically excellent and deeply human. The young woman who discovers that leadership doesn’t require perfection. Simply showing up authentically and refusing to accept the limitations others place on you is enough.
But mostly, I hope it reminds every woman reading:
Your body belongs to you. Your health matters. Your survival is worth fighting for. And you don’t have to fight alone.
To everyone who has already ordered, already shared, already sent me these beautiful photos, Thank You. You are the reason this book exists.
Have you order your copy yet? Grab one today. Order link here.
Q: What’s one thing you hope changes about women’s healthcare in the next decade?”
Other articles featuring Miriam Mutebi on OncoDaily.
