Shows
Awakening DoctorSarah Stein, Being a Good HumanBefore 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 lecture halls that it was quoted in the 2025 national budget speech.In this episode of Awakening Doctor, Sarah, raised in a family of medical academics, grapples openly with legacy, expectation, and the question of whet...
2026-03-041h 16
Awakening DoctorDr Lethukwenama Letsoalo, A Girl from BergvilleIn 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 that she would one day be like Cristina Yang or Meredith Grey from Grey’s Anatomy. We explore her decision to study at Stellenbosch University and the challenges of navigating leadership, belonging, and systemic inequities wi...
2026-02-041h 10
Awakening DoctorDr Bianca Leigh Edwards, The Children's GPWhat 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 that catalysed her passion and learn about her challenging personal journey with medicine. One marked by repeated rejections, years of persever...
2026-01-071h 28
Awakening DoctorProf Lydia Cairncross, Reclaiming the FeminineFrom 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 Department of Surgery at the University of Cape Town and Groote Schuur Hospital. A human rights activist committed to equitable healthcare for all.In this episode of Awakening Doctor, we reflect on the intersection...
2025-12-031h 23
Awakening DoctorProf Tasleem Ras, Leading with Community at HeartWhat 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 Family, Community and Emergency Care, these questions lie at the heart of the academic endeavour.In this episode of Awakening Doctor, Prof Ras shares his personal story and...
2025-11-051h 26
Awakening DoctorDr Yumna Moosa, Truth-TellerIn this episode of Awakening Doctor, we meet Dr Yumna Moosa, a 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 support of family and friends helped her to reclaim her vibrant, fiery self.She also recounts taking a public stand against bullying and harassment as a medical intern, and the price she paid for...
2025-10-011h 13
Awakening DoctorDr Angela de Sá, Reclaiming the Humanity in HealthcareWhat 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 and loss, to leading a busy community health centre for 16 years, and the recent pivotal decision to step away from clinical practice in search of greater balance in her life.Angela speaks candi...
2025-09-031h 31
Awakening DoctorProf Hennie Botha, Leading with HumilityProfessor 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 career. From his early clinical years at a small rural hospital in Malawi to leading an academic department through a time of socio-political transformation, he shares thoughtful insights into the challenges and rewards of academic leadership, and the cultural shifts he h...
2025-08-061h 20
Awakening DoctorProf Beth Engelbrecht, Leading with GraceServant 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 and resilient health system.With honesty and humility, Prof. Engelbrecht reflects on the moments of awakening that have directed the course of her career and propelled her rise to leadership through South Afr...
2025-07-021h 24
Awakening DoctorDr Anita Parbhoo, Leading with HeartAs 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 from those early formative moments to becoming a nationally recognised health leader and recipient of the 2024 Jakes Gerwel Award in Public Health.Anita reflects candidly on the path from clinician to e...
2025-06-041h 25
Awakening DoctorDr Aisha Moolla, Doing Hard ThingsWhat 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, Aisha reflects with candid vulnerability on the pressure to pursue a conventional path, the guilt and shame that followed her decision to leave, and the l...
2025-05-071h 20
Awakening DoctorDr Hloni Bookholane, Breaking Up With MedicineIs 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 necessary breakup.We explore the transformative moments that defined his relationship to the profession and reflect on the complexity of navigating rigid medical hierarchies, making c...
2025-04-021h 37
Awakening DoctorDr Rosemary Pitsi, A Heart for PeopleDr. 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 explore her journey of being and becoming a doctor - beyond the long hours and technical expertise to the heart of the human connections and responsibilities that define the profession.As we reflect on her commitment to...
2025-03-051h 19
Awakening DoctorProf Nomafrench Mbombo, A Bloody Difficult WomanProf. 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 to medical school, and the fortuitous dismissal that led her to study nursing and attain a Master's in Maternal and Child Health, and a PhD in Gender and Human Rights instead. We delve into her tenure as the f...
2025-02-051h 44
Awakening DoctorDr Moratwe Masima, A Driven DreamerFrom 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 between perfectionism and vulnerability in choosing to define success on your own terms and in the public eye. Dr Masima opens up about the pressure she experienced as a first-generation me...
2025-01-081h 21
Awakening DoctorProf Elma de Vries, Doing What Her Hands Find To DoIn 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 experiences, Elma provides insights into the systemic challenges of building a new medical school in the Eastern Cape, reflects on the enduring legacy of inequality in healthcare, and shares her groundbreaking contributions to transgender health, including co-authoring South Africa’s fir...
2024-12-041h 45
Awakening DoctorDr Danielle Botma, A Junior DoctorHave 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 students into medical school, and the challenging realities they face in practice. Danielle speaks candidly about the ongoing pressure to excel, the personal sacrifices she has made, and the...
2024-11-061h 17
Awakening DoctorDr 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 professional ambitions, Yonela speaks candidly about the physical exhaustion and emotional vulnerability that comes with the terrain, and opens up about the painful impact of microaggressions she has faced along the way.
2024-10-021h 13
Awakening DoctorDr Nabeela Kajee, Walking Through Places of PrivilegeIs 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 the hallowed halls of academia.In this episode of Awakening Doctor, we delve into her experiences at medical school and discover the hopes, triumphs, challenges, and tw...
2024-09-041h 27
Awakening DoctorProf Regan Solomons, Shaping the Future of Paediatric HealthcareWhat 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 and Stellenbosch University, Professor Solomons is deeply committed to challenging the status quo and advancing equitable healthcare for the children of South Africa.In this episode of Awakening Doctor, we delve into his early in...
2024-08-071h 23
Awakening DoctorProf Hoffie Conradie, Navigating the Continuum of CareIn 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 navigate his lifelong commitment to rural family medicine and unravel the many different threads of his personal life story, we discover the pivotal role he has played in defining rural family practice and medical education. We also learn about the fundamental values...
2024-07-031h 47
Awakening DoctorDr Gianna Brummer, Reclaiming the Soul in MedicineIf 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 conventional medicine to an intuitive, soul-based coaching approach, and reflect on the value of self-awareness and intuition in guiding both patient and practitioner through difficult times.With personal revelations and professional in...
2024-06-041h 38
Awakening DoctorDr Nondumiso Makhunga-Stevenson, Redefining the Narrative of a Medical CareerDr. 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 conviction that equitable healthcare is a right, not a privilege, no matter the setting or the context. From her experiences in aesthetic medicine to her work with marginalised communities in the Johannesburg CBD, and from her involvement with grassroots pu...
2024-04-031h 30
Herb Mentor RadioMaria Christodoulou: Celebrating Greek HerbalismMaria Christodoulou had been living in New York City for years when she decided it was finally time to move to Greece and dive more fully into the wisdom and whimsy of ancient Greek herbal medicine.
This journey took her to Athens where she currently offers educational tours and classes steeped in ancestral herbal medicine and mythology.
In this episode of HerbMentor Radio, Maria weaves personal stories, science, and history together to offer us a beautiful peek into traditional and contemporary Greek herbalism practices.
In our conversation, Maria shares...
The medicinal uses...
2024-03-1754 min
Awakening DoctorProf Lynette Denny, Living in the Body of the WorldThe 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 Africa, her unwavering dedication to her patients, and her own experience of living with advanced breast cancer. Medical errors, illness narratives, institutional and systemic failures, confrontations with death, and the challenges of navigating both sides of the doct...
2024-03-051h 41
Awakening DoctorDr Paul Abramowitz, Bridging Biology & ConsciousnessDr 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 conversation about the complex intersectionality of being human.In this episode of Awakening Doctor, we delve into his personal story and learn about his ground-breaking research on male sexuality; a roadmap for bridging the...
2024-02-071h 17
Awakening DoctorReflections on the First Year of PodcastingJoin 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 into a transformative experience of authenticity, vulnerability, and shared humanity.As this inaugural year draws to a close, we delve into our motivation for starting the podcast, explore the evolution of its unfolding, a...
2024-01-1047 min
Awakening DoctorIrene Sullivan, The Heart of a HealerIn 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 studio in Marnay-sur-Seine, France. We learn about her evolution from the confines of patriarchal religion to a personal spirituality rooted in goddess theology, and her transition from fervent social rights activism to measured climate ju...
2023-12-061h 21
A Temple Wild: Greek Mythology and the Mediterranean LandscapeMeet the Greek Herbalist: Greek Herbal Tours with Maria ChristodoulouIn today’s special episode, we meet The Greek Herbalist, Maria Christodoulou. We discuss her experiences as a first generation Greek-American, what it was like encountering the Greek landscape for the first time, how she went from a classics major to studying herbalism to now living in Greece and, among many things, leading the way in herbal immersion tours all over the country.
In her own words, Maria is a clinical herbalist exploring the wisdom and whimsy of ancient Greek herbal medicine. In a previous lifetime she lived on a farm in ancient Greece and found the cure for plagues. Ma...
2023-11-2038 minA Temple Wild: Greek Mythology and the Mediterranean LandscapeMeet the Greek Herbalist: Greek Herbal Tours with Maria ChristodoulouIn today’s special episode, we meet The Greek Herbalist, Maria Christodoulou. We discuss her experiences as a first generation Greek-American, what it was like encountering the Greek landscape for the first time, how she went from a classics major to studying herbalism to now living in Greece and, among many things, leading the way in herbal immersion tours all over the country.
In her own words, Maria is a clinical herbalist exploring the wisdom and whimsy of ancient Greek herbal medicine. In a previous lifetime she lived on a farm in ancient Greece and found the cure for plagues. Ma...
2023-11-2038 min
A Temple Wild: Greek Mythology and the Mediterranean LandscapeMeet the Greek Herbalist: Greek Herbal Tours with Maria ChristodoulouIn today’s special episode, we meet The Greek Herbalist, Maria Christodoulou. We discuss her experiences as a first generation Greek-American, what it was like encountering the Greek landscape for the first time, how she went from a classics major to studying herbalism to now living in Greece and, among many things, leading the way in herbal immersion tours all over the country.
In her own words, Maria is a clinical herbalist exploring the wisdom and whimsy of ancient Greek herbal medicine. In a previous lifetime she lived on a farm in ancient Greece and found the cu...
2023-11-2038 min
Awakening DoctorDr Patrick Hanaway, Walking Between the WorldsDr. 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-day shamanic healer who walks between the worlds and traverses the different healing paradigms with incredible skill, humility, compassion and grace. In this episode of Awakening Doctor, Patrick shares his personal story of overcoming stage 4 laryngeal cancer and rev...
2023-10-041h 04
Awakening DoctorDr Lisa Joy Africa, An Artist in MedicineDr 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 working in South Africa’s public healthcare sector.Lisa shares openly about what it’s like to be an ‘outlier’ in the profession and offers her unique perspective on the intersecti...
2023-09-051h 16
Awakening DoctorRod Suskin, Astrologer & SangomaRod 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 tools given to him by his European ancestors, the unconventional way in which his calling and initiation as a sangoma unfolded, and his interest in the history of medicine and the cosmology of African spirituality. We...
2023-08-021h 10
Awakening DoctorDr Sheron Forgus, Family PhysicianDr 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 eventually led her to resign from the position with severe burnout. Her story reveals a striking parallel between her own life and the core principles of her chosen specialty, Family Medicine, which aims to...
2023-07-0556 min
From Root To Vine"This is a Cypriot issue" - S3E9 with Tugba MimiTW: this episode contains language around sexual assault that some listeners may find triggering. Listener discretion is advised. In this episode, I am joined by Tugba Mimi. One year ago, Tugba was a victim of r*pe in Cyprus. She is now using her platform to raise awareness about violence against women on the island. Tugba tells me why what she experienced is a Cypriot issue, how the partition of Cyprus is preventing people from getting the justice they deserve, and how she is now using her voice to help others and reclaim her own power. ...
2023-06-1844 minFrom Root To Vine"This is a Cypriot issue" - S3E9 with Tugba MimiTW: this episode contains language around sexual assault that some listeners may find triggering. Listener discretion is advised. In this episode, I am joined by Tugba Mimi. One year ago, Tugba was a victim of r*pe in Cyprus. She is now using her platform to raise awareness about violence against women on the island. Tugba tells me why what she experienced is a Cypriot issue, how the partition of Cyprus is preventing people from getting the justice they deserve, and how she is now using her voice to help others and reclaim her own power. ...
2023-06-1844 min
Awakening DoctorDr Liana Roodt, A Woman in SurgeryDr. 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 organisation that provides equitable, inclusive and compassionate care to cancer patients in public sector hospitals. We also delve into some of the obstacles she has had to overcome and the positive changes she obse...
2023-06-0637 min
From Root To Vine"The most visible invisible community in Cyprus" - S3E8 with Serap KanayIn this episode, I am joined by freelance artist and tourist guide Serap Kanay. Serap's work focusses on archival storytelling, encompassing gender, oral history, Afro-Cyprot heritage and trauma. Serap has been avidly researching Afro Cypriot heritage since the 1990’s and her work has been included in several theses. Serap tells me about the origins of Afro-Cypriots on the island, how her work is raising awareness about Afro-Cypriot heirtage, and how rising black consciousness and diversity is making Cypriots confront racism, prejudice and colourism. Get involved in the conversation on Instagram/Twitter @roottovinepod, and don't forget to subscribe so...
2023-05-2840 minFrom Root To Vine"The most visible invisible community in Cyprus" - S3E8 with Serap KanayIn this episode, I am joined by freelance artist and tourist guide Serap Kanay. Serap's work focusses on archival storytelling, encompassing gender, oral history, Afro-Cyprot heritage and trauma. Serap has been avidly researching Afro Cypriot heritage since the 1990’s and her work has been included in several theses. Serap tells me about the origins of Afro-Cypriots on the island, how her work is raising awareness about Afro-Cypriot heirtage, and how rising black consciousness and diversity is making Cypriots confront racism, prejudice and colourism. Get involved in the conversation on Instagram/Twitter @roottovinepod, and don't forget to subscribe so...
2023-05-2840 min
From Root To Vine"Learning about the history of Cyprus through abandoned places" - S3E7 with Andrew AvraamIn this episode, I am joined by Andrew Avraam (@andrewavraam_photography). Andrew is an avid photographer whose work explores the abandoned places of Cyprus. On his adventures, Andrew has captured moments in time from abandoned mansions, military bases, Varosha and the UN Buffer Zone. His phorography allows for a window into the past to reveal Cyprus' history and heritage through places long forgotten. Get involved in the conversation on Instagram/Twitter @roottovinepod, and don't forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode!
2023-05-1438 minFrom Root To Vine"Learning about the history of Cyprus through abandoned places" - S3E7 with Andrew AvraamIn this episode, I am joined by Andrew Avraam (@andrewavraam_photography). Andrew is an avid photographer whose work explores the abandoned places of Cyprus. On his adventures, Andrew has captured moments in time from abandoned mansions, military bases, Varosha and the UN Buffer Zone. His phorography allows for a window into the past to reveal Cyprus' history and heritage through places long forgotten. Get involved in the conversation on Instagram/Twitter @roottovinepod, and don't forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode!
2023-05-1438 min
Awakening DoctorDr Keith Cloete, A Son of the Western CapeFrom 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 podcast, we discuss his experiences at medical school during apartheid, the intersectionality of privilege and oppression in his personal story, his deep commitment to social justice, as well as key m...
2023-05-0355 min
From Root To Vine“My queer identity gets power from my Cypriot identity” - S3E6 with Tahini MolassesIn this episode, I am joined by drag performer Tahini Molasses (@tahini.molasses). Tahini burst on to the London drag scene just a couple of years ago and is already making waves with their drag, inspired by Cypriot femme expression. We discuss the beauty of exploring Cypriot culture through a queer and drag lens and what it can teach us about our identity, the importance of queer Cypriot representation and learning to embrace our full selves. Tahini also tells me about their experiences moving to the UK and what being part of the diaspora here in the UK has...
2023-05-0143 minFrom Root To Vine“My queer identity gets power from my Cypriot identity” - S3E6 with Tahini MolassesIn this episode, I am joined by drag performer Tahini Molasses (@tahini.molasses). Tahini burst on to the London drag scene just a couple of years ago and is already making waves with their drag, inspired by Cypriot femme expression. We discuss the beauty of exploring Cypriot culture through a queer and drag lens and what it can teach us about our identity, the importance of queer Cypriot representation and learning to embrace our full selves. Tahini also tells me about their experiences moving to the UK and what being part of the diaspora here in the UK has...
2023-05-0143 min
From Root To Vine"What does it really mean to be an islander?" S3E5 with Anastasia ChristophilopilouIn this episode, I am joined by archaeologist Anastasia Christophilopilou, curator of Cyprus, Greece and Rome at the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge. She is currently leading the 4-year research project ‘Being an Islander’: Art and Identity of the large Mediterranean Islands, aiming to critically re-examine the concept of island life through material culture. Anastasia tells me all about the project’s current exhibition on display at the Fitzwilliam Museum, displaying archaeological finds and artworks from the islands of Cyprus, Sardinia and Crete. We also discuss the importance of island life in shaping Cypriot identity, and what ancient study and archaeology can te...
2023-04-1739 min