“As a male you are expected to be strong. In Ghanaian parlance when they say be a man, it means be strong, show no emotions.”
In the latest episode of You’re Not Alone, host Juliet Akuamoah Boateng is joined by Raymond Barnabas Manlokiya, an oncology nurse specialist at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Ghana.
Barnabas speaks openly about what it means to be a man in a caring profession, and how expectations around masculinity can clash with the emotional demands of caring for children with cancer. Drawing on his own experiences at the bedside, he reflects on the pressure on men to keep their emotions hidden, the moments in his career that have stayed with him, and why ideas about what it means to “be strong” need to change.
Episode length: 35 min
This podcast is supported by Amgen, whose commitment to the emotional wellbeing of paediatric oncology professionals makes this series possible. We thank them for strengthening the wellbeing of healthcare professionals.
