Everyone has their story in their own cancer journey. We too, have ours.
How our path have crossed even though we are continents away, is simply because we have the same passion – to eliminate the fear of cancer and by doing the best we can in our roles to help cancer warriors battle this disease.
If you have been an avid reader of my blog, you would have known that I am a Radiation Therapist by profession. If you are new, welcome. As a Radiation Therapist, I use sophisticated machines that deliver high doses of radiation targeted at the patient’s cancer cells called Linear Accelerators (LINAC). Have a look at the snippet below for this ‘larger-than-life’ machines!
But in the delivery of cancer treatments, I, or the radiation therapists’ team for that matter, do not work alone. We are a part of a larger team, which comprises of many other extremely talented individuals to ensure that the treatment we deliver to our patients are as successful as it can be.
Dr. Aba Lippuner (Mensah-Brown), who is practicing approximately 10,000 miles away from me is a Medical Physicist by profession and has an equally critical role in the treatment care continuum. For this post, it is my great pleasure and honour to shine the limelight on Aba, and I am truly grateful to her for offering her perspective in her own words for this very special Guest Feature.
So dear readers – please sit back, relax, and take a walk with me through Aba’s mind for just a little while… 🙂
Author’s Note: The written interview below is in Aba’s own words and views; and was based off a list of questions that I had provided her
Dr. Aba Lippuner (Mensah-Brown) – Medical Physicist
Hi Aba, could you share a little about yourself; who you are, what you do, where do you come from and what are your passions and hobbies?
My name is Aba Lippuner (neé Mensah-Brown) and I am originally from Ghana but live in the United States. I grew up all over the world, namely in Ghana, England, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates before settling in the States.
I started off as a college student who majored both in mathematics and physics and am currently a board-certified medical physicist and clinical assistant professor. My hobbies include singing, writing, uploading educational videos on my YouTube channel (Cancer Zappers by Aba), and having a good time with friends.
Fun Fact:
The last name Lippuner is from my husband who is Swiss. My maiden name is Mensah-Brown which is entirely from my father. His family name is hyphenated. The name comes from the combination of the Ghanaian name “Mensah” and the Dutch name “Bruin” which became anglicized over the years to “Brown”.
Aba: The names you see here are a summary of my full name. Funnily enough, I have left a few out for simplicity.
I am curious, How did you get into this profession – Medical Physics?
Towards the beginning of my senior year in college, I wasn’t exactly sure what I wanted to pursue. I knew I enjoyed physics and mathematics but did not particularly feel drawn to a career in either field. Physics and mathematics have always come naturally to me. However, I am also an extreme extrovert and enjoy the company of people and the ability to dabble in non-science related activities.
So, I googled how I could combine mathematics and physics with medicine as I was also interested in medicine (my dad was a doctor). My google search revealed the profession of Medical Physics. Immediately, I decided to apply to all the certified graduate programs in the country.
How does a day, walking in your shoes as a Medical Physicist look like?
Every day looks different. Most of my time in the clinic is spent checking charts (i.e., scrutinizing every treatment plan document to ensure its accuracy), performing quality assurance on the treatment machines, communicating with essential team members to ensure seamless delivery of patient plans, and being present to answer physics related questions. Some of my time is also spent on research projects to further advance the field, and on mentoring physics and medical residents.
You mentioned that you create your own content and share them on Cancer Zappers, your YouTube channel – why and how did that come to be?
People always ask me what I do. Medical Physics as a profession is not widely understood. As a result, it is difficult to paint an idea of what I do without giving extra context for what I do. The concept of “cancer” is more familiar to people. However, people are not aware of what needs to happen behind the scenes. The goal of Cancer Zappers by Aba is to describe these technical ideas to the lay person using fun and educational videos, connecting the dots through simple narratives with the host(me!), and the use of animated illustrations.
Would you recommend your profession and what would be the 3 pointers you would give to that person who might be interested in taking up this role as a career in the future?
Yes, absolutely! Medical Physics is a great profession. Here are my three pointers:
Number 1
First get an idea of which route of Medical Physics you would like to pursue. There are 3 main branches—therapy, imaging, and health physics(or radiation protection).
Number 2
Apply to a graduate institution that best supports your needs (would you like to pursue a master’s degree, or PhD?). Master’s degrees generally take 2 years, compared to PhDs that take on average 5 years.
Number 3
Be ready to accept a life of both excitement and sheer tedium, mundane checks and important outliers, the necessity to lead and the need to be a team player.
In your opinion, what would be the 3 traits someone should have in order to be prepared for this role?
- Attentive to detail
- Cooperative
- Servant Leader
Medical Physicists work behind the scenes, but they also contribute to an important part of the treatment continuum, ultimately impacting patient’s lives as well.
How do you feel ‘working behind the scenes’ and would you prefer to have been more patient-facing?
Much of our impact is indeed behind the scenes. Having said that, there are still a few procedures where we meet with patients. If not with patients, then with members of the radiation team. I get to present myself to patients during some of our special procedures. The joy I get is in knowing that the plan uniquely created for them is benefiting them. This is what makes the difference for me.
Do you have a quote or a belief that you live by and hold on to, which keeps you motivated and going? If you do, what would this be and your advice for the readers.
Yes, there is a biblical proverb (Proverbs 3:5-6) that goes: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight”.
As humans, we can only know so much at any given point in time. Wise is he who knows he does not know, right? We all know that this is a field that can be taken over by sadness, but there is always hope. In the hoping, I have faith and trust God that He will guide me on the straight path. For me, it is my faith that guides me.
Thank you, Aba, for sharing this with me, and with all of us. It was so fun ‘meeting’ you virtually and I do look forward to meet you in person someday when travel is back again.
Thank you, dear readers for staying this far, and this special feature is dedicated to World Cancer Day which is commemorated on the 4th of February every year. This international awareness day led by the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) is to raise a worldwide awareness by working together to reimagine a cancer-free world.
We hope this collaborative content could bring you some insight into our lives as allied health professions in the radiation therapy world.
Let’s continue to advocate for a world without fear of cancer!
Stephanie Loo 