“Being a single mother and a full-time medic is very challenging, but also good. You’re saving lives and then you go home and have to look after your kids. The concept is the same. You look out for your children but you also look out for your patients,” said Lumka Cingo.

In light of August being National Women’s month, we spoke to Lumka about what it takes to be a single mother of two young children and a full-time Basic Life Support (BLS) medic at ER24’s Milnerton branch.

The first thing you notice when you walk into Lumka’s house in Phillipi in Cape Town is that it is very small, yet tidy. As you walk in you see her kitchen and her lounge and just next to the lounge is the bedroom that she shares with her two children.

Her work boots are neatly packed next to one another and almost mirror-like the way she had polished them. Her 14-year-old son Yambathisa and her 9-year-old daughter Lilitha didn’t leave her side for a moment.

Lumka, like many other medics, works night shifts that start at 18:30 in the evening up until 05:30 the next morning.

“I make sure dinner is ready and that their school clothes are washed before I leave. When I am on the night shift I ask some of my neighbours to check in on them once in a while. I worry when I leave. My son usually takes care of my daughter. I also call them regularly to make sure they are okay,” said Lumka, originally from the Eastern Cape. read more…

For more news follow us on these platforms:

Twitter: @SowetoUrban, Facebook: Soweto Urban News, Instagram: @SowetoUrban

News site 1: Westside-Eldos Urban News, News site 2: Soweto Urban News