The Emotional Cost of Saving Lives No One Talks About

In this powerful episode of Unbound with Mamta, we sit down with Dr. Ankur Garg, one of India’s leading Liver Transplant Surgeons, to explore the human side of a profession often seen only through results and recovery charts.This conversation goes far beyond medicine.Dr. Garg opens up about what truly keeps him going on days filled with pressure, emergencies, emotional fatigue, and life-altering decisions. His biggest motivation doesn’t come from titles or recognition it comes from patients who return healthy, smiling, asking for a photograph, writing a handwritten note, or honoring him in their own cultural ways. These moments, he says, are what make the struggle worth it.He shares deeply moving stories of transformation patients who once arrived on ventilators or wheelchairs, weak and barely able to stand, returning months later walking, driving themselves to the hospital, and living full lives. For Dr. Garg, liver transplant is not just a life-saving procedure; it is a life-transforming journey.The episode also traces his personal path into medicine how becoming a doctor wasn’t a childhood certainty, how a pivotal decision at 18 shaped his future, and how fascination with the liver led him into one of the most complex surgical specialties. He reflects on how liver transplant in India has evolved over the last two decades—from limited centers and specialists to a growing ecosystem of advanced care and training.What makes this conversation truly special is Dr. Garg’s honesty about the emotional weight doctors carry. He speaks about forming bonds with patients and families, the pain of losses, and the difficult responsibility of breaking hard news. He explains why emotional detachment is not a lack of empathy, but a professional necessity—without it, doctors simply wouldn’t be able to continue.We also touch upon the rarely discussed impact of this profession on personal life missed family moments, disrupted routines, and the constant balance between responsibility and presence at home. Dr. Garg shares how he justifies these choices to himself, guided by one core belief: when a patient is under his care, that responsibility comes first.The episode closes with reflections on empathy, conviction, and living with a clear conscience. Dr. Garg shares the one question he asks himself every night before sleeping Did I do justice today? a practice that has guided him for over two decades.At Unbound with Mamta, we bring you stories beyond professional stories of purpose, resilience, and humanity. This episode is a reminder that behind every doctor saving lives is a human being carrying unseen emotional battles with quiet strength.🎧 Watch till the end for candid insights, personal philosophies, and moments that will stay with you long after the episode ends.📩 Have a story worth sharing?Write to us at [e-mail]👍 Like | 💬 Comment | 🔔 Subscribeand join us as we continue to Unbound stories that matter.