War Doctor
I walked the darkened streets of London to hear a wonderful man talk this week.
A man called David Nott.
A man that saves lives.
A surgeon who takes time off from his job in a London hospital and travels to war zones to operate on the tragic victims of pointless and brutal armed conflicts throughout the world.
Saving lives.
A doctor doing a job that no-one wants to do. Putting himself in danger with every flight, every visit, every moment of every operation. Targeted, shot at, bombed and threatened.
Saving lives.
A man who cares. Who wants to help others. Who suffers tremendously from the trauma that surrounds him and believes, frequently, that he will not survive to ever find home again. A man that sees suffering that no-one should see and professionally and compassionately does his best to save those in need.
In bombed out hospitals. With basic equipment and limited drugs. With untrained colleagues. Treating terrified patients. Often in the dark. And, at times, at gunpoint.
Saving lives.
A hero who admits to unimaginable moments of personal anguish and struggles to find normality after each visit. But a human who also talks of incredible exhilaration at the risks he takes and successes he achieves.
As wonderful as London is, with luck I can walk through it again tomorrow. I can take my photographs in peace. But I will rarely get an opportunity to hear such a humble and unassuming man like David Nott talk about himself and his spectacular life.
A life dedicated to saving others.
War Doctor by David Nott was published by Pan Macmillan on 21st February 2019
