reAl lives
armed with only a 500ml
bottle of water, tourist map (in
Spanish) and basic footwear
I had wandered off the beaten
track alone in an attempt to
take a shortcut to a nearby vil-
lage. Within a couple of hours
or so I was completely lost
in the middle of the desert.
After several failed efforts to
regain my bearings, I feared
that I might never be found.
Taking his medical
I prostrated in the sand beg-
ging God to let me come home
expertise abroad, the
to my family and to be given
inspirational, more time to serve Him in all
Dr Marwan Al-
the ways I had hoped. Hours
Dawoud shares the
later I eventually managed to
satisfaction he gleans
make my way back to the road,
from his work, as he
but I will never forget the
fear of feeling helpless, and
and his wife help those that God has given me a sec-
in areas of extreme
poverty.
“I’ve learnt patIence from
ond chance.
My father always used
patIents, dIscIplIne from
to ask “Are you in control of
After graduating as a doc-
athletes and wIsdom from
time or is time in control of
tor from the University of
Manchester in the summer
travellers and personalItIes
you?“ Since that incident
I made an oath never to let
of 2007, I already had my
In hIstory.”
time control me and to make
sights on where my career every passing second as pro-
and life were heading. I had spread what knowledge ductive as possible. I’ll have
decided to follow the path I have in motivating Muslims time to rest when I die.
of general practice, as well to actually get up and do Later this year I plan on
as my strong interest in the something practical and doing further work and travel
new and evolving special- constructive. in Australia and China. I also
ist field of sports medicine. I However, I have left all plan on exploring my roots for
was appointed team doctor that to come to Africa, where the first time in Iraq. In the
for Wigan Warriors Academy I am currently spending a six A small child being assessed in Kenya future I would be interested in
Rugby League team, and month sabbatical with my forming a medical charity for
thrived from the buzz of run- wife, who is a dentist. We are learnt patience from patients, the people of Iraq. Although
ning onto the pitch in front of working with various medical discipline from athletes and the scale of poverty and illness
the crowd, assessing and treat- non-governmental volunteer wisdom from travellers and here in Africa is undeniable,
ing the injured players. organisations across Ethiopia, personalities in history. It it also has multiple foreign
In my spare time I work Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi and is said that the learned man organisations with established
with a UK based volun- South Africa. We are focuss- understands the ignorant infrastructures and man-
teer organisation called the ing on both primary care and man for he was once igno- power pumping resources
Islamic Unity Society. Having hospital medicine at a grass- rant himself, but the ignorant into it. Iraq also hosts many
been involved with the char- roots level since there is such man cannot understand the foreign organisations, the dif-
ity since 2003, I have moved extreme poverty here. The learned man as he has never ference being that they are
through various roles and people are so grateful for any been learned himself. I believe taking the resources, not pro-
responsibilities, finding a and every act of help: be it the the roots of knowledge to be viding them. In ten years time
niche in providing events and donation of clothes, or simply broad and far-reaching, and I see myself as an established
services linking Muslims with a smile. it’s important to do more than GP and sports medic, with my
the wider British community. What I enjoy most about simply pick up a book. own children, making regular
This includes ties made with my work is the variety of peo- From my travels I recall trips abroad providing medical
Greater Manchester Police, ple I meet from day to day. trekking through the desert assistance to those in need and
a National Football League I try to learn from other peo- in the ancient valleys of Petra, trying to find innovative ways
and National Blood Donation ple’s mistakes, so that I don’t Jordan. With the sun at maxi- to help our Muslim commu-
Campaign. I feel it my duty to make the same ones. I have mal height and intensity, nity progress in the UK. l
www.emel.com | emel magazine 87
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