A Surgeon and a Maverick: The Life and Pioneering Work of Magdi Yacoub
By Simon Pearson, Fiona Gorman, Mary Archer (Foreword by)
The incredible life story of a legendary cardiac surgeon and scientist Magdi
Yacoub, an outsider who succeeded against the odds.
Veteran journalists Simon Pearson and Fiona Gorman follow the remarkable life
of heart surgeon Magdi Yacoub from his formative years in Egypt, through
spectacular success at Cairo University, to his long and distinguished career
in Britain. Although at times he clashed with the medical establishment in
London, Yacoub pioneered great advances in heart surgery. He was knighted in
1992, and in 2014, he was awarded the highest honor in the gift of the Queen,
the Order of Merit.
Written with unprecedented access and drawing on extensive interviews and
research, the biography recounts how Yacoub transformed the treatment of
children with congenital heart disease. He performed some of the first heart
transplants in Britain and the first heart-lung transplants in Europe. At
London's Harefield Hospital, he created the greatest heart transplant center in
the world. Among his patients are men and women who are still thriving more
than thirty-five years after he gave them new hope.
This story is also about science, the development of new medical techniques,
and a deeper understanding of how the human body works. Today, at an age when
most people have long since retired, Yacoub is still pushing the boundaries of
scientific understanding and surgical know-how. He is also taking heart surgery
to places that until now have had little access to cardiac treatment,
developing centers of excellence across Africa, including in Egypt, where his
hospital in Aswan has an international reputation, and a new center is rising
in Cairo.
Yacoub's life is one of triumph and tragedy, success and failure, fierce
criticism and high praise--it is also an enthralling journey through the worlds
of scientific research and medical politics and ethics at the highest levels.
The author Simon Pearson and Fiona Gorman are a husband-and-wife team of
author-editors who worked for The Times newspaper in London for more than
thirty years. A former executive editor at The Times, Simon is the author of
three books, including the bestselling biography The Great Escaper. Fiona has
written on a range of subjects including mental health, and Simon contributes
obituaries for The Times. They live in London. Dame Mary Archer is a British
scientist specializing in solar power conversion. In 2012 she was appointed
Dame Commander of the British Empire (DBE) for her services to the National
Health Service.
ISBN:
9781649031969
ISBN-10: 1649031963
Publisher: American University in Cairo Press
Publication Date: July 25th, 2023
Pages: 416
Language: English
Editorial
Reviews
"This is a story of a life well lived. Sir Magdi Yacoub has transformed
medical practice and improved the lives of millions of people. He did this with
intellectual creativity, determination, and a deep commitment to serving
humanity."—Minouche Shafik, London School of Economics and Political
Science
PRAISE FOR MAGDI YACOUB:
"Magdi has changed our definition of what is possible."—Gordon Brown,
Former UK Prime Minister
"The world’s leading cardiac surgeon"—The Sunday Times
"Renowned heart specialist Professor Sir Magdi Yacoub"—The Guardian
“Recognized as one of the great pioneers of heart transplant surgery”—BBC Radio
Book Description:
The incredible life story of legendary cardiac surgeon and scientist Magdi
Yacoub, an outsider who succeeded against the odds
About the Author
Simon Pearson worked for The Times newspaper in London for more than thirty
years. He is the author of three books, including the bestselling biography The
Great Escaper. He currently writes obituaries for The Times and lives in
London.
Fiona Gorman worked for The Times newspaper in London for more than thirty
years. She has written on a range of subjects including mental health. She
lives in London.
Dame Mary Archer is a
British scientist specializing in solar power conversion. In 2012 she was appointed
Dame Commander of the British Empire (DBE) for her services to the National
Health Service.
SOURCE: Amazon
More... (From the Heart: A Pioneer in Science and Philanthropy - A Conversation With Sir Magdi Yacoub) #AUC #EGYPT
