Dedicated doctor suffers stroke while on duty

I first encountered Chet Trivedy at school, a quiet, bright lad who seemed to know what our chemistry teacher was talking about with ease, unlike me... Years later, Chet became a dentist (a professor, in fact) and then decided, after helping out on the frontline after the London bombings on 7/7, to train in emergency medicine. He rose to become a consultant and wrote many textbooks on the subject.

Years later, he suffered a stroke, and while in recovery, set up two organisations, which he funded. One of these was aimed at his love – tigers. He went out to the wilds of India to help rangers to administer life-saving medicine to one another when faced with bullets and snakebites. His other venture involved him working, also gratis, at The Oval, where he was the crowd doctor. He carried out various free health tests on thousands of staff and cricket spectators, all funded by him.

I am a journalist and author. I worked with Chet as the writer on a book he was compelled to create, called 'Where Are You Really From?' This beautiful hardback book chronicles the stories of 45 people of diverse heritage who work, or worked, in the NHS. The writing and production of the book was carried out during two tough years of the pandemic – and was an emotional rollercoaster for us both and the two friends who helped us design and edit the book. Chet had secured a sum of funding - just enough to cover the printing and a few other small expenses, but it was largely completed via goodwill from all involved. We dug deep – in many ways – to get the book written.

Finally, Where Are You Really From? was printed and looked beautiful. But, life had other ideas. As hundreds of books sat ready to be collected, with plans to get the stories out into the world at the ready, Chet was busy at work at a major hospital in Sussex. However, what was a happy day rapidly changed. Chet's colleague noticed he looked unwell – he often had 4am starts and drove from his home in south London to Haywards Heath to work as a consultant in A&E – but this wasn't tiredness. He had suffered a second devastating stroke that stole his ability to talk, walk and read. Seeing him in distress in hospital was heartbreaking.

Nearly two years on from his second stroke, Chet is learning the skills that were taken from him, though he cannot read or speak in the way he used to – yet. He has not been able to read the book he was so invested in (and still is). It is a long road to recovery, but Chet is determined, stoic, brave and brilliant, and wants something positive to come from his experience.

This fundraiser has Chet's backing - the funds will help him to pay for the practical support he needs, especially as he can no longer work as a consultant, and also to enable him to get his message out there – he wants people to understand what it is like being a stroke patient, the good and the bad, and wants to see how processes can be made better.

Also, Chet and I would love Where Are You Really From? to reach bookshop shelves in 2024, the 75th anniversary of the NHS, so any extra funds – or advice – would support this. All support will be gratefully received. Thank you for reading this.