MALAWI BECKONS!

In Feb 2020, I undertook my first trip to a LMIC country since my junior reg days, with the intention of resuming regular scheduled trips afterwards. I chose Malawi given my previous experience there and the excellent set up already in existence, courtesy of FeetFirst. On the weekend I was flying back, a certain national emergency was being declared in Italy and for the first time I can remember I was seeing people in masks all around the airports! That much-longed-for followup trip never materialised until now (I'm still crossing my fingers), since that original Italian crisis somehow managed to get the whole world in its grips and is only starting to unclench its tight fists now...

My enthusiasm to resume surgical visits thankfully never waned and I've waited patiently for this opportunity to come. So, from 23 April to 7 May this year, I'll be going back to Malawi to help with the huge unmet demand for orthopaedic care. My schedule will be tight and it certainly won't be a holiday! Yet it is what makes what I, like many other people, do, worthwhile. The time for this trip comes from my own leave and my family's exquisite indulgence and support. It does also come at a significant financial cost, much of which will come from my own pockets. I have set a "modest" target and I would be grateful once more to my many generous supporters to show your unfailing solidarity towards my "adventures".

The challenge I am doing to raise these funds is the Cheshire Cat Sportive: a 104 mile ride with 5844ft of ascent, including the killer mile in Mow Cop, on Sunday 27 March. To justify the challenge element, so it doesn't seem "just like another weekend ride" in people's eyes, I am going to be doing this solo, in surgical scrubs and on my gravel (heavy and slow) bike! If I can finish it before the broomwagon scoops me up, I'm sure I will have earned my sponsor money. So please dig deep and help out a good cause (again).

Thanks, Shukria, Danke, Merci,

Ashtin