Into Africa, Out of Academia

“I had the honor of training at Boston City Hospital at the same time as Kwan Kew Lai, and have marveled since how she has time and again volunteered to be at the front lines, whether it is in the aftermath of a tsunami or on the heels of Ebola. Her keen observant eye and her passion give the reader a glimpse into the world of global health and the heroic figures who try to make a difference.”—Abraham Verghese, MD, author of Cutting for Stone
“The global shortage of doctors is one of the biggest health issues that hardly anyone is talking about. Enter Kwan Kew Lai, a daring doctor who writes movingly about what it’s like to do volunteer work in some of the poorest places in the world.”—Tony Bartelme, The Post and Courier, Charleston, South Carolina
“In this moving book, Kwan Kew Lai provides a round-the-world journey that reveals both the hard truths and inspiring humanity of global health. Bold and clear-eyed, Lai does not mince words. Her honesty reveals the interconnectedness of the world, and roles we can all play in it.”—Danielle Ofri, MD, PhD, author of When We Do Harm: A Doctor Confronts Medical Error
“An impactful and detailed insider account of the health systems in some of the most remote parts of the world. With each chapter and location that Lai brings us to, we are given profound insight into the moral and practical complexities facing health care workers and their patients living and working in these severe and trying circumstances.”—Jessica Alexander, author of Chasing Chaos: My Decade in and Out of Humanitarian Aid
“Intrepid, resilient, and resourceful Dr. Kwan Kew Lai shares her experiences as a physician volunteering in Africa to treat patients and train local medical providers in the care of HIV-infected and other patients. ... The descriptions of the clinical settings are vivid, raw and real. ... This is a marvelous and inspiring book—and should be required reading for those who are considering volunteering for medical humanitarian missions.”—Mary E. Wilson, MD, clinical professor of epidemiology and biostatistics, School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco; adjunct professor of global health and population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts.