Frontline Midwife: My Story of Survival and Keeping Others Safe

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As part of her work, she was able to lead the building of a new maternity hospital and this was such an achievement for her.

Anna tells stories of her time working as a nurse with MSF in South Sudan, then later on working as a qualified midwife in Bangladesh and Haiti, and some mention of her time as a midwife in the NHS. While the subject matter prevents the book from being described as an ‘easy read’, it is accessible, with short, powerful chapters and strong depictions of places and people. Far from presenting herself as a ‘white saviour’ figure, the author is often paralysed by fear, and ever cautious of crossing the line from healthcare worker to moral redeemer. I have read books about controlling and coercive behaviour and books about guilt transference or guilt by proxy or whatever phrase you want to use.Anna’s first posting is to the South Sudan, and though she feels that she is prepared for what she is going to see and have to deal with she soon realises she isn’t. You can change your choices at any time by visiting Cookie preferences, as described in the Cookie notice. I also admire how open Anna has been about her pregnancy and baby loss story, we need more of these truths out there to make this less of a taboo subject. I love the hopeful optimistic part at the end however, with her daughter on the beach it’s really was very emotional and made me cry. At twenty-six years old, Anna Kent helped a woman deliver her baby in a tropical storm by the light of a headtorch.

Read it and complain to your MP, MS and MSP to increase the humanitarian aid budget, particularly for the hidden crises that are not reported. I also found it fascinating that James has gone from being around the beginning of life to now working with those at the end of their lives. I don't think I am spoiling anything by saying I was relieved to find her in a better place at the end of the book.

Anna Kent has delivered babies in war zones, caring for the most vulnerable women in the most vulnerable places in the world. I bet you didn’t have to walk for two days in hot tropical weather to reach your next appointment for a routine health check or watch a drip line suspended from the roof of a tent by a frayed piece of strong. Anna goes from being confident in what she has to do, to being in a panic she will never cope and wanting to head right back home, to ultimately not wanting to go home.