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Band-Aid for a Broken Leg

by Damien Brown (Goodreads Author)

4.23 of 5 stars 4.23 · rating details · 98 ratings · 22 reviews

A powerful, surprisingly funny, and ultimately uplifting account of life on the medical frontline, and a moving testimony of the work done by Medecins Sans FrontieresDamien Brown, a young doctor, thinks he's ready when he arrives for his first posting with Medecins Sans Frontieres in Africa. But the town he's sent to is an isolated outpost of mud huts, surrounded by landmi...more

Paperback, 360 pages

Published July 1st 2012 by Allen & Unwin Australia

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Jul 27, 2012 Angela Oliver rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: memoir, non-fiction

A heart-breaking memoir, that also manages to be heart-warming and rather sobering. I admire Damien - for going places I would not dare to tread and daring to make a difference - no matter how slim. He tells his experiences with a certain amount of wry humour and does not dwell on the grief, although of that there is plenty. The political situation in many of the African countries is a worrying one. I devoured this book, and at times I laughed, other times I just wanted to cry, but one thing I t...more

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Oct 23, 2012 Raghu rated it 5 of 5 stars

The title of the book pretty much sums up beautifully the nature of the work that Dr.Damien Brown does in Africa as a volunteer doctor with MSF - Doctors without Borders. It is a book that evokes multiple emotions in you as you read it - at times breaking your heart, at times making you laugh, at times feeling despondent about Africa and volunteer work, at times feeling inspired, at times completely upbeat and optimistic about the future. The thing that strikes me most about the author is his ho...more The title of the book pretty much sums up beautifully the nature of the work that Dr.Damien Brown does in Africa as a volunteer doctor with MSF - Doctors without Borders. It is a book that evokes multiple emotions in you as you read it - at times breaking your heart, at times making you laugh, at times feeling despondent about Africa and volunteer work, at times feeling inspired, at times completely upbeat and optimistic about the future. The thing that strikes me most about the author is his honesty and openness in evaluating his time as a doctor with MSF in Africa and never losing his perspective even under trying and testing conditions. The book also brings out the essential goodness of the 'ordinary man' in the street, or 'hospital' so to speak.

Dr.Damien Brown, as a young 29-year old from Australia, offers himself as a volunteer doctor to serve in Angloa with MSF. He is sent as the only 'resident doctor' to Mavinga, an outpost in SE Angola consisting of only mud huts in an area surrounded by scores of landmines - remnants of a long civil war. He has for company three other expatriate medical practitioners and a few Angolan health workers, who are actually veterans of the long civil war. Dr.Brown goes in there speaking little Portuguese, the local language. His six-month stint, to say the least, was eventful. He attends to a man mauled by a leopard, wrestles with cultural conflict with his Angolan health workers,
treats severely malnourished children, assists a surgery by 'cleaning' the instruments by holding them up to the fire, argues with relatives of patients who insist on their patient being 'operated upon' because that is what is seen as the 'Rolls Royce' of medical care, is shocked by his own Angolan colleague who, after having cut open the stomach of a patient, challenges Dr.Brown to decide as to which organ to remove......
However, it is not all gloom and disease and death either. The lighter side of life in Mavinga is brought out in the context of the four expatriate volunteer workers - three of them men and one , a blonde young German woman named Andrea. Unfortunately for DR.Brown and Pascal and Tim, she happens to be a born-again Christian and so any casual fling was out of the question. The narrative also spells out in the end that many aid workers eventually end up being partners or spouses of other aid workers. Dr.Brown humorously refers to it as 'double the baggage in one relationship'!

In the author's own words, his Angolan experience is summed up as follows:
" ...the reality of medicine in developing countries is that people die of preventable conditions that are easy to treat or even prevent. Of the millions of children who won't survive the year, most will succumb to one of six things : poor nutrition, pneumonia, diarrhoea, malaria, measles or lack of basic neonatal or maternal health care, all of which are easily managed or prevented. ".
As for his own time in Mavinga, it is " a confusing, intoxicating, frustrating, heartbreaking, inspiring, disillusioning and life-affirming blend of all the best and worst things. Of Angolans, he says, "...no one mopes, or says Poor us. They just get on with it".

After six months in Angola, he returns home to Melbourne, Australia, but feels alienated by the trivialities of the 'problems' in the Australian context of total security and affluence. His mother talks about an anxiety disorder that the family dog is undergoing and the need for anxiety pills for the dog; at the supermarket, he watches an overweight kid throwing a tantrum because his mom bought him 'that' chocolate bar instead of the twenty other varieties he wanted....It is all too much to handle for Dr.Brown and he takes off again to Africa with MSF to regain his balance.

He serves a short stint in Mozambique and then six more months in Nasir, South Sudan - a place as far off from civilization as one would want. In Nasir, in addition to the expected malnutrition, diarrhoea and malaria, he deals with clans of people with gunshot wounds in the fight for 'cattle' which is often valued more than human lives in Nasir. As if this is not enough, he finds himself in a heartbreaking situation where a dying pregnant woman needs to be operated upon urgently but her husband forbids it by refusing permission - result of a strong patriarchal culture where even the woman's life is in the hands of her husband. This was the last straw on Dr.Brown's back and he decides to return home to Australia.

In the final chapter, the author asks the question," ...So, is there really any point to this line of work? Is there any lasting benefit to the people that MSF tries to help? Or does the aid industry just bumble on blindly, patting itself on the back for 'at least trying' , all the while perpetuating its own existence?' Dr.Brown resolves this dilemma in the following words:
My head says it is futile. My heart knows differently. I hope to be in the field again sometime soon.

The book is simply brilliant.
(less)

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Jul 31, 2012 Lauren Murphy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: aussie-author, memoir

Band-Aid for a Broken Leg is an inspiring account of Damien Brown, an Australian doctor who is posted in Africa working for Doctors Without Borders (Medecins Sans Frontieres).

Born and raised in South Africa, Damien Brown relocated to Melbourne as a child with his family. Seeking an alternate medical education experience, Damien practiced tropical medicine in Thailand before accepting a six month post in Angola, Africa. He arrives to a mud-hut village, with a make-shift hospital full to the brim...more Band-Aid for a Broken Leg is an inspiring account of Damien Brown, an Australian doctor who is posted in Africa working for Doctors Without Borders (Medecins Sans Frontieres).

Born and raised in South Africa, Damien Brown relocated to Melbourne as a child with his family. Seeking an alternate medical education experience, Damien practiced tropical medicine in Thailand before accepting a six month post in Angola, Africa. He arrives to a mud-hut village, with a make-shift hospital full to the brim of patients presenting with a range of injuries, illness and diseases. Apart from communicating with his ex-pat colleagues at the Hospital- Tim, Andrea and Pascall- Damien must quickly learn Portuguese if he wants to earn the respect as head doctor in this tight-knit community. He soon realises that his western training in logic and complex medical machines and processes is of little use in Angola and he must get back to basics, connect with the locals and understand a foreign culture.

When his post comes to an end, Damien struggles to assimilate back into a Western hospital in Australia and is soon in a debriefing for another post in Sudan where he spends another six months. With some experience under his belt, Damien has more confidence in this country yet is presented with much more confronting issues pertaining to war and corruption.

Written in first person and present tense, Damien immediately grounded me in his experience as it unfolded. He is an engaging narrator and his honesty provides an insight to him as a real person with flaws and vulnerabilities as he discovers that very little of what happens in these foreign lands is within his control. I think it is the hurdle of ‘the unknown’ and lack of control that Damien learns to accept as an indicator of the growth we see in him as a person and a professional during this role.

Damien was exposed to so many sad, unthinkable cases; extremely malnourished children, gunshot victims and ultimately many deaths- yet must work long hours day after day and not become overwhelmed by this day to day emotional experience overload.

Despite the difficulties of Damien’s work, his experience is truly inspiring. Before I even finished the book I was on the website looking up volunteer opportunities abroad for my line of work (mental health) and found there are- very tempting!

Band-Aid for a Broken Leg is a very humbling story and is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the volunteers of Doctors Without Borders and various other humanitarian organisations who assist underprivileged communities across the world.

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Mar 30, 2013 Janet rated it 3 of 5 stars

Well Band aid for a broken leg was an easy read which was interesting and at times fascinating. It's amazing when reading a book like this, how often images pop into your head when you are going about your daily life.
I learned a lot reading this book - about MSF, and something of Africa, Angola and Sudan, or at least the little corners of those where the Australian doctor Damien spent some of his time volunteering.

Damien seems like an everyday hero, he dedication to his patients was amazing and...more

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Dec 29, 2012 Sue rated it 5 of 5 stars

I wish I'd read this book before working with refugees from Sudan. It gave me much more of an insight into their lives than the word "refugee" possibly could. I now understand what the meant when they said they worked in a hospital as a nurse and that this was something to be justifiably proud of. The challenge in adapting to life in Australia is immense and must be bewildering.
The writing flows beautifully as the reader is drawn into the frenetic pace of providing medical care to patients with...more

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Jul 20, 2012 Shelleyrae at Book'd Out rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-are, aussie-author, provided-by-publisher

In Australia, Medicare subsidises doctor visits, medicines and hospital care and access to quality health care is something many of us take for granted. Band-Aid for a Broken Leg is fascinating true account from Dr Damien Brown of his time as a volunteer with the Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders)organisation. In Angola, Mozambique and South Sudan, he is faced with the reality of medical care in isolated regions beseiged by war, in fighting and political indifference.

Born in Sout...more In Australia, Medicare subsidises doctor visits, medicines and hospital care and access to quality health care is something many of us take for granted. Band-Aid for a Broken Leg is fascinating true account from Dr Damien Brown of his time as a volunteer with the Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders)organisation. In Angola, Mozambique and South Sudan, he is faced with the reality of medical care in isolated regions beseiged by war, in fighting and political indifference.

Born in South Africa, Damien Brown emigrated with his family to Australia as a child. After completing his medical training in Australia, he studied in Peru for a diploma in tropical medicine and then volunteered at a clinic in Thailand. He applied to the MSF and was offered a position in Angola an area of Africa still recovering from a 27 year long civil war.
Mavinga, a small township near the border of Namibia, and outlying areas, rely on the MSF for all aspects of health care. Damien describes the primitive conditions of the hospital surrounded by leftover landmines, staffed by a handful of expat's and semi-trained locals. The hospital treats hundreds of patients each day for conditions ranging from severe malnutrition and malaria to grenade wounds. While the conditions sound miserable, there is no modern plumbing and the generator is temperamental, Damien accepts the circumstances with remarkably good grace. He writes of the challenges of treating patients with limited resources, many of whom present when it is almost too late. There are cultural differences to work through, he knows little of the language and the hours are long and punishing, yet he takes solace in even the smallest victories and finds humour where he can.
After six months Damien returns home to Melbourne but finds it difficult to settle back into life and finds himself reapplying to the MSF. He is diverted from his first choice of posting after an outbreak of fighting in Somalia and winds up in Mozambique assisting with a vaccination program before being sent to Sudan.
Damien's experience in Sudan is not dissimilar to that of Mavinga, the hospital is busy and crowded and patient care challenging. But here gun battles erupt nearby, death seems to be more frequent and the stress of the circumstances gets to him. After six months he heads back to Australia wondering how much good he did. Damien's reflections on his experiences are thoughtful and make it clear answers are not easy to come by.
Damien Brown's style of writing is confident and accessible and I am glad he shared some photos of his time in Mavinga and Nasir within the book. I can't express how much I admire his willingness to share his skills with those who need them and his choice to confront the challenges of being a doctor with the MSF. I have no idea how the man is still single!

Band-Aid for a Broken Leg is a heartbreaking, yet uplifting, glimpse of Africa and the challenges of one doctor to provide medical care for it's poorest communities in difficult circumstances. Fascinating and thought provoking I happily recommend it to travelers, those interested in volunteering overseas and anyone who needs some perspective on their latest first world crisis.(less)

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Jan 02, 2013 Kathryn rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction, 4-stars

Having worked in Africa myself for a short period, so much of this sounds familiar - from language difficulties where a cough is described as chest pain to bizarre infections that are rarely seen in Western medicine, marriage proposals (although the author didn't receive as many as I would have expected!) and improvising with available equipment as required. What I can't relate to are the clan wars in the Sudan and the land mines in Angola with only certain roads being declared land mine free an...more

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Aug 23, 2012 This Charming Mum rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book about a young volunteer doctor working with Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) made me thankful for just about every facet of my life: thankful I live in an affluent, peaceful country; thankful my children and I only have colds and not malaria, or TB, or HIV; and thankful that if one of us did, heaven forbid, get really sick we wouldn’t have to walk for two days to get to the nearest medical centre. It’s an excellent tonic if you’re having one of those ‘first world prob...more

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Nov 01, 2012 Lynne rated it 4 of 5 stars

Damien Brown is a young, single, middle class white Australian doctor volunteering with MSF. Chronicling his experiences of working in Angola and the Sudan, his account deals with the difficulties of working in unsafe environments under primitive conditions, not to mention cultural misunderstandings ranging from the whimsical to the tragic. Most heartbreaking of all was the high incidence of malnutrition among the children. I laughed and cried while reading this book and would strongly recommend...more

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Jul 29, 2012 Michelle Perry rated it 4 of 5 stars

I love the easy flowing writing style. The simple way of story telling that finds something beautiful in the everyday. It has an authenticity and humility that is very endearing. It doesn't answer my questions about aid work - but reaffirms the best of human nature and why even if it's not the most best of solutions it is still worthwhile

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Apr 04, 2013 Carole Cluff rated it 5 of 5 stars

Excellent story , easy too read. Damien takes you on his journey with him . It takes a strong person to be able to do that even for a short period of time. And a stronger person to know when they have had enough. Time for a break. It's interesting he didn't have to look far to find a place that gave him a full filling role here In Australia. A remarkable man

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Oct 23, 2012 Tad Boniecki rated it 5 of 5 stars

This story is well outside the ambit of most of us. He confronted the best and worst of human nature in some of the most difficult environments on this planet. His honesty and humility are exemplary.

It is a wonderful book.

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Nov 12, 2012 Kathy Reid rated it 4 of 5 stars

I like a bit of good non-fiction from time to time and this was a fascinating read. I have often wondered what motivates doctors to volunteer in Africa. The problems seem so massive and the resources to tackle them so meagre, it must surely be heart-breaking. The way this young doctor and his colleagues cope with the challenges is quite inspirational.

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Mar 27, 2013 Deyara rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Everyone

Shelves: x-2013-a-team-nbrc, c-non-fiction-deyara, c-read-in-2013, memoir, disadvantaged, setting-africa, setting-angola, char-doctors, char-aid-workers, non-fiction

Really good. Written in an easy-to-read and accessible style, the story pulled you in, and even though there were lots of places where it could have gotten too melodramatic or preachy, it didnt. There were a couple of places where the discussion of the aid-programs bureaucracy started to get a a bit much, but then it picked up and we were away again. Uplifting and interesting, highly recommended.

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Aug 16, 2012 Marilyn rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is a biography of Doctors without borders doctor. He works in Angola and Mozambique and is from Australia. It is really gripping reading.

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Nov 03, 2012 Caroline Bretzke rated it 3 of 5 stars

Makes us realise how lucky we are to have the care we need and why we pay taxes great read funny and heartwarming

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Mar 24, 2013 Sharon Gamble rated it 4 of 5 stars

Written with a positive tone. Couldn't help but smile at the human side of life in third world countries.

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Sep 24, 2012 Naomi rated it 5 of 5 stars

An amazing insight into what life is like as an aid worker.

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Feb 16, 2013 Lizzie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Very entertaining read about a young doctor's adventures through the less developed parts of the world with MSF. Highly recommended.

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Apr 08, 2013 Wendy Smyth rated it 5 of 5 stars

Absolutely amazing. Inspirational.

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Dec 27, 2012 Barbara Gard added it

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Nov 08, 2012 Bec rated it 4 of 5 stars

An honest account of life as a MFS doctor in war torn africa this book was moving, thought provoking and heart warming. It will make you laugh, make you cry and make you think.

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Nov 17, 2012 Leanne rated it 4 of 5 stars

Fascinating memoir by Aussie doctor working in remote outposts in Angola, Somalia, Mozambique & Sudan with Medecins Sans Frontieres.

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Aug 26, 2012 Clare Cannon marked it as not-sure

AM offered to review

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Apr 29, 2013 Olwen rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: biography

An absolute eye-opener. I don't know how they do it.

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About Damien Brown

Damien Brown is an Australian doctor based in Melbourne. He began writing seriously after his last humanitarian posting with Medecins Sans Frontieres, encouraged by readers of a blog he kept while working in Africa. This is Damien's first book.

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Band- Aid for a Broken Leg. Damien Brown

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