Do No Harm: Stories of Life, Death and Brain Surgery - as seen on 'life-changing' BBC documentary Confessions of a Brain Surgeon

by Henry Marsh

‘Every surgeon carries within himself a small cemetery, where from time to time he goes to pray – a place of bitterness and regret, where he must look for an explanation for his failures.’

Whereas the surgeon, for a while, has known heaven, having come very close to hell.

Surgeons must always tell the truth but rarely, if ever, deprive patients of all hope. It can be very difficult to find the balance between optimism and realism.

your patients and their families know that you are distressed by whatever happened, you might, if you are lucky, receive the precious gift of forgiveness.