Book Title: Walk With The Weary: Life-changing Lessons in Healthcare
Author: Dr. M.R. Rajagopal
Published By: Aleph Book Company
Book Review
Dr. M.R. Rajagopal is an Indian physician and palliative care specialist. He is the founder and chairman of the Trivandrum Institute of Palliative Sciences (TIPS) in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India. He is widely recognized for his pioneering work promoting palliative care in India.
He is considered one of the leading advocates for the rights of people with life-limiting illnesses. In recognition of his contributions to the field of palliative care, Dr. Rajagopal has received numerous awards and honors, including the prestigious Padma Shri award from the Government of India.
Dr. M.R. Rajagopal’s book, ‘Walk with the Weary,’ is an account of stories woven around severe human pain. The memoir flows easily, analogous to stories told over a campfire – compelling and vibrant. The book is a collection of shared experiences from his years of walking beside individuals suffering from life-limiting illnesses, and it contains many lessons about living and dying well.
The author has compiled stories of love, faith, hope, and sadness set against the backdrop of disease and insights into his own life. The stories are told in a conversational tone at first, then in a more conversational yet ruminative style.
Though his palliative care journey and that of India run simultaneously, they meld seamlessly at critical junctures. Through thirty-odd accounts of patients who invited him into their suffering, seeking to ease pain and sometimes failing to do so, the author reveals a road he took.
He mentions all of his fellow travelers in the book, from mentors to coworkers, as well as kind benefactors and loving family carers. He expresses gratitude to every doctor, nurse, philanthropist, mentor, and patient he met and walked beside throughout his early years as a palliative care enthusiast and later campaigner. The book is entertaining, although the narration occasionally loses its grip.
On a final note, hearing or reading about such people is not only motivating but also a significant takeaway for understanding how a person should operate for the well-being of his fellow humans. In this regard, it is a beautiful joy to read and learn about a person who has proven himself not only as a great professional but also as a person with a larger sense of social duty.
Read More
- Book Review: The Nation and Its Citizens by Sukumar Muralidharan
- Book Review: Rajaraja Chola by Kamini Dandapani
- Book Review: The Making of a Catastrophe by Jayati Ghosh
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Read more stories in our January 2023 featuring Maharaj Devraj Singh
