Frontline

A heroic doctor’s unflinchingly honest and visceral tale of impossible choices in emergency medicine.

‘A brilliant insight into the forgotten heroes at the sharp end of humanitarian emergencies.’ Jon Snow, Channel 4 News

This is a story of tireless hard work and astonishing bravery.

Tony Redmond has deployed to wars, refugee crises, air crashes, earthquakes, typhoons, volcanoes, and disease outbreaks for over thirty years. Featuring tales of hope and redemption, as well as untold suffering and mismanagement, this raw, honest account could only have been written by someone who has for decades performed incredible feats of altruism.

Frontline takes the reader from the wards of Manchester’s Nightingale hospital to Kosovo, from Sierra Leone’s Ebola outbreak to Lockerbie, and from Haiti to the Philippines. We find its author risking life and limb to help those affected by events beyond their control.

But while humanitarian work and medicine require an innate goodness, not all those involved have benign motives. And saving lives requires difficult choices: between the desire to relieve suffering and the need to weigh up the context. Too often medical aid is found wanting, doing more harm than good.

How are life-or-death choices made in the heat of the moment? What are the consequences of your action, or inaction? Is it better at times to do nothing? How do you live with yourself if you want to help but can’t?

This is a frank account of the personal toll — physical, mental and social — emergency medicine levies on those who choose to do it. But ultimately, Frontline offers a tale of optimism, persistence and triumph over adversity, speaking to the resilience and fortitude of those who help and those whose lives they save.

Reviews

‘A stunning example of humanity in action.’ Kate Adie CBE

‘A true Humanitarian.’ David Nott, author of War Doctor

'A brilliant book by a courageous medic at the perilous forefront of disaster medicine.' Professor Stephen Westaby, author of Fragile Lives

‘Redmond displays a dogged determination. … The impetus for his career in catastrophe has always been the desire to care and to make a difference.’ The Guardian

‘Redmond has been shot at, spent months sleeping on floors, seen countless children die and often lived in fear for his own life and that of his team.’ The Independent

‘An impressive story of courage and compassion, at great personal risk — and cost.' Gavin Francis, author of Adventures in Human Being

‘The vividly told story of a remarkable man. An inspiring book, full of humanity and goodness.’ Martin Sixsmith, author of Philomena and The Litvinenko File

‘Tony Redmond’s story of extraordinary bravery and compassion is devastating and inspiring in equal measure. A book of rare insight and candour.’ Dan Jarvis MP, author of Long Way Home: Love, life, death, and everything in between

'This is the extraordinary story of an inspiring humanitarian. Dr Redmond has shown over decades that with the determination to save and change lives there is no limit to giving and altruism.' Dr Waheed Arian, author of In the Wars