L&F“I was 18 when I saw my quasi-adoptive brother, Sobel (he was the nanny’s son) die of a heart attack. He was 14. I think witnessing his death is one of the reasons I became a doctor, and more specifically a cardiologist.
I was born and raised in Senegal, my parents were Lebanese. In Senegal, family, community and affection are very strong. When I left the country to settle in France, I was scared of being disappointed by my job. I missed the human aspect of it. In France, the relationship between doctor and patient is very materialistic. I needed to go back to the roots of my job: to take care of those who need it most. And in Senegal, there is a lot to do!
I wanted to keep a link with the country anyway, so I got the idea to create SAMBEN NGO in 2007: every trimester, health professionals volunteer to go in the furthest regions of Senegal and treat for free people who don’t have access to medicinal care.”