A Takeley doctor has marked the anniversary of his journey fighting COVID-19 by shaving his head to support his local hospice.
Dr Deb Ghosh, 53, a gastroenterology consultant from Princess Alexandra Hospice decided to raise funds for St Clare Hospice and the British Liver Trust, and has already raised more than £400.
As well as shaving his head, he will be taking part in the St Clare 10K run on April 11.
Dr Ghosh said: “Working as a consultant in gastroenterology at Princess Alexandra Hospital, I
have cared for many patients who have had terminal liver disease and have needed the support
of St Clare Hospice. I know they provide outstanding care to our palliative liver patients, and I
want to repay the support they give by fundraising for them.”
Dr Ghosh’s challenge is also motivated by his experiencing of surviving coronavirus, which he
suffered from in March and April 2020, and he wanted to mark the anniversary by making
a fresh start:
“The day I chose to shave my head marked the one-year anniversary of the day that my Covid
fever first started.
"I was admitted to hospital on April 2 2020 with severe COVID pneumonia and low oxygen levels. I honestly thought that I might not make it out alive from the hospital, I really was facing death.
"It felt like the first day of my new life when I came home on April 11, having recovered. It is meaningful that the St Clare 10K run is also on 11th April, the anniversary of me surviving COVID.”
Dr Ghosh added: “Having Covid has changed my life like nothing else. Shaving my head also represents starting my life again, a year after Covid changed it forever.
"This is my life version 2.0. There is a famous Chinese proverb which says – ‘we have two lives, and the second begins when we realise we only have one.’ This feels so very true to me now, having being faced with almost dying myself.
“My experience of surviving Covid has really made me appreciate my life, and how lucky I am to be alive. I want to raise funds for St Clare Hospice because they help to make every moment count for people at the end of their lives.”
You can donate to Dr Deb Ghosh’s fundraiser here: https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/DGhosh
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