Feather on the Wind of Change
“Feather on the ‘Wind of Change’ Safaris, Surgery and Stentgrafts,” by Dr. Michael Lawrence-Brown is a captivating memoir that recounts the author’s life story, from his unconventional upbringing in East Africa to his ground-breaking work in developing the stent graft for aortic aneurysms. Born in colonized Kenya to British parents, Dr. Lawrence-Brown enjoyed a picturesque, relatively ungoverned childhood full of safari adventures and eccentric pets. However, he also came of age during an era of change in the British empire. In 1960, Prime Minister Harold McMillan gave his “Wind of Change” speech, acknowledging the upsurge of decolonization across African colonies and signaling the end of the British empire. Faced with the ultimatum of accepting Kenyan citizenship thereby limiting his educational opportunities or seeking British citizenship and migrating, Dr. Lawrence-Brown ultimately made the move to Australia, where he attended medical school, discovered his passion for vascular surgery and pioneered research in the cutting-edge treatment of aortic aneurysms.
