Life in Her Hands, Averil Mansfield
Life in Her Hands, Averil Mansfield
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Life in Her Hands
The Inspiring Story of a Pioneering Female Surgeon

Author: Averil Mansfield

Narrator: Averil Mansfield

Unabridged: 9 hr 55 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Ebury Digital

Published: 02/23/2023


Synopsis

Brought to you by Penguin.

'A great read. I am honoured to have worked with such a legend' David Nott
'A role model for women' Independent
'A wonderful read' Julian Fellowes
'Remarkable' Lauren Laverne
'Charming' Guardian

We were occasionally expected to travel by ambulance to a serious case and would always have a kit of tools and drugs ready for emergency calls. On one occasion, we were responding to a man who had fallen into the hold of a grain ship and broken his leg. I was expected to go down a pole into the ship to administer analgaesia before he could be rescued. The 'audience' of shipworkers delighted in telling me that there were rats the size of dogs down in the grain. The other problem was that this was the era of the mini skirt, and you can imagine what that meant. Following the incident, I instituted the purchase of some 'Casualty Officers Emergency Dungarees' as an addition to the kit.

Averil Mansfield established herself as a pioneer in every sense of the word when she qualified as a surgeon in the early 1970s. At the time just two per cent of her colleagues were female, and she was often met with surprise, bordering on disbelief and amusement, when telling people what she did. But time and again, Averil proved herself more than capable of the role which had been her greatest dream since the age of eight. After a formidable operating career in Liverpool and London, during which she made many enduring friendships, she went on to became the UK's first ever female professor of surgery.

Life in Her Hands is the remarkable story of a truly trailblazing woman. Averil's account shines light on a medical and societal world that has changed beyond measure, but which - as she shows through her experiences - still has a long way to go for the women finding their place within it.

©2023 Averil Mansfield (P)2023 Penguin Audio

Reviews

Goodreads review by Danielle on January 26, 2024

4.5🌟 Incredible insight into the life of not only a surgeon, a woman in medicine, a wife and a step mother. Informative, interesting and at times emotional. Averil achieved incredible things in her field, made even more incredible by the fact she was a woman entering medicine in a post war Britain. Tho......more

Goodreads review by Claudia on May 28, 2023

Inspiring life story of the first female vascular surgeon in the UK, with some funny and touching anecdotes throughout her life. Loved the collection of photos at the end of the book.......more

Goodreads review by Jane on October 27, 2023

I loved this book more than Avril will ever know ! She is an amazing human being. I wish I had the ability to write a review worthy of her achievements .......more

Goodreads review by Sarah on March 21, 2025

An inspirational memoir of a remarkable lady, surgeon and wife. It has invigorated my passion for working healthcare and to above all be alturistic and compassionate to all.......more


Quotes

A great read. I am honoured to have worked with such a legend David Nott

An amazing journey recounted with modesty and humour. A wonderful read Julian Fellowes

Delightful, brave, funny, lovely and self-deprecating. Professor Mansfield really has paved the way for others Dr Fiona Godlee, first female editor-in-chief of The British Medical Journal

Remarkable Lauren Laverne

A role model for women Independent

Charming Guardian

Pioneering Country Life

Trailblazing Daily Mirror

This very accessible read... gives an understanding... of how Britain enabled a poor girl from the North with little apparent potential to become an internationally recognised surgical superstar Bulletin of the Royal College of Surgeons

A breath of fresh air ... Averil Mansfield’s memoir points to a more enlightened future Times Literary Supplement