In 2019, interventional cardiologist, Dr. Asif Qasim, set in motion a long dreamed about sabbatical. Plans to travel, focus on his medtech platform MedShr, learn new skills, get fit and enjoy life, are drawn up and then abruptly upended by a series of catastrophic family events, which become entwined with the tidal wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Toggling between life or death anecdotes from his cardiac catheter laboratory to life or death bedside moments as the designated next of kin, Qasim takes readers into the miracles of interventional cardiology, the fallibility of patients, the vulnerability of next of kin and the fragility of the very doctors who we trust our lives to.
It’s a book of decisions and choices, of intimate moments and harsh injustices, strong women and pioneering doctors; equal parts heroic salute to medicine and moving elegy to a family ripped apart by medical events that sit at the very centre of the specialty medical field Dr. Qasim is so renowned within.
Next of Kin is available to download now on Amazon
All proceeds are donated to the Pakistan Alliance for Girls’ Education
“Dr. Asif Qasim’s candid, moving collection of essays entwines life experiences both professional and personal, divulging important lessons learned.”
–– Shilpa Ravella, M.D., Author of A Silent Fire: The Story of Inflammation, Diet, and Disease
“We always look to our doctors to save lives; one does not imagine that they also deal with family emergencies, death and grief. Dr. Asif Qasim expresses with genuine honesty and vulnerability, the helplessness, sorrow, and overwhelming grief that accompanies the loss of a loved one.”
–– Racheal Ede, Health Journalist, Forbes
“Dr. Asif Qasim touches on the intricate web of factors contributing to heart health highlighting the profound influence of diet, stress and lifestyle choices. He also emphasises the urgency of prevention and the harm complementary therapies can cause if used in replacement for professional medical advice and treatment.”
–– Tiluka Bhanderi, Registered Dietician
“A warm, nostalgic and open story of life and evolution as a cardiologist”
–– Dr. Shrilla Banerjee, Consultant Cardiologist and Co-Author of Swanton’s Cardiology
In memory of his sister Dr Faieza Qasim who died in 2020, Dr Qasim and his family fund 5 girls’ schools in Pakistan. These schools are run by PAGE - the Pakistan Alliance for Girls’ Education - and located in areas where the girls would not otherwise have access to education.
Launched at the World Innovation Summit for Education in 2013, PAGE is committed to empowering Pakistani girls. Our vision is to create a society where girls have unhindered access to quality education, enabling them to play transformative roles. Through strategic partnerships, PAGE addresses challenges like extreme poverty and cultural barriers that impede girls’ education.
