The Story of an African Doctor

This story is based on real events but names, places and even events have been changed for dramatic effect. The story details the life of a young medical doctor in South Africa from birth until he completes his work as a General practitioner to go and specialise.

Matt Forbes was born in Cape Town in 1937. Shortly thereafter his parents took the family, Matt and his sister to America. His father attended a psychiatric fellowship at Princeton University and thereafter his parents toured Canada and America for two years. Matt and Gwen were left with a lady friend in Leonia New Jersey until they returned two years later. World War II had had broken out and they returned to South Africa across the U-boat infested Atlantic in a tramp steamer. Matt’s stormy early years, his mother’s induced labour, his parents American adventure and shortly thereafter a messy divorce left an indelible mark on him. The story details his struggles through his early years, through school and university and his early life as a doctor in the Apartheid era, during which his patients were mainly non-white. But he treated everyone the same.

About the author: Nicholas Hurst was born in Cape Town South Africa in 1937, but spent his early years in New York, returning to Africa in a Tramp Steamer, dodging U Boats along the way. He spent his childhood in the Western Cape Province where he attended school. During 1961 he qualified as a medical doctor at the University of Cape Town. He spent a few years in General practice, but then specialised in Diagnostic Radiology, obtaining further qualifications at the University of Stellenbosch, and the Royal Colleges of London and England. Dr Hurst practised for 20 years in Johannesburg, and retired to spend time yachting. He qualified as an Ocean Yacht Master in 1985. Later he relocated overseas and worked in Canada for 15 years. Nicholas is still working part time at the Helderberg Hospital and lives with his wife and one of his four children in Somerset West. Nicholas and his wife, Olivia, have travelled extensively in England, Europe, Israel and North America. Dr Hurst is also the author of Reis van die Seeswael, a juvenile adventure story, The Haunted Valley, and South Pole Santa gripping children’s fantasy. During his stay in Canada he wrote numerous Letters from Canada.