I was born in the suburb of Heliopolis, Cairo, Egypt in 1957. I was educated in cairo & graduated in 1981 (honours) from Ain Shams Faculty of Medicine. The university years were some of the greatest years of my life. I met some great friends, who are still very close to this day, some now live in America, Australia, England & Germany as well as obviously in Egypt. I bought my first car after the second year in the university. It was a brand new Fiat 128 (1978) and I called it the Millineum Falcon (after the Falcon Millineum of star wars fame). I drove it like a maniac terrorizing the streets of Cairo (I am somewhat ashamed at how I drove in those days!) and within 3 months, I had a major car crash and fractured my right patella. Luckily for the world of surgery (!!!!!), I survived to save few lives in my time.

I trained in surgery in both Egypt & England. I first did my basic surgical training in Ain Shams University teaching hospitals, Cairo and got a Master's degree in Surgery in 1985. I then came to England to do my higher surgical training & research. I got the fellowship to the royal college of surgeons (Edinburgh) in 1988. I also did my doctorate degree research at the Royal London Hospital 1987-1990 on ileal & colonic pouches and was awarded the degree (MD) in 1990. Afterwards I returned to Egypt as University lecturer in surgery for a year and then back to England for more higher surgical training. Then I went back to Egypt when I got my first consultant post in 1993 at Ain Shams university, later becoming professor of Surgery at Ain Shams University Faculty of Medicine. I moved back to England as a consultant colorectal surgeon at Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Hospital in 1998. I have been the senior colorectal consultant at QEQM Hospital since 1999. I am also the East Kent NHS trust current lead colorectal surgeon.

I am married and have 2 sons. My eldest son is doing Medicine in London as the 4th generation doctor in the family. My younger son is great fun, best computer gamer in all format. his interest in studying has been .... well ... limited.... shall we say....