Newcastle physiotherapist to miss Christmas and grandchild's birth to help people injured in Lebanon
A physiotherapist from Newcastle has volunteered to spend her Christmas in Lebanon treating people injured in the ongoing conflict there.
Bev Tiplady has worked in the NHS for 26 years. She volunteered to travel to the Middle East with UK-Med, a group which is linked to the Foreign Office.
On a video call 3000 miles away from home, Bev told ITV Tyne Tees she is enjoying helping those that need her. She said: "I've only been here six weeks, I absolutely love it and the people of Lebanon. I qualified 26 years ago, and I got all my education free. I had a young family, four children. To me, it's giving back."
The job is dangerous, and while a recent ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel has brought some safety, Bev began her work while the country was in a warzone and had little idea of how she would cope."I've never been through this situation. I'm quite shocked to tell you I've just adapted," she said. "You know, the bombs would drop and you would wait, and then we'd say 'okay, we can leave now'. Maybe it's because I'm a woman of 59, and I've seen a lot of things that just didn't challenge me the way I thought it would."
She added: "We have a mixture of patients who have been hit by bomb blasts, explosions, gunshot wounds. Some patients have gone on to lose limbs because that's the only way we've been able to save their lives."
Not only is Bev missing spending the festive season with her family, but her seventh grandchild is due to be born within weeks. She says, however, that her work in Lebanon captures the true meaning of Christmas."I just think it's good for children, for people in the North East, for, you know, for women. I was a single parent for a long time with four kids when I trained to be a physio. It's showing people that if you set your mind to do something, you can not be afraid to make a difference, really, where you can, even if it's a small difference. It's an honour."
Bev's deployment to Lebanon through the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office is part of the UK Government’s humanitarian response to the crisis.
It has announced £15million in humanitarian support to provide Lebanon with essential medical supplies, emergency cash assistance and, shelter and access to clean water.
According to the Foreign Office, the UK was the first G7 country to call for a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanese Hezbollah in September.
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