A south London teenager has received an award for raising awareness of a rare heart defect he was born with.
Zaki Abdullah Kabir, 17, from Lambeth, was recognised at the NHS Cadets ceremony in Bristol on Sunday night for promoting understanding around truncus arteriosus.
The rare birth defect can lead to death if not treated. It occurs when the blood vessel coming out of the heart in a developing baby fails to separate completely during development.
Zaki, who hopes to become a doctor in paediatric cardiology, said: “My condition has shaped my life in many ways and has given me a great insight as a patient, which I’m sure will help me deal with people with empathy and compassion in the future.
“The doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals who cared for me – and saved my life on multiple occasions – really are the reason I want to pursue a career in medicine. I can’t wait to give back to the NHS, who have given back so much to me.”
Zaki was given the award by Dr Amos Ogunkoya, an NHS medic and star of BBC One’s hit reality TV show The Traitors.
The NHS Cadets programme was launched by St John Ambulance and NHS England in 2020 and is aimed at encouraging diverse careers in the NHS.
It targets those growing up in care, refugees or those caring for a loved one at home.
Dr Chris Streather, Medical Director for the NHS in London, said: “I’d like to congratulate Zaki and his peers for their tremendous achievements over the past 36 weeks and hope this is just the beginning of their NHS journey.
“Whether you see a career in cardiology or another one of the wide range of specialties available in the NHS, you will be welcomed with open arms.”
The 36-week Cadets programme, which is running in NHS trusts and secondary schools across the country, sees young people take part in a range of 90-minute sessions delivered by experienced youth leaders. During the sessions, they work on various activities to help develop their healthcare knowledge.
Martha Kent, St John Ambulance NHS Cadets Project Lead, said: “It’s wonderful for Zaki to be recognised in this way.
“Throughout the course, he has gone above and beyond and contributed so much, but also importantly helped pave the way for the whole group to share some of their own health and emotional battles too.”
