Shakar: A Woman's Journey from Afghanistan

Refugee to Cancer Pioneer

By: Shakardokht Jafari

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Paperback | 6 July 2023

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Paperback
224 Pages

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19.5 x 12.5 x 2

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'A deeply emotional and inspiring book that will stay with you long after you turn the last page.' Waseem Mahmood, author of Good Morning Afghanistan

Born in rural Afghanistan, Shakardokht Jafari became a refugee aged just six, after a harrowing half-year trek to Iran.

There, at twelve, she discovered she had been promised in marriage at birth to an older cousin. Resisting no fewer than three arranged marriages, she fought to choose her own husband, education and career, defying convention to study radiation technologies at Tehran University.

Returning to Afghanistan after the fall of the Taliban, she was asked to re-establish a cancer facility in Kabul, which meant studying first for higher qualifications in the UK. With Islamist insurgency on the rise again, her lawyer husband fled to join her, driving a minicab to make ends meet.

The inventor of a method for improving outcomes of radiotherapy on cancer patients, Shakar has become one of Britain's leading medical entrepreneurs. Ironically, at the same time she has faced one of her biggest battles - to save her own health.

This remarkable woman, winner of a string of awards for business innovation, is also a leading campaigner for girls' education in Afghanistan. She tells her extraordinary story with disarming candour.

About the Author

Shakardokht Jafari was born in Daykundi, Afghanistan in 1977 and grew up as a refugee in Iran, where she completed her BSc in radiation technologies at Tabriz University of Medical Sciences. After moving back to Afghanistan, she secured a teaching post in radiology at Kabul Medical University. In 2010 she moved to the University of Surrey in the UK to study a master's in medical physics, becoming the first Afghan woman to earn a PhD in that subject. She was awarded the Schlumberger Foundation Faculty for the Future award for her second year of studies. The founder of her own radiation technology company, she is a winner of a Women in Innovation award and is chair of the charity Education Bridge for Afghanistan.

Industry Reviews

'A deeply emotional and inspiring book that will stay with you long after you turn the last page. A must-read for anyone interested in the history, culture, and politics of Afghanistan and a timely reminder of the resilience and strength of Afghan women Dr Jafri's commitment to empowering women through education is a reminder of the power of empathy and courage. However, the book is also a wake-up call for the broken promises made to Afghanistan by the international community.' Waseem Mahmood, author of Good Morning Afghanistan

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