In this debut episode of In At The Deep End, host and swim coach Salim Ahmed welcomes his first guest, Dr Victoria Rose – or ‘Rosie’ as he knows her – a consultant plastic surgeon whose life is defined by two remarkable worlds: the operating theatres of London hospitals and the war-torn hospitals of Gaza.

Rosie shares her journey from dedicated runner to passionate swimmer, how a serious knee injury changed everything and why swimming has become a lifeline – not just physically, but mentally and emotionally – as she processes the harrowing work of treating children with blast, burn, and bullet injuries in one of the world’s most dangerous conflict zones.

Key themes in this episode:

  • What plastic surgery really involves and why it has such an unfair reputation
  • The IDEALS charity and its decades of work supporting surgeons in conflict zones
  • Life in Gaza before and after October 2023 – the contrast between restaurants and rubble
  • The friendship and responsibility that drives humanitarian volunteers back into danger
  • The physiological magic of cold water and the body’s response to immersion
  • Swimming as community, fitness and mental health support
  • Open-water swimming at Shepperton Lake, and the eureka moment
  • Swimming for body, mind and soul: resilience, mindfulness and showing up


Useful Links

 

Swimming & Open Water

Swim with Salim

  • SwimLab – Learn to swim with Salim

Organisations Mentioned

 

Dr Victoria Rose

 

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Produced by The Good Studio – thegoodstudio.co.uk