Andrew Denton: Interview: June 25

Guest this week on Andrew Denton: Interview is surgeon and former refugee Dr Munjed Al Muderis.

This week, the amazing and heart-warming story of Dr Munjed Al Muderis, whose bold new approach to surgery is helping hundreds of Aussie amputees to walk again.

Inspired by watching The Terminator as a teen, the good doctor is now in the business of fusing human and machine. He’s a pioneering specialist in osseointegration, which attaches prosthetic limbs directly to the bones of amputees.

If his groundbreaking work was not incredible enough, you won’t believe the story of how he came to be in this country. As a young medico, Dr Al Muderis was forced to flee Iraq after he refused the orders of Saddam Hussein’s army to surgically remove the ears of deserters as punishment.

He made his way here by boat, via Christmas Island and the Curtin Detention centre, before re-establishing his medical career. Now, his surgical breakthroughs are not only helping Australians, but Iraqis as well – he’s been back to his former country seven times to help the victims of the conflict he fled.

He’s the refugee gift that keeps on giving.

9pm Tuesday on Seven.