The Boy with Two Hearts

BBC RADIO 4 BOOK OF THE WEEK 29 JUNE - 3 JULY 2020 READ BY SANJEEV BHASKAR (GOODNESS GRACIOUS ME, THE KUMARS AT NO. 42 AND MORE) 'Enthralling ... A fascinating insight' Daily Mail 'An inspiring read' Nihal Arthanayake, BBC Radio 5 Live A powerful tale of a family in crisis, and a moving love letter to the NHS. Herat, Afghanistan, 2000. A mother speaks out against the fundamentalist leaders of her country. Meanwhile, her family's watchful eyes never leave their beloved son and brother, whose rare heart condition means that he will never lead a normal life. When the Taliban gave an order for the execution of Hamed Amiri's mother, the family knew they had to escape, starting what would be a long and dangerous journey, across Russia and through Europe, with the UK as their ultimate destination. Travelling as refugees for a year and a half, they suffered attacks from mafia and police; terrifying journeys in strangers' cars; treks across demanding terrain; days spent hidden in lorries without food or drink; and being robbed at gunpoint of every penny they owned. The family's need to reach the UK was intensified by their eldest son's deteriorating condition, and the prospect of life-saving treatment it offered. The Boy with Two Hearts is not only a tale of a family in crisis, but a love letter to the NHS, which provided hope and reassurance as they sought asylum in the UK and fought to save their loved ones.

Hamed Amiri was born in Herat, Afghanistan, and grew up under Taliban rule before escaping at the age of ten. He is a motivational speaker and influencer in the education sector, and a board member at Coleg Gwent, Wales. In 2016 he was awarded the Inspiring the Next Generation Award by the University of South Wales for services to education and young people. Inspired by his late brother's passion for positive change in society, Hamed's mission is to share his family's story with a wide audience and change perceptions surrounding refugees and diversity. This is his first book. Hessam was born in Afghanistan. Hessam Amiri began his digital marketing career in 2014, starting at The Royal Mint, one of the oldest companies in the world. Hessam now works for Yugo, a student accommodation business, managing the Global Digital Acquisition strategy. Hessam has won many digital awards and spoken at various digital marketing events. In 2021 he became one of the youngest judges for the UK Search Awards. Hessam has always pushed boundaries - in digital as well as in real life - by having his family's story made into a play and a new virtual reality experience for the digital world! In 2022 the virtual reality experience, Ripples of Kindness, was an Official Selection of FIVARS (Festival of International Virtual and Augmented Reality Stories) and a Finalist at QLD XR Festival. Outside the world of digital, Hessam was Governor for University Hospitals Bristol & Weston 2019-22 and an ambassador of Daring to Dream charity.