Beginner’s pluck: Consultant in paediatrics Suzanne Crowe

Suzanne Crowe: 'People I’ve worked with have said, ‘thanks for showing how much work means to us’. That has made the book worthwhile.' Picture: Steve Langan/ CityHeadshots

As a child Suzanne was interested in the arts.

“My mother took me to drawing classes, and I loved English. I was thinking of writing or journalism as a career.” 

A stint in a hospital during transition year, and in particular dealing with a frail woman she felt unable to help, changed all that.

“Mrs Johnson was part of the jigsaw that led to medicine,” says Suzanne.

Graduating from her medical degree, Suzanne went on to study study anaesthetics and intensive care.

“That took seven years. I was in Australia for my final year, at the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne.”

I’ve been a consultant since I came back to Ireland in 2005.

Suzanne writes regular editorials for the Irish Independent and has been thinking of writing a book for a long time.

“But I think this was a good time to write it,” she says. “I would have felt more vulnerable earlier in my career.”

Who is Suzanne Crowe?

Date/ place of birth: 1971/ Co Wicklow.

Education: Loretto in Bray; Trinity College Dublin. Medicine. “But I’ve been taking medical exams my whole life. I’m still taking them.”

Home: Ranelagh, Dublin.

Family: Widow to Barry. Children Arthur, 23, Estella, 20, Dorothea, 18, Beatrice (who died as a baby), and Charles, 13.

The day job: Consultant in paediatrics at Children’s Health Ireland in Crumlin, and president of the Irish Medical Council.

In another life: “I’d like to work in a special, rarefied library.”

Favourite writers: Margaret Atwood; Joan Didion; Nora Ephron; Katie Kitamura; Liz Nugent; Andrea Mara.

Second book: “There will be one.”

Top tip: “Start. Don’t hold back; put all the emotion out there.”

The debut

Intensive Care

Hachette Books Ireland, €18.99

This wonderful memoir charts Suzanne’s path to medicine — her training, her doubts, and her highlights with numerous poignant stories of the children in her care.

It shows, clearly, the skills needed by a doctor — skills of healing, but also of offering hope — and when that fails simply being present. It shows the very best of what health professionals do.

“People I’ve worked with have said, ‘thanks for showing how much work means to us’. That has made the book worthwhile.”

The verdict: Instructive, emotional, and life affirming. I wept, but adored it.