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Independence and nationhood come with a price. Political upheaval, violence and bloodshed can be part of such a genesis. Now imagine the life of a child in a war, where her mom becomes a hostage while she is 6 months pregnant with her and has to give birth in the jungle. The devastating impact of war on a child is unimaginable as war displaces families from their homes and challenges the very essence of existence. The physical and emotional security that a child needs from parents is lost in the constant struggle of surviving. Bombing, explosions will leave a legacy of emotional scars along with the physical ones, even among those who weren´t anywhere near the blasts. And who can imagine, after 30 years this child would become a doctor, consultant for respiratory diseases. and one of the doctors who found lung cancer in young male pacients. It was not an easy road ...not at all. It is true that our current life is, to a large extent, the result of our past actions, choices and experiences. The great news, however, is that our future is determined by our present actions. Hope this book will bring such a good impact and a good motivation for everyone chasing their dreams.

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Lopes, Neusa
Dr Neusa Lopes, MD, Pulmonologist, graduated with a medical doctor degree from Christian University Medical School, Jakarta. Dr Neusa is the President of the Multi Drug Resistant Tuberculosis Program of Ministry of Health, East Timor. Certified by the FDA for Clinical Trials and a member of the Conduct Clinical Trial program, California, USA.

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