Mary Cusack
Director & Paediatrician
Mary qualified as a doctor in 2001 from the University of Leicester. After spending a year working in Australia, Mary returned to the UK and went on to specialise in paediatrics and is a member of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health. Mary also gained her diploma in Tropical Medicine in preparation for overseas work. Mary is registered to practice medicine both in the UK (GMC registration) and in India (MCI registration).
“When I trained in medicine I always had a passion to eventually use my medical skills on behalf of the poor.
I was invited out on a medical trip to India in 2006 and was very moved by the many needs of the children I met, either through poverty or injustice. Cat and I returned to India in 2007 to work full time, in a voluntary capacity, on behalf of the children to make a difference wherever we could.
Living out in India has given us an insight into the culture in a way that working from a UK base would have been impossible. The needs of the children are huge and as the project grew we quickly realised the need to become a UK registered charity and Love the One was founded.”
Cat Morris
Director & Paediatrician
Cat qualified as a doctor in 2002 from the University of Bristol. Cat quickly gained her diploma in Tropical Medicine in preparation for working overseas. After spending a year in Australia Cat returned to the UK and specialised in Paediatrics, and is a member of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health. Cat is registered to practice medicine both in the UK (GMC registration) and in India (MCI registration).
“I have always been someone who loves to see and experience other cultures. After spending time travelling I realised that I could not just enjoy seeing different parts of the world but ignore the suffering of those around me.
After initially visiting India on a short term trip in 2006, Mary and I gave up our jobs in the NHS and returned to India in 2007 to work full time, in a voluntary capacity. As the project developed it became a natural progression to become a UK registered charity, Love the One.”
Nimmie Rafiq
Clinic Co-ordinator
Nimmie trained as an English teacher and spent many years in India working in this profession. Nimmie first joined the Love the One team in June 2008, initially as a volunteer translator for the medical clinics. Since then her role has grown and developed and she is one of the key members of the medical team.
Nimmie is now our Clinic Co-ordinator, main translator, and heads up the 24 hour medical help line Love the One Direct. Nimmie is also one of the teachers on our Parenting and Child Health course. Nimmie has also been a great help in helping the UK team understand the culture with which they are working in.
Liz Gregson
Volunteer Co-ordinator
Liz is a teacher by profession with her main subjects in languages, IT and business. Liz has a passion to use her skills for children in need and was instrumental in helping to design and develop the writing of the Parenting and Child Health course. After coming out to India in 2009 to teach on one of the courses, Liz decided that her efforts wouldn’t cease once she got back to the UK. Liz has now taken over as our UK based volunteer co-ordinator.
Andreas Patel
Translator & Events Co-ordinator
Andreas, or Shalil as he is known to us, volunteered to help the Love the One team as a part time translator. Shalil has a natural gift for working with children, and his gentle manner has meant that the children will open up and share difficult stories with him that they have never shared before. Shalil takes the time to listen, counsel and encourage the children in the clinics.
Shalil has a business background in Event Management and has become invaluable in helping to organise and set-up for our children’s parties, and is fantastic at co-leading the kids’ camps.