Dr Ravi Jayaram is consultant paediatrician at the Countess of Chester.
1. How are you ? I’m good thanks. Trying my best to keep my cup half full
2. Who/what inspired you in life? Dr Bill Lamb, my first boss in paediatrics. Totally off the wall but the first person I’d worked for who absolutely loved what he did and took an interest in me as a doctor in training.
3.What advice would you give to your younger self? Believe in yourself and remember anything is possible. Do what makes you happy not what makes other people happy. Work to live, don’t live to work. You should have asked her out, it turned out she did fancy you…….
4. If you could choose to do anything for a day what would it be ? Fantasy – be Freddie Mercury on Live Aid day! Realistically – put on my running shoes and head to the hills
5. Fav album of all time ? Together Alone by Crowded House. Neil Finn is a lyrical and musical genius.
6.What would you sing on karaoke night ? You’d never get me off the mike! Try a Little Tenderness by Otis Redding and Honky Tonk Women by the Rolling Stones are my go to standards.
7. Where do you see Chester in 5 years time ? On the border of North Wales I hope! But seriously, I think Chester has a positive future ahead and compared to when I was growing up in the 70s and 80s it seems much more diverse, liberal and tolerant, going against the grain of the wider world (see next answer!)
8. Where do you see the world in 5 years time? I think that what happens in the next few months (specifically in November in the USA) will have a huge impact on how things are going to be. I hope that the pandemic will make people realise that cooperation rather than competition is the way forwards but the rise and normalisation of the extreme right scares the hell out of me and has to be addressed as a priority globally.
9.If you could change one thing about Chester what would it be? The Sainsbury’s Teletubbyland roundabout still perplexes me. Why did that happen?!
10.Are we alone in the universe ? I think it’s highly unlikely that we are but we should really spend more time worrying about the people who are alone on this planet.
11. Name 3 things you love My family, running stupidly long distances, the sound of birdsong and running water on a summer’s day.
12. And 3 you hate Our current political leaders, racism, wasps.
13 .In your darkest hour what gives you comfort ? Having the insight to know that things will always get better and having the ability to remember to put things in perspective and to take positive steps to change things rather than wallowing. It’s taken me a long time to learn this and it’s not always easy though.
14. What is the greatest memory of your life ? It’s hard to pin it down to one but in terms of adrenaline highs, falling out of a plane at 10000 feet strapped to the front of a mad Australian skydiver has to be up near the top!
15 What would be the title of your autobiography ? No idea! Actually that might be a good title!
16. All the lonely people, where do they all come from ? Years of dismantling the safety net, taking our eye of the ball as a society and prioritising greed over caring. It shouldn’t be so hard for humans to be nice to each other.
17. What was the last film you saw and was it any good ? Guardians of the Galaxy. I’m a late convert to the Marvel films and I’m working through them in order. Loved it, total escapism and an awesome retro 70s and 80s soundtrack.
18. Which person , living or dead would you take for an independent coffee or drink? Right now my mum. She’s been stuck inside shielding for the last 4 months and would love the trip out.
19. Favourite place in the borough ? The riverbank between Eccleston and Aldford. Lovely to walk and run along and to just get away from everything
20. If you could time travel, where/when would you go? Hmmm, maybe back to 2002 to tell Tony that based on the subsequent 18 years, he should really say no thank you to George and stay out of Iraq. The U.K. and the world would be very different now I suspect.
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