An A&E doctor who survived civil war and torture in Syria to rebuild his life in London has been left with a devastating brain injury after a crash near his workplace.
Ahmad Alhameed, 47, who moved to the UK in 2016 to join his fiancée, suffered a fractured skull, broken ribs and serious brain injury when he was hit by a car on November 13 last year close to Hillingdon Hospital, west London.
The father-of-two spent three weeks at St Mary’s Hospital, including time in a major trauma centre, and remains unable to return to work nearly seven months after the crash on Pield Heath Road.
Now, during Action for Brain Injury Week, he is speaking publicly for the first time about the life-altering impact of his injuries.
“Since the collision, my life has changed in ways I never imagined,” he said.
“Things I once did without thinking – reading, concentrating, even spending time with my children – now leave me exhausted.
“I struggle with fatigue, my memory and focus, and there are days when noise or busy environments feel overwhelming. I currently can’t work, I can’t drive, and I’m having to relearn how to manage daily life step by step.”
Police investigations into the collision are ongoing.
Ahmad was a trained doctor in Syria, where he worked in a field hospital after the outbreak of civil war.
He met his wife, Razan Alhameed, 35, in Homs in the summer of 2009 while she was visiting family.
Originally from Willesden, she was studying pharmacy at the time, while Ahmad was studying medicine in Damascus.
Their love story later became the focus of media attention after the couple were separated for three years following the start of the civil war.
In 2013, Ahmad was arrested and subjected to torture by the regime of President Bashar al-Assad.
After years apart, they were reunited in an emotional moment at London’s Heathrow Airport on New Year’s Day 2016.
Together, the couple have two children, son Zayd, seven, and their two-year-old daughter Ayla.
Following his relocation to the UK and qualification as a doctor, Ahmad went on to work in the A&E department at Hillingdon Hospital, where he was pursuing ambitions of becoming a consultant before the collision that left him seriously injured.
Now, Ahmad has started a structured programme of therapy and rehabilitation and is determined to overcome his injuries and return to work.
“As a doctor, I’ve supported patients with brain injuries, but living with one has shown me how much happens after you leave hospital,” he said.
“Recovery isn’t just physical – it affects your confidence, independence and sense of who you are.
“I don’t think people realise how isolating brain injury can be. You may look fine on the outside, but the challenges are constant. Access to the right support and understanding makes a huge difference, not just for patients, but for their families too.
“Being a doctor isn’t just what I do – it’s who I am. I miss work and my goal is to recover and, when it’s safe to do so, return to the job I love and to helping patients again.”
Ahmad has instructed expert serious injury lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to help him access the specialist therapies and rehabilitation he now requires.
Sarah Griggs, the specialist serious injury lawyer at Irwin Mitchell representing Ahmad, said: “The last few months have been incredibly difficult for Ahmad and his family.
“While doctors have worked hard to stabilise his condition, Ahmad is still facing a long and uncertain recovery ahead and has been unable to return to the job he cares deeply about.
“Right now, the focus is on making sure Ahmad can access the right support and therapy to help him regain confidence, independence and quality of life.
“As we support Action for Brain Injury Week, Ahmad’s story highlights how the impact of a brain injury doesn’t end when someone leaves hospital. Many people need ongoing help long after the initial treatment, and timely access to that support can make a real difference to their recovery.”
Action for Brain Injury Week, organised by the charity Headway, runs from 18–24 May and aims to raise awareness of the long‑term impact of brain injury on survivors and their families.
This year’s theme focuses on the isolation many people experience following a brain injury.
