(PULL QUOTE) “The medical field is a nice one because you help people but it is a lot of hard work. But it’s very rewarding because you see the results when you help people and they are cured or relieved.”

GUY Norman Low, a medical doctor and karate instructor, believes in utilising his time gainfully. “Life is short and there is a lot to learn so you shouldn’t waste time doing fruitless things,” he says, and so liming around too much is not his cup of tea.

Low, 53, was born in Suriname but came to live in Guyana ever since he was about three years old. He has been here since then, he told the Sunday Chronicle a few days ago. After attending Central Primary School, he pressed on to Queen’s College in the early 1970s where he also did his A-Level exams.
Afterwards, he went to study medicine in Romania on a scholarship he obtained. He came back to Guyana and worked for a few years here before pursuing his diploma in Obstetrics and Gynecology in Dublin.
Low returned and worked for a few years in Guyana before moving to work at a university in South Africa for a year, after which he returned home permanently. Presently, he is doing a Masters in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Georgetown Hospital.
Because of this four-year programme, Low stopped private practice at the Medical Arts Centre last year so he can focus on his studies. It is an American-run programme that collaborates with the University of Guyana. He had applied and was selected by a panel. Not everyone who applies usually gets through, so he counts this as one of his big achievements.
His work right now sees him dealing with women with pregnancy and child birth. “So my aim is to deliver a healthy baby and have a healthy mother.” He treats women for diseases like diabetes and hypertension in pregnancy, abnormal uterine bleeding, fibroids, cancer of the cervix, cancer of the uterus, etc.
Low is also a former lecturer to medical and pharmacy students at the University of Guyana. He enjoys the medical field, noting the following about it: “The medical field is a nice one because you help people but it is a lot of hard work. But it’s very rewarding because you see the results when you help people and they are cured or relieved.”

Karate Tournaments

But many may be surprised to know that Low is not just academically oriented. He is also a highly skilled karate expert who is currently an instructor at the Guyana Karate College located inside the building of the Boys’ Scout Association.
He is very proud that he holds a fifth degree black belt which is the second highest rank in Guyana. Low has competed, quite successfully, in various tournaments representing Guyana.
In 2010 he competed in the first International Shotokan Karate Federation Tournament in Guyana; in 2011 in the Caribbean Karate Tournament in Grenada; in 2012 in the first World IKD Karate Tournament in Toronto, Canada and in 2013 in the Guyana Federation Karate Tournament.
One of Low’s passions lies in karate and he explains the reason for this : “Karate teaches discipline; you do physical exercises; it enhances self- confidence, your mental alertness, discipline and self-control.”
He is hoping to see the fruition of a top of the line karate school at Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara, which will have all of the needed facilities. “We have one acre of land that was donated by Government of Guyana. So we are in the process of making it a reality.”
The projected sum is $50M and so various fund raising activities would be held to garner income for the project which is expected to come on stream within the next two years or so.
On the point of karate being a means to do physical exercise, Low remarked: “People need to exercise more, whether old or young. They need to be encouraged to exercise and be healthy. Especially when people get a little bit older, they decide that they won’t exercise anymore. But that’s wrong. Exercise is like brushing your teeth. You have to do it on and on.”

Kindhearted
Apart from karate and the medical field, Low also spends some of his time caring for the less fortunate. As a member of the South Georgetown Lions Club, he holds voluntary clinics from time to time where he and the group go into impoverished areas and help the needy free of charge.
In addition, he does voluntary work for the Byer’s Senior Citizens Home on Robb Street, also free of charge.
The easy going, humble, fun-loving, soft-hearted Low plays table tennis, jog, read, look at documentaries, and rears German Shepherds, Pit Bulls and aquarium fishes for fun.
His love for animals came about as a result of growing up with many animals. His parents, Samuel and Eunice, had chickens, dogs, cats, parrots, and guinea pigs. “I love to care for them and I guess by extension, I love to care for people too.”
His father died about two years ago and sadly, his mom died six months later. This was a very traumatic time for him, he said. It was his parents who really made him remain in Guyana. He wanted to be close enough to care for them. His three siblings, Regan, Peggy and Joy had all migrated. Low’s two children are Amber and Zane.
Written By Telesha Ramnarine