Gisele, born in prewar Silesia, then part of Germany, has to flee with her family to the West in January 1945 to escape the Russian invasion. She loves school, but following her father's premature death, is forced to complete an apprenticeship as a seamstress. At 18 she immigrates to Canada, ahead of her family, as a government sponsored domestic. Through sheer willpower and perseverance she completes high school and enters Premeds, then Medical School at the University of Toronto graduating in 1963. In this compelling, informative, as well as entertaining memoir she vividly describes her and her classmates journey through these six years of learning. She shares her professional experiences in what was then still much of a man's world. Her varied career gives her unique insights into many aspects of medicine and the medical profession. Concurrently she endeavours to fulfil her role as wife and mother. This is a story of determination, pioneering spirit and love, told with candour and a fine sense of humour. An inspiration.