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Martin Bax is a British consultant paediatrician living in London who has now retired from clinical work and is an honorary reader in Child Health at Imperial College. He continues to direct research from his base in The Department of Medicine and Therapeutics at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital. He has published many medical articles and books.
Dr Bax was Scientific Director of the Castang Foundation from 1990 until April 2009. This is a charity set up to carry out research into the causes of neurodevelopmental disorders such as cerebral palsy and autism. He is now a trustee of the Foundation.
In addition to his medical career he founded the Arts Magazine 'Ambit' in 1959 and continues to edit it along with Michael Foreman, Henry Graham and Geoff Nicholson. Since he created it Ambit has published poetry, prose and artwork from people such as Fleur Adcock, Peter Porter, Tenessee Williams, JG ballard, Peter Blake, Eduoardo Paolozzi, Carol Ann Duffy and many others.
His first novel 'The Hospital Ship' was published by Cape and new Directions in 1978. More reecently 'Love on the Borders' was published by Seren in 2005. In the 1970's using text from The Hospital Ship he developed the Vietnam Symphony with jazz trumpeter Henry Lowther and this was performed at the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) and subsequently on BBC Radio 3. He has also written for children and his book 'Edmund went away' illustrated by Micheal Foremen was published in the UK and USA.
Martin organises regular readings in the UK for Ambit magazine as well as jazz events presented at various venues in London and elsewhere.
Martin Bax is married to Judy Bax who is a former head teacher and former member of Haringey Council. They have three sons and seven grandchildren.