"Thanking all those involved in extending my life"

I received a bowel cancer test kit through the post in November 2021 as part of the NHS surveillance process, after deliberating for a few days I eventually made use and dispatched for analysis.

Within a couple of weeks I was contacted by a bowel cancer specialist nurse and my journey began. Following several extended phone interviews and a great deal of anxiety and sleepless nights, I subsequently had two colonoscopies followed by bowel surgery at York hospital. 

The medical teams at York were, on all three occasions, exceptionally caring and patient focused, I cannot praise enough those who helped me get through the most challenging experience of my life so far.

The exceptionally kind Doctor who discovered the cancer, the nurse who talked to me all the way through my first procedure. Sam, the cancer care nurse who explained my situation going forward, the nurse who made eye to eye contact and comforted me during anaesthesia preparation in theatre, the anaesthetist who understood my needle phobia, Mr. Di Benedetto who skilfully removed the growth, the ward nurses who dealt with the aftermath of my reaction to the anaesthetic and helped me begin to walk the path to recovery. I am here in July 2022 thanking all those involved in extending my life. Thank you.