Health

A breast cancer victim is giving much of the credit for her survival to her best friend. Caroline Bunning feared she would die, but will celebrate her 40th birthday next month after successful chemotherapy and radio-therapy treatment. She said: “I never thought that I would want to celebrate my 40th, but bring it on!” Caroline insists that she owes a ...

Just over a year ago Alice Prior was undergoing intensive tests having been diagnosed with a brain tumour – now the 20-year-old plans to throw herself out of a plane! On April 9 last year, Alice was sitting on the floor at home in Spalding wrapping up her mum’s birthday presents when she collapsed. She couldn’t get up and called ...

A case manager based at Long Sutton Medical Centre will be given the Queen’s Nurse title at a ceremony in London on May 11. Claire Walpole’s award by The Queen’s Nursing Institute recognises a commitment to high standards of learning, leadership and patient care. She said: “I was nominated by a patient for the title because she was really pleased ...

Nuclear weapons test veteran Dougie Hern is delighted with a £25million fund for victims and descendants – but wants none of the money himself. Moulton couple Dougie and Sandie lost youngest daughter Jill to a rare form of cancer at the age of 13 and Dougie has suffered health problems. Both occurrences he attributes to the effects of his involvement ...

The dual benefits of exercise and meeting new friends are being promoted by Spalding’s Fifty Plus Badminton Club. The club has about 40 members and holds sessions in the Castle Sports Complex for two hours on Tuesday afternoons and three hours on Friday mornings. Club chairman Wally Wells said: “In any doctor’s waiting room you will find a notice encouraging ...

The family of a man left “locked in” after a catastrophic stroke are hoping he will soon be able to move back home. Jake White was just 43 when he collapsed in the hallway of his Spalding home in front of his partner and young daughter in September 2013. The last words Jake uttered as he was rushed to hospital, ...

A hospital serving South Holland has been selected to trial germ-zapping robots in its bid to control the spread of infectious diseases. The Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King’s Lynn has been chosen by American company Xenex as one of only two UK hospitals to trial their ultra-violet disinfection machines. The germ-fighting robots take cleaning and decontamination to the next level ...

Initiatives to ease winter pressures on hospitals, including encouraging people to use alternatives to accident and emergency departments, have been successful. Although figures for A&E admissions for Lincolnshire hospitals in the year to March 1 show an overall increase of 2,263 people (1.59 per cent), the figures for the last three months show attendances 4.14 per cent down on the ...

The life of a three-year-old girl born with no fingers on one hand has been transformed by a 3D printed prosthesis. Now, just like any other small child, Brooke Jackson can do things such as pick up her toys with two hands, thanks to the mechanical device which operates with her wrist movements. What’s more it was made free of ...

A new medical centre for Holbeach has passed its first planning hurdle – amid concerns over road safety. Ward member Coun Francis Biggadike led the opposition to the proposed Church Street location when it came before South Holland District Council’s planning committee last week. He claimed it was too near the junction with Hallgate and “not near” public transport links. ...

The family of a 23-year-old Whaplode woman have received an apology from the hospital that treated her. An inquest into Kayleigh Compton’s death in February 2013 showed she died following significant weight loss over a period of 12 months coupled with severe malnutrition and deteriorating mobility and general health. She had been admitted to several hospitals on a number of ...

A major project to reduce the risk of patients being prescribed the wrong medication is set to be rolled out across 150 East Midlands GP practices following a major funding award. Thousands of people will benefit from PINCER, a project led by Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust. The partnership working on it last week received news of £500,000 funding ...

The proposed doctors’ super-surgery for Holbeach is poised for planning approval next week. South Holland District Council officers are satisfied with the proposal and will recommend that the planning committee grants permission. The plans for the former Langwith Builders’ site in Church Street were revealed in November. The idea is to bring services currently offered at Littlebury Medical Centre in ...

A Spalding water taxi pilot who gave his first pint of blood 44 years ago has been formally thanked for making his 75th donation. Terry Day received the crystal award at the Trent Region Blood Donors’ award ceremony. His first donation was in 1971 when he was in the Royal Navy. The local blood donor team visited HMS Drake where ...

A cancer sufferer who was diagnosed despite having no real symptoms is urging men of all ages to get checked. David Barfoot (67), of Shepeau Stow, was diagnosed with prostate cancer when he was 64. He’d had no symptoms to speak of and was only diagnosed with the illness after a doctor noticed his prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels had been ...

Hospitals serving South Holland continue to struggle under winter pressure. Boston’s Pilgrim Hospital, Peterborough City Hospital and Queen Elizabeth Hospital at King’s Lynn remain extremely busy this week, with black alerts – an indication of extreme pressure – still in place. Michelle Rhodes, director of operations at United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust – which runs Pilgrim – said: “The whole ...

A coroner has ruled that a Spalding woman’s death in hospital was preventable. Ann Coupland (66), of Carrington Road, died from septicemia and a perforated bowel in Peterborough City Hospital on September 1, 2011. She had been readmitted in pain on August 30, days after being sent home from an inpatient stay with an outpatient appointment in three weeks’ time ...

Long-serving NHS staff who work in communities across Lincolnshire have been praised for their dedication. The 56 staff from Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust (LCHS) have chalked up 1,370 years’ service between them. Each person has achieved either 20, 30 or 40 years’ continuous service. Trust chairman Dr Don White said: “I would like to thank each of these ...

Three large hospitals serving South Holland are creaking under pressure this week due to an extremely high number of patients. Boston’s Pilgrim Hospital and Queen Elizabeth Hospital at King’s Lynn are on black alert and Peterborough City Hospital declared an internal major incident – meaning things are exceptionally busy in their accident and emergency departments and beds are at a premium. ...

With A&E departments currently under extreme pressure, Johnson Community Hospital in Pinchbeck is extending its services to help cope with the demand. From Friday until the end of January, patients of all ages with minor illnesses will be able to seek help and advice from the Johnson’s minor injuries unit. Minor illnesses could include: ear and throat infections minor skin infections/rashes ...