Got a tattoo? Been abroad to get your teeth fixed or had breast implants or a nose job overseas?

Between 4,000 and 6,000 people in East Yorkshire are thought to living with hepatitis C, many of them not suspecting they have a virus which could cause liver failure or cancer.

Now, a specialist team based at Castle Hill Hospital is heading into Hull’s housing estates and GP practices this year to screen people for the virus as part of the plan to eradicate hepatitis C by 2025.

From left Martin Lewis, Hattie Deverell and Alison West

Specialist Nurse Martin Lewis said: “Lots of the people we see tell us they don’t know how they’ve caught hepatitis C but it turns out they’ve got tattoos or they’ve been abroad on ‘health care holidays’.

“There is a lot of stigma attached to hepatitis C because of its links to intravenous drug use but you could have caught it if your tattoo was done with a dirty needle or the health facility where you underwent your procedure did not practice the same standards of hygiene as the NHS.

“Some people tell us they only engaged in high-risk behaviour once but that’s all it can take to contract hepatitis C.

“We want people to know there’s nothing to be ashamed of and we are here to help them. Treatment is much better now than it was in the past and the medication we can prescribe gets rid of the virus in 94 per cent of cases.

“But to help people, we need them to come forward for screening.”

What is hepatitis C?

Originally discovered in the 1980s, it was first known as non-hepatitis A and B before it was named hepatitis C in 1989. A screening programme was introduced in 1991 to check all blood donations for hepatitis C.

Hepatitis C is a blood-borne virus and, over time if left untreated, can cause significant liver damage.

There is no vaccine to stop people catching hepatitis C but a course of medication can get rid of it.

How do you contract hepatitis C?

Hepatitis C can only be contracted through blood. You can’t get it from hugging, kissing, toilet seats or from sharing food and drink and utensils.

However, you can catch it if you’ve had tattoos from dirty needles or medical and dental treatment abroad or privately where hygiene standards may not be to NHS standards.

Unprotected sex, high-risk sexual behaviour, having a blood transfusion before 1991, intravenous drug use and sharing needles or sharing hygiene products such as wet razors and tooth brushes are all known risk factors which could lead to the transfer of blood.

How many people are affected by hepatitis C?

Around 71 million people have hepatitis C and it claims the lives of 400,000 people every year when it develops into liver cirrhosis and liver cancer.

Estimates suggest between 4,000 and 6,000 people in Hull and its surrounding areas have hepatitis C although many will be unaware they have the condition.

What are the symptoms of hepatitis C?

Studies have been unable to provide conclusive evidence on symptoms directly attributed to hepatitis C.

However, they can include tiredness, depression, loss of appetite, mood swings, headaches, flu-like symptoms, bloating, nausea, joint and muscle pain, itchy skin and jaundice.

The problem is people are unlikely to link any of these to a medical condition until symptoms of liver failure start to appear – and that can take 15 to 30 years.

How can it be treated?

In the past, treatment for hepatitis C was difficult. Drugs had many side effects, only worked in around 50 per cent of patients and treatment could take almost a year to complete.

However, new antiviral medication has now been developed and is equally effective for all six types of hepatitis C.

People are given one to three tablets a day, tailored to their specific type of hepatitis C, and treatment lasts between eight to 16 weeks. Unlike before, the new treatment is 96 per cent effective for all six types of hepatitis C and with far fewer side effects.

What’s happening in East Yorkshire to tackle the problem?

Hull is one of 22 “Operational Delivery Networks” set up in 2015 to treat people with the condition and increase screening rates to ensure people with hepatitis C are identified and given treatment to prevent them becoming seriously ill in the future.

The six-strong team working with are two Infectious disease consultants and two heptologists is currently treating around 140 patients a year.

Although based at Castle Hill Hospital, three specialist nurses – Martin Lewis, Alison West and Hattie Deverell – work in the community alongside GP practices, prisons and drug and alcohol services to reach known high-risk groups.

However, they now plan to extend outreach work into housing estates to screen people who may have no idea they have the virus.

Each person is then reviewed by the multi-disciplinary team to ensure they receive the best, most appropriate and most cost-effective treatment available.

How can you find out if you have hepatitis C

It’s easy to find out if you have hepatitis C. Your GP or a screening centre can arrange for a blood test or you can have a finger prick test similar to the tests used to monitor blood sugar levels.  Results are usually known within two weeks.

Where can I go to be screened?

At the moment, you can get screened, make an appointment or undergo treatment at some GPs, Renew in Beverley Road in Hull, William Booth Hostel in Hull.

Inmates at HM Prisons, Hull and Humber, can also be screened for hepatitis C because they are a high-risk group.

Screening is also available through the East Riding Partnership in Hull, Goole and Bridlington and the hospital team are planning to publicise more outreach clinics at GP surgeries and housing estates in the coming weeks.

A mum who almost bled to death after having her baby has thanked a hospital maternity team for saving her life.

Natasha Middleton, 27, started bleeding heavily shortly after daughter Darcie was born at the Fatima Allam Birth Centre in Hull Women and Children’s Hospital.

However, midwife Alex McCann realised Natasha had postpartum haemorrhage, the third leading cause of maternal death in the UK, and summoned an emergency team immediately to rush Natasha into the operating theatre for life-saving surgery.

Today, recovering at her home in Beverley with nine-week-old Darcie, Natasha said: “I had no idea how serious it all was until afterwards and I was in recovery.

“They saved my life and I don’t have the words to thank them enough.”

Rylie, Evie and Noah with baby sister Darcie

Natasha has three other children – Rylie, 8, Evie, 6, and 19-month-old Noah – and her pregnancy with Darcie had been normal. She went into labour on her due date in November but stayed at home, managing her pain.

“The contractions were coming ever 10 to 15 minutes at the start but this was my fourth baby and I’d had my older daughter Evie at home so I just got on with it,” she said.

Contractions started coming more quickly but she took paracetamol and took the children to her mother Alison’s for Sunday dinner when the contractions were coming every two to three minutes before heading to Hull Women and Children’s Hospital.

By the time she got to hospital with her mum, Natasha was already eight centimetres dilated and she gave birth to Darcie in the birthing pool just 90 minutes later.

“She was born by water birth 10 minutes after I got in the pool and everything was fine when I had her,” Natasha said. “Alex, the midwife, and midwifery assistant Jane Thompson had been absolutely amazing and they passed Darcie to my mum while I got out of the pool.

“I remember lying on the bed to deliver the placenta and I started bleeding. Alex couldn’t stop the bleeding so she told me not to panic but got my mum to press the emergency buzzer and it felt like seconds before all these people arrived in the room.”

Natasha didn’t realise how critically ill she was at the time and had to be persuaded to have surgery.

Natasha with Darcie just after she was born in the pool

“I was out of it and, although I was in agony, I kept saying I didn’t want to have surgery because I was frightened it would hurt and I didn’t realise a spinal injection meant I wouldn’t have felt a thing,” she said. “But they were so patient with me, even though they must have felt so frustrated.

“Eventually, they asked if I wanted to see my children again and be there to bring up my new baby. That’s when I agreed.”

Natasha had a balloon catheter inserted to control the bleeding and had two blood transfusions after losing 2.2 litres of blood.

“Alex had been with me throughout my labour and stayed with me all the time in the theatre,” said Natasha. “She only left me hours later to have a short break and to do her paperwork.

“And Jane also came in to see me while I was in recovery, just to make sure I was ok.

“I really can’t thank them enough for all she did for me.”

As well as Alex and Jane, Natasha wanted to thank Dr Uma Rajesh, Consultant in Obstetrics and Gynaecology, and Anaesthetist Dr James King for saving her life.

Natasha said: “Darcie was fine and remained fine despite everything that was happening to me. I was just a mess.

“I just want to say how amazing everyone was in the theatre and to thank them for all they did for me.

“I feel so lucky because I got to hospital when I did. I’ve been told if I’d had Darcie at home like I did with my other daughter, it could have been a different story.

“I just want to say a massive, massive thank you to everyone from the midwife, midwifery assistant, the consultants, the surgeons and the anaesthetist who all ran to help me.”

Hull Truck Theatre is piloting a new way to open up access to its work by live streaming a performance of Jack Lear to patients and residents at Hull Royal Infirmary and Haworth Court Care Home.

The free live stream will take place on Wednesday 30 January, 2pm. With the aim of connecting the theatre to an audience that faces the physical barrier of getting to the venue, Hull Truck Theatre will stream the production into seminar spaces and lounges on-site at the hospital and care home. This way the elderly residents and patients alike can enjoy the production from stage to screen, in the comfort of their own space.

Prior to the live stream, residents and patients have enjoyed a presentation of the Hessle Roaders photography exhibition by Alec Gill, currently on display at Hull Truck Theatre.

Members of staff from the theatre will be on-site at both venues to ensure that audiences are able to enjoy a true Hull Truck Theatre experience.

Jack Lear by Ben Benison is a story which is set on the banks of the River Humber. A gritty re-telling of Shakespeare’s King Lear, the production is directed by and features Hull stalwart and Hull Truck Theatre Patron, Barrie Rutter OBE in the title role.

Four cameras are carefully positioned throughout the auditorium to ensure that live stream audiences get the ‘best seat in the house’ view of the production. With an experienced team of camera operators, the footage will be edited in real time and distributed over the internet to both venues.

Ruth Puckering, Interim Executive Director of Hull Truck Theatre, said:

“This is an exciting new step for Hull Truck Theatre. We are committed to opening up access to all of our work and to reaching new audiences, especially those who may experience barriers to attending the arts. Through innovative use of new technology, we are able to experiment with live streaming to targeted groups of people who could not otherwise experience Jack Lear.”

Dr Fiona Thomson, Consultant Physician in Elderly Medicine at Hull Royal Infirmary, said:

“We are constantly searching for ways to make our patients’ stay more interesting and enjoyable. Events that remind the patients of their working lives and childhood are particularly relevant so Jack Lear, a production that focuses on Hull’s fishing heritage is perfect. It will be our first joint venture with Hull Truck Theatre and we hope that it will be the start of some exciting collaborative work.”

The live screening will take place on Wednesday 30^th January 2019, from 2 – 4pm, but will only be available to a closed invited audience.

A father-of-two who had his arms and legs amputated and part of his face removed after contracting sepsis is coming to Hull to share his experience with healthcare staff.

Tom Ray was fit and healthy before he contracted sepsis at the age of 38 in 1999. He spent five months in a coma before waking up to discover both arms, both legs and part of his face had been amputated to save his life.

His wife Nicola gave birth to their second child Fred, a brother for two-year-old Grace, while Tom was in a coma and they lost their business and had to sell their home.

The 2016 film Starfish, starring Tom Riley and Joanne Froggatt, tells the family’s story and, now, the couple are coming to Hull as guest speakers at the Hull Sepsis Congress in June.

Clare O’Brien, Clinical Nurse Specialist in Sepsis working at Hull Royal Infirmary and Castle Hill Hospital, said: “Hearing how sepsis impacted on Tom and Nicola’s lives will be a deeply moving experience and we’re grateful they are coming to share their story with us.

“Our aim is to ensure health care professionals have sepsis at the forefront of their minds when a patient first arrives or they show signs of deterioration once they’ve been admitted to hospital.

“Remembering Tom’s story will reinforce our message to staff to just ask themselves ‘Could it be sepsis?’”

Hull’s A&E department sees at least 50 patients with sepsis every month while other people already in hospital with other illnesses and injuries can also develop sepsis, which happens when an infection, usually bacterial, causes the immune system to start attacking tissues and major organs.

Since the trust introduced its sepsis team in 2015 as part of a national initiative to drive up survival rates, around 90 per cent of patients brought to A&E with signs of severe infection are now screened for sepsis.

Around 80 per cent of those diagnosed with sepsis receive life-saving antibiotics within an hour.

Doctors, nurses and staff from healthcare services are being invited to the conference at the Bonus Arena on Tuesday, June 18, the second year Hull has hosted the major event.

Taking the stage alongside Tom and Nicola Ray will be Dr Michael J. Porter, a specialist in Molecular and Cellular Biology at the University of Central Lancashire will talk about research into the causes of  sepsis, its prevention and treatment.

FEAT, a charity set up in memory of the Dr Fiona Agnes and her daughter Isla, who both died of sepsis in 2012, will also present their work.

Hull NHS staff will address delegates about the need to check for sepsis. Infectious Diseases Consultant Dr Patrick Lilley will present the latest research into the E-coli bacterium and Clinical Outcomes Manager Chris Johnson will explain how staff can learn from previous cases of sepsis.

Midwife Melanie Lee will talk about sepsis awareness in antenatal classes and Emergency Consultant Dr Liz Herrieven will educate delegates on treating children with sepsis.

People can book tickets for the event, which are free for students and range from £26 to £100 for other healthcare professionals. Early bird prices are on offer for bookings before March 31.

The conference has been approved for six Category 1 (external) Continuous Professional Development (CPD) credits by the Federation of the Royal Colleges of Physicians of the UK.

SIGNS OF SEPSIS

If your child is under five, call 999 or head straight for A&E if they have any of these symptoms – looks mottled or bluish, is very lethargic or difficult to wake, feels abnormally cold to the touch, is breathing very fast, has a fit or convulsion, has a rash that does not fade when pressed.

In older children or adults, early symptoms of sepsis may include a high temperature or low body temperature, chills and shivering, a fast heartbeat, fast breathing.

Symptoms of severe sepsis include feeling dizzy or faint, confusion or disorientation, diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting, slurred speech, severe muscle pain, severe breathlessness, less urine production than normal, cold, clammy and pale or mottled skin and loss of consciousness.

It all started with a passing conversation between a patient and a member of staff.

Therapy Radiographer, Becky Joyce (below, second left), was chatting to Wendy Tattam (centre) while she was in the radiotherapy department last year receiving treatment. The pair were talking about quizzes, and Wendy happened to mention the weekly quizzes which the charity she represents, NURSE (Needed Urgent Remedial and Surgical Equipment), holds each week in Beverley. They got on to talking about how the charity’s funds are spent, and the various departments across HRI and Castle Hill which have already benefited from NURSE’s tireless fundraising, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Zip forward a few months to December, and the radiotherapy department found itself taking receipt of an early Christmas present; two Hovermatts® (one standard, one bariatric) and the respective air supplies, valued at around £6,000 in total.

The Hovermatts®  are used to move patients to and from their hospital beds for treatment more comfortably. Unlike traditional pat slides, the Hovermatts® have an air supply which inflates the mattress, meaning patients remain more comfortable during the move. The process is also less physically demanding for staff and means only two people are required to move the patient as opposed to four.

Jane Tattam (far right), a former hospital theatres worker herself and Chairperson of the NURSE charity says:

“The NURSE charity has been working for over 35 years to raise money to purchase hospital equipment and make patients’ time in hospital more comfortable.

“We are often approached by teams within the hospitals for help with equipment which falls outside mainstream budgets, but this idea came completely out of the blue, all thanks to a chance conversation between Wendy and Becky.

“Of course, we were happy to help, and the Hovermatts® marked the charity’s final donation of 2018, taking the total cost of items and equipment we have donated this year to over £17,000.”

Barbara Whitaker, Deputy Radiotherapy Manager (left) says:

“This will make a huge difference to the comfort of those who are coming for radiotherapy treatment  and need assistance transferring from bed to treatment couch. The Hovermatts® will also make the process of moving the patient easier and less strenuous for staff, which might not seem like much to start with, but when you consider a fair proportion of the 170 patients we see each day will need assistance, it can begin to take its toll.

“We’re incredibly fortunate and grateful to the ladies from the NURSE charity and their supporters for their generosity.”

The NURSE charity holds weekly quizzes at the Forester’s Arms in Beverley to raise funds for wards and departments across HRI and Castle Hill, as well as hosting the annual raft race on Beverley Beck. For more information on their work, visit their facebook page:  www.facebook.com/NURSECharityUK

Mums who have had their babies in the last two years are being invited to help shape maternity services for other women in the future.

Midwives at Hull Women and Children’s Hospital are hosting a special interactive event in the city next month to encourage women to share their birth experiences and maternity stories.

Women who have had a baby in the last two years, are pregnant or are planning a baby are invited to the “Whose Shoes” event at the Peloton Café at Warner’s Gym in Pickering Road, west Hull.

Partners, family members, community groups and NHS staff are also welcome to come along on Monday, February 25.

Lead Midwife Lorraine Cooper said: “We want women to come along and share their stories to help us identify areas of good service and practice which work well.

“However, we’re hoping women who tell us their experiences will help us identify areas where we could do things differently to make them even better.

“We want to listen and work in partnership with the mothers we look after to make sure we make the experience the best it can be for them and for other women in the future.”

People at the event will take part in an interactive board game aiming to capture the women’s stories, with the results fed back to maternity teams to look at potential changes to services.

“Whose Shoes” will run from 10am to 1pm, with lunch and coffee provided. People need to call 07769 671449 or email hyp-tr.hey.baby@nhs.net to book a place.

With some 5,000 people under the care of hospital consultants in Hull for migraine and headache disorders, it’s no wonder the city has become a nationally recognised centre for treating such debilitating neurological problems.

Five thousand people are just the tip of the iceberg, however. According to the Migraine Trust, migraine affects one in every seven people, and is more prevalent than diabetes, asthma and epilepsy combined.

“Hull Royal Infirmary’s department of neurology has been growing its reputation as a centre of excellence for headache and migraine since 2005,”says Dr Fayyaz Ahmed, Consultant Neurologist at Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. “We now attract specialist referrals from across the country and we host the biggest national meeting of headache experts every two years.”

Later this week, global experts in headache and migraine will convene in Hull once again for the latest British Association for the Study of Headache (BASH) biennial national meeting on headache. Leading national and international experts will come together on 17 and 18 January to discuss the latest advances in headache research across the globe, as well as emerging treatments for migraine and other primary headache disorders including cluster headache.

But the learning isn’t just for professionals. To supplement this prestigious conference, members of the public will find out more about managing their own condition at a special weekend event being organised in partnership with the Migraine Trust.

“Headache disorders can often be dismissed because they’re not something that people can physically see, but migraine and cluster headache can be extremely disruptive to a person’s life,” Dr Ahmed continues. “They can affect people’s relationships with family and friends, and impact their ability to hold down a job or even carry out the most basic of everyday tasks such as driving or preparing a meal.”

“Some 5,000 people in the East Riding are under the care of neurologists for headache disorders, and locally we’re proud to be leading the way in the field of migraine and headache treatment. Not everyone will need specialist hospital care, however; some can manage their condition with the right support and advice, and that’s largely what our public awareness session is designed to do.

“Members of the public will to talk to others in the same situation, seek advice on managing headaches, find out what treatments might be available, understand when to seek help, and understand the implications of lifestyle choices and medication overuse.”

Dr Ahmed continues:

“To have global experts in the headache field here in Hull is very exciting, but the patients we see locally are only really a fraction of those affected by headache disorder in some way. This week is designed to get both public and professionals talking about what we can do to improve the care of people with headache and migraine, but also how those suffering can help themselves”.

Around 300 professionals, including some of the world’s best headache physicians, will be attending the eight biennial British Association for the Study of Headache (BASH) meeting on 17/18 January at Lazaat Hotel, Cottingham. Registration details are available via the BASH website.

The half-day ‘Managing your Migraine’ event which is designed to help members of the public better understand their condition and offer the chance to speak to experts in this field will take place on Saturday 19 January and is now sold out.

Pregnant women can find out where to get urgent medical help for themselves or their new babies at a special event for prospective parents this month.

Hull’s team of midwives will be handing out leaflets at the Hey Baby Carousel to show how people can access medical attention during and after pregnancy.

Parents will be given contact details for Urgent Treatment Centres in Bransholme, Bridlington, Beverley and Goole, advice on self-care, using community pharmacies and details for the GP walk-in service at Wilberforce Health Centre in Story Street, Hull city centre.

Wendy McKenzie, sister of the Antenatal Day Unit and the Antenatal Clinic at Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, said women between 17 and 28 weeks of pregnancy can contact their community midwife if they are concerned about their baby’s movement or have other concerns.

After 28 weeks, women can also call the Antenatal Day Unit at Hull Women and Children’s Hospital on 01482 382729. The unit is open every day although calls are diverted to Maple Ward after 8pm during the week and after 5pm at the weekend.

Wendy McKenzie said: “It’s important that couples know there are plenty of options open to them if they have any concerns during every stage of their pregnancy.

“People don’t need to turn up at A&E as there are other places where they can go where they could be seen much more quickly by fully-trained health professionals.

“If they call the Antenatal Day Unit, our staff will be able to help them or direct them to the right place.”

The Hey Baby Carousel will be held at the Clinical Skills Building next to Hull Eye Hospital on Fountain Street, close to Hull Royal Infirmary, on Wednesday, January 30.

Couples can chat to midwives, the trust’s team of birth educators and child care experts for advice about pregnancy, to discuss birth plans or ask questions about looking after a new baby.

Around 200 people attend the events held on the last Wednesday of every month to watch practical demonstrations on safer sleeping, bathing your new baby and nappy changing.

Carousel runs from 6pm and 8pm and there’s no need to book an appointment. Dads, partners, grandparents, friends and other children are all welcome to join mums-to-be.

A young girl has donated hundreds of pounds of toys to help sick children after having 10 inches of hair cut off for young people with cancer.

Evie Webster, nine, raised more than £500 after she was sponsored by family and friends to have her waist-length hair cut short for the Princess Trust.

She and brother Riley, seven, then used the sponsorship money to buy toys, toiletries and arts and crafts materials for the children’s wards at Hull Royal Infirmary.

Evie and brother Riley with Ann Lilley, Kerry Floater and Ellie Middleton

Anne Dalby, sister on Ward 130, the Paediatric High Dependency Unit and Paediatric Assessment Unit, said: “We are so grateful to Evie for all she has done for us.

“Getting her hair cut to help children with cancer was such a selfless act itself but to go on and raise money for the children we help takes her kindness to another level.

“We think she is a very special girl and all the staff would like to say a massive thank you to her.”

Evie was deeply affected when family friend Megan Pratt lost her hair before dying of cancer at the age of just 13. Megan touched the hearts of people in the city and was supported by Hull City fans and players before her death in October 2016.

As the second anniversary of Megan’s death approached, Evie told mum Amy and dad James she wanted to donate her hair to help children with cancer and they contacted the Princess Trust.

Evie, who attends Priory Primary, then had around 10 inches cut from her hair at Pure salon in Cottingham, enough to make around three wigs for children.

Amy asked family and friends on Facebook to support Evie and ended up raising more than £500, including a donation of more than £140 from Evie’s grandfather’s darts team.

Amy said: “I thought we’d raise about £30 and I couldn’t believe it when people started sponsoring Evie. I was nearly in tears every night.

“It was already very emotional for us because Evie was doing this for Megan and she’s not here anymore.

“I’m just so proud of Evie and all she’s done.”

Evie’s brother Riley was diagnosed with hemiplegic migraine, a rare type of migraine which causes temporary paralysis, after collapsing at school last year and comes to Hull Royal for treatment when he experiences an episode.

Amy said: “We asked Riley what he liked doing when he comes into hospital and he said he enjoyed drawing so we decided to get some arts and crafts. Evie also liked reading to her little brother so we bought lots of the new Disney and Harry Potter books.”

The children also bought handheld computer games for the teenagers admitted to the wards to help them pass the time in hospital, even if they were not well enough to get out of bed.

Friends and family also donated toiletries to help families of children brought into hospital unexpectedly.

Amy said: “Throughout all this, we heard some amazing stories from people about how Hull Royal had helped them and their children and people just wanted to give something back to the hospital.

“We’re really pleased we could help.”

A woman who has survived cancer four times is thanking hospital staff who helped her recover from her ninth operation.

Carol Thor, 70, underwent life-saving surgery after she developed an abscess in her internal organs.

Now, Mrs Thor is thanking staff on Ward 60 at Hull Royal Infirmary as she hopes to continues her recovery into 2019.

She said: “I hear people grumbling and complaining all the time about this and that but I’m really grateful and appreciate everything that people do for me.

“Staff working in the ward were just so nice and caring and I want to thank them for everything they’ve done for me. The hospital saved my life and allowed me to keep going.”

Mrs Thor’s health problems began more than 30 years ago when she developed breast cancer at the age of 39.

Living in Bilton Grange with husband Richard, she has since developed cancer a further three times and has undergone a hysterectomy, treatment for skin cancer and problems with her bowel and bladder.

She suffered a perforated bowel six years ago and went to her GP surgery a few months ago after experiencing similar pain.

Given antibiotics, she was rushed to Hull’s A&E department days later when her pain intensified.

She was admitted to Hull Royal infirmary in September for further tests and doctors discovered she required emergency surgery and a colostomy to save her life because an abscess had developed in her bowel and bladder.

Mrs Thor, who has two sons Christopher and Robert, said: “I’ve been poorly for all these years but I’m just so grateful to everyone because I wouldn’t be here without them.

“This last time was horrendous and there were tears dripping down my face when they told me I’d need a colostomy. My husband and sons were upset and that was hard to take.

“Up till now, everything has been on the inside but this was on the outside and that was a bit hard for me but Mr Hunter, the surgeon, was absolutely wonderful.

“This operation saved my life and everyone treated me so nicely.”

Mrs Thor spent three weeks in hospital and returned recently to thank staff on Ward 60 for caring for her as she recovered from surgery.

She said: “It doesn’t matter what I have to go through because I’m just so grateful that I’ve got all this love and support.

“You’ve got to be positive about these things and I don’t let it hold me back.

“I love to go out with my husband, I see my fabulous friends twice a week and my sons are just wonderful so I just think aren’t I lucky to be here?”

Ward 60 on the sixth floor of Hull Royal Infirmary looks after emergency admissions when people have been rushed to Hull A&E or have been referred to hospital by their GP.

Patients include those with life-threatening conditions who require major bowel or abdominal surgery, those with abscesses and people who require plastic surgery after suffering traumatic injuries.

Jacqueline King, Senior Sister on Ward 60, said: “Lots of our patients come back to see us and we do get lots of praise but it makes such a difference to our staff every time people go to the trouble of saying thank you.

“To see Mrs Thor looking so well and absolutely buzzing after her first appointment at the clinic because everything is working out great  is just so rewarding.”