Staff fighting against coronavirus at the Royal Free Hospital were given a rousing pep-talk by a patient who had recovered BBC’s Hospital TV special on Monday night.
Nancy, a lifelong NHS worker and local activist who asked to be referred to by just her first name, was admitted to the hospital with a “50/50 chance” of survival, but as the programme shows, after being the first Covid--19 positive patient to be operated on at the Royal Free, she recovered and was able to leave the hospital.
As Nancy, who is a nurse, left the hospital, she addressed an applauding corridor full of NHS staff.
Speaking to them as “colleagues” she said: “I have worked for the NHS since 1970. I have worked every day of my life, never taken off sick, so you can imagine how angry I am that this stupid illness got me.
“Please just hold on a little bit more. We shall overcome this and when we do the NHS shall hopefully be the better for it. I am truly grateful, I am proud to be a nurse.”
The second episode of the BBC’s Hospital special at the Royal Free is on Tuesday (tonight) at 9pm.
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