George and his wife Liz’s first encounter with the Lister came in 2001 with the arrival of their daughter Maddie, followed a year later with the birth of their son Freddie, two wonderful experiences for the both of them.

“We were fortunate that both births didn’t involve any complications, yet it was the incredible nature of the midwifes and staff that really made our experience the best it could possibly be.”

Sadly, in 2014, Liz was diagnosed with terminal liver cancer. After being cared for in the cancer unit at the Lister, the final eight weeks of her life were spent at the Garden House Hospice, Letchworth. Liz passed away in November 2014; she and George had been married for 20 years.

One comfort George was able to take away, however, was the amazing care and support the staff at the Lister had provided; something he would never forget.

Little did George know, he was about to embark on his own difficult journey. Towards the end of 2016, George started to show symptoms of bowel cancer, and in early 2017 he was diagnosed. Thankfully, the cancer was caught early, and after undergoing keyhole surgery at the Lister, George made a strong recovery. After surgery George had three rounds of chemotherapy at the Lister Macmillan Cancer Centre to destroy any lingering cancerous cells. The centre, funded by the Hospitals’ Charity, provides a warm and comfortable atmosphere for those undergoing chemotherapy, and provides specialist treatments including scalp cooling which helps patients to keep their hair.

“My experience at the Lister, both throughout the surgery and chemotherapy, couldn’t have been any better, and it is all thanks to the dedicated staff.“

After a difficult few years, George was now in a position to move forward with his life, and in September 2017 George got remarried to his new wife Barbara. His prognosis is so good that his scans have been reduced from six monthly to yearly, and George has recently re-trained as a driving instructor, a job that allows him to work flexibly and locally, meaning he can spend more time with Barbara, Maddie and Freddie.

“Thank you to everyone at the Lister and the Hospitals’ Charity, you really do go above and beyond”

To find out more about the Lynda Jackson Macmillan Centre and how you can support it, click here