NHS 75th Anniversary: Star readers thank the health service as they share special memories to mark milestone

Each day, the health service has over one million patient contacts with GP, community, mental health, hospital, NHS 111 and ambulance services, and its free health care is the reason many are proud to be British.

It has been an indisputably difficult time for the NHS in recent years. With years of underfunding, a global pandemic, and record-high waiting lists. But despite this, there is enduring public support for the NHS’ founding principles.

The Star asked on its Facebook and Twitter accounts for readers to get in touch with us about their special memories of the NHS. Whether it was a positive experience while receiving treatment in hospital, seeing caring staff looking after a loved one, or simply their heroic devotion to caring for the public.

For Sally Harrison, her gratitude for the NHS comes from her own experience while receiving treatment. She wrote: “All the nurses and doctors at Weston Park are angels. They helped me win my battle with cancer and turned a very scary time into a lovely experience.”

It was a doctor’s sixth sense that ‘saved’ Suzanne Wragg’s life. She said: “Whilst visiting my mum in NGH, I was feeling very unwell. A doctor spoke to me whilst in a lift and made me promise to go to A&E after my visit. He saved my life as I had multiple blood clots in my lungs.”

Kayleigh Crick is able to start her own family thanks to the NHS. She commented: “I am currently 38 weeks pregnant thanks to the the NHS and Jessops providing me with IVF. Due to medical reasons we would have been unable to have a child without their help. I am so grateful and cannot wait to meet my baby soon.”

Mary Wilkinson shared a birthday with the NHS, which has been there every year of her life. She said: “The NHS has been there for me from the day I was born, which I will be celebrating on July 5th when I'll be 66 years old.

“During this time I've had numerous operations from having my appendix out at 14, to having caesareans for my children, and later two new knees. A massive thanks to all the staff. I've also worked for the NHS and my daughter now works for them. I'm so proud.”

Jason Marples shared that when he was 12 years old, his school nurse sent him for tests after he complained of earache, which later saw him undergo an operation to treat a life-limiting disease. He said: “If the nurse at school hadn't noticed the disease in my ear and the surgeon D. F. Chapman hadn't operated on it, my parents were told that I would have been in a wheelchair not knowing who I was and I wouldn't see my 20th birthday.

“I've just celebrated my 51st birthday, so without these two people and the others who were in the operating room I wouldn't be alive - I'd be dead. So I always thank my lucky stars for the NHS.”