Artist, Ann Force, from Falmouth, Cornwall, was so thrilled with life-changing hand surgery at a local Plymouth hospital, that she has gifted medical staff with personalised cartoon illustrations to say thank you. “Everyone from the car park attendant all the way up to the surgeons create such a wonderful atmosphere at the hospital. I’d definitely…

Until recently, Linda Hand, 58, couldn’t imagine putting up her Christmas decorations as joint pain in her hip and knees had become unbearable. Last Christmas had been plagued with joint pain and a wasted ski trip as hitting the slopes was out of the question. To avoid another blighted Christmas, Linda made the decision to…

Hairdresser, Sally, was worried about her health after passing out but was told by her GP that she faced over a three month wait for an MRI scan on her brain. Not wanting to put it off, she booked an MRI scan privately with Wellsoon from Practice Plus Group and received the much welcomed all-clear…

Joanne Hiner, 42, a police detective and keen horse rider, from Rotherham, was determined to walk down the aisle on her wedding day without using crutches – just two weeks after a second hip replacement operation. Joanne admits that having an end goal in sight spurred her along the recovery journey as well as support…

Not only was patient Emma, 65, struggling with crippling knee pain, but she was beginning to feel very down about her growing discomfort and not being able to get about very well. After having waited many years to be seen for treatment, a friend recommended that she look to find a hospital with a shorter…

Clive, 72, a retired Brewery executive from Chard, Somerset, has been enjoying Walking Football for seven years, playing for an Axminster-based team. He was worried he’d have to pack it in last year when his hip pain became too much to bear, but then discovered he could have NHS surgery at a local private hospital…

Val Stones, a retired Headteacher from Shepton Mallet, Somerset, shot to fame when she appeared on the Great British Bake-Off in 2016, gaining the nickname ‘The Cake Whisperer’. Then hip pain blighted her new life. “There isn’t a day goes by that I’m not proud that I can stand tall again. I was actually almost…

A return to running after spine surgery at Practice Plus Group Hospital, Barlborough, is a dream come true for former patient James. He’s got the running bug again after his spine surgery and has already completed one marathon and about to tackle his second one post-surgery. “I am so happy that by my back finally…

Active Grandma, Sue Bateman, from Gloucestershire, has a total of 16 grandchildren and enjoys being able to help out with childcare. When her hip got really painful, she was finding she was not able to be as active or rush about with the children like she usually could. “Before I had my hip operation, I…

Pottery teacher, Anna Stiles, 58, from Sherborne, Dorset, relies on her thumbs to help pay the bills, as she works full-time teaching pottery in her home studio. When her arthritis took hold in her thumb joints, her work was becoming impossible and even opening a bag of crisps became agony. After having both of her…