Hospital staff a life saver for Cardenden woman

Joan Paterson, 74, from Cardenden, said she owed her life to staff at the Whitefield Day Care Centre based in the hospital.

She told the Press: "I can honestly say that if it wasn't for them I wouldn't be here today. They've been absolutely brilliant with me and they are truly brilliant staff. And the ambulance staff were fantastic too. From helping me out of the house to the ambulance and helping me to the seat and doing my seatbelt – they were excellent."

Joan attended the Whitefield within the hospital twice a week, from 8.30am-5pm on a Tuesday and Friday for 10 weeks up to July 8.

"I used to wake up and take dizzy spells and blackouts in the morning. I've not had any dizzy spells for four weeks now, which is amazing," she said. "I live with my grand-daughter in a three-storey flat and I needed her to help me with the stairs every day. I can now get up and down the stairs by myself without worrying."

She also no longer faces the difficulties of getting up and down off the toilet and added: "The nurse asked me to sit on the toilet and show her what I would do to get up.

"I had to use either the radiator or the sink before and she said to me: 'Don't you dare hold onto that radiator'. She got me a frame to use which, believe me, is a life-saver and I had it within three days. She was brilliant."

Jade Hankin, her 21-year-old grand-daughter and carer, said: "When she started at the day care centre she was struggling with everyday life and it was taking her almost 10 minutes to get down the stairs."

"They were absolutely fantastic to her and without them she would be in a very bad place. They gave her exercises to do when she was at home and physio when she was at the hospital.

"She's been given a walking frame and an electric chair to help her in and out of the bath and a frame to help her get up and down off the toilet. The doctors and nurses saved her life and gave her the confidence she needed to get back into the world."