
Veterans in Cornwall urged to 'speak up' for extra support
'Offered him support'
The trust said support available included contact with an armed forces champion, as well as connecting them with charities and other voluntary agencies which could support a veteran's ongoing care.The trust, which achieved its Veteran Aware status in 2022, said it had 22 armed forces champions.The trust earned its silver award through the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme, it said.
Anthony is one of the veterans who has been helped by the scheme. He served in the Royal Engineers as a sergeant.After his wife died in January 2024, he said he became disengaged from society and neglected his own health.The trust said both Cornwall Housing and adult social care offered him support but he declined and there had been a court order to repossess his home. It said Anthony became an in-patient at one of its hospitals after collapsing at a supermarket.
'Fall through the cracks'
Mr Wilson said he was called in to support Anthony and contacted his housing officer to prevent court action. The housing officer managed to find safe, alternative accommodation for Anthony.Mr Wilson said: "Success is dependent on many factors, such as resources, availability, and funding."Thanks to Anthony's bravery, many civilian and military agencies and charities are now involved with supporting him to ensure that he does not fall through the cracks."
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The Independent
6 days ago
- The Independent
Over-50s provided more donated organs than ever before last year, data shows
The highest-ever proportion of organ donors in the UK last year were over the age of 50, according to officials. However, only one in four people on the organ donation register are 50 or over, NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) said. NHSBT analysis found there were 932 donors aged above 50 last year, making up 63% of all people who donated organs after death – the highest-ever proportion. It is now calling for more people in the age group to sign the NHS Organ Donor Register. Anthony Clarkson, director for organ and tissue donation and transplantation at NHSBT, said: 'We know from research many people aged over 50 mistakenly think they're too old to donate or that their health might stop them donating. 'However, more and more research shows that organs from older donors are lifesaving. 'The reality is the over-50s are more important to organ donation than ever. There is no age limit to organ and tissue donation, and people die every day waiting for a transplant.' According to NHSBT, the rise could be down to the ageing population, public awareness of organ donation, new techniques and more research which shows that organs from older donors can be successfully used. Nick Beresford, from London, became an organ donor at 57. He was working as the resident representative of the United Nations Development Programme in Georgia in July 2023 when he had a brain haemorrhage. His kidneys and liver were donated and transplanted into three recipients: a man in his fifties, a woman in her sixties, and another woman in her fifties. Mr Beresford's wife Angela, 51, a pilates instructor, said: 'Nick spent his whole life helping people living in extreme poverty, people with disabilities and the marginalised. He was a truly good and generous man. He was a fantastic dad and the love of my life. 'Being a donor gives others that chance, that's probably the most beautiful thing a person can do. 'I would definitely encourage other people over 50 to join the NHS Organ Donor Register – you could still save lives if something happens.' Margaret Humphries, from Richmond in London, also donated both kidneys after a brain haemorrhage aged 65. Husband John, a retired manager, said: 'My darling wife was a very giving person. Margaret's two children from her first marriage and I all agreed that donation was the right decision. 'Margaret was an absolute angel. It was very fitting that her last action would be to save somebody else.' Mr Clarkson added: 'Your organs don't need to be the same as when you in your 20s – if someone will die without a transplant, a healthy organ from someone over 50 will be a lifesaver.'


Daily Record
31-07-2025
- Daily Record
Scots doctor diagnosed with cancer after pal noticed how he sat on his bike
The 68-year-old was diagnosed with cancer after his pal noticed something strange about the way he was sitting. A Scots doctor was diagnosed with cancer after his pal noticed he was sitting "wonky" on his bike. Anthony Ayles, 68, initially thought his back ache was down to an old ski injury, but when his friend pointed out it was causing him to sit on his bike "squint" - leaning more to one side rather than sitting upright - he sought medical advice. A fist-sized tumour was found on the side of the retired Edinburgh GP's back and he was diagnosed with lymphoma - a cancer which originates from the lymph nodes, a part of the immune system. The father-of-three and grandfather-of-five said: "I was pretty fit at the time and feeling quite fit. "I was cycling 100 miles a day at this point, as part of a group cycling challenge travelling 700 miles from Dunkirk to M rren, Switzerland. "He was behind me and he said, oh, Anthony, by the way, you're sitting squint on the seat. "And I tried to sort of reshape myself. And he said, 'no, you're still squint '. "And I didn't think much about it, but funny enough, my back had been hurting." Due to a ski accident in the 1970s, Anthony suffered a broken back so "back ache is not terribly new" to him. However, he realised the pain he was feeling now was in a different spot to where his previous injury had hurt. So after the bike ride, in May 2024, he visited his doctor. He said: "I started thinking, you know, this isn't right. A lot of my friends were in pain from the long cycles, but my pain didn't settle on my return to Edinburgh." After having CT scans, MRIs and X-rays in June 2024 at the Western General Hospital in Edinburgh, it was found that he had a tumour"the size of a fist" buried in the right side of his back, alongside tumours in his ribs and spine. He added: "It's not something you see yourself because you just stand in the mirror and you don't look at your back, do you?" Further investigation led to his diagnosis of lymphoma later that month. Anthony continued: "I had to go to a clinic for cancers of undiagnosed origins - I ultimately had a biopsy which gave the tissue diagnosis. "They had excluded various other cancers through the tests - they even said it was unlikely to be lymphoma as they couldn't see the blood markers. "At that point I was left with a likely diagnosis of pancreatic cancer - which is known to have a poorer prognosis. "So when I knew it was lymphoma, I was relieved in a way. "Even though I've actually got a rather difficult type of lymphoma to treat. "It's not one of the ones that you expect to cure, but because I was strong in many other ways, they said I could withstand quite nasty treatments." Anthony believes his career helped him cope. He said: "My doctor asked 'do you want to be spoken to as a doctor or as a patient?' "And I said, 'no, treat me as a doctor, I can't pretend to have forgotten all the medicine I knew'." Treatments, including chemotherapy and radiotherapy, lasted from August 2024 through until January. He was in remission in May, and he is awaiting results of further tests which may require further treatment if they show a recurrence. Anthony now plans to cycle 56 miles around Glasgow, the Trossachs and back again in the hope to raise £5000 for the charity Lymphoma Action, in September. He added: "Having medical knowledge, I believe, helped me. You can afford to feel more positive. "And the cycle ride is a target I will use to build my strength up, so if I do require more treatment, I will be as fit as possible." If you wish to donate to Anthony, please visit his GoFundMe page. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.


BBC News
31-07-2025
- BBC News
Oxford Transplant Games: The competitors 'gift of life'
Nearly 10 years ago, Lisa Wilson received a phone call that turned her world upside was at home in Hornchurch, Essex, when her son's best friend Rob called to say Tom had been hurt during hockey training on 8 December 2015.22-year-old Tom had suffered a severe brain haemorrhage and passed away, but his parents found out he was on the national organ donation Thursday 12-year-old Fatima, who received part of his liver, is taking part in the British Transplant Games which begin in Oxford. Tom played hockey at Old Loughtonians Hockey Club but on the day of the tragedy, Tom was not supposed to actually train due to a slight injury on the he agreed to go on the pitch and be a passive his mother received the fateful call, she heard in the background somebody say "Is he still breathing?""And at that point, my world turned upside down," she player had hit her son on the back of the head with a hockey stick as he was Wilson said the blow was so severe, "it dislodged the brain stem immediately". He was rushed to The Royal London Hospital but had suffered a subarachnoid brain father Graham then said: "There isn't anything anybody could do for Tom but there's something Tom can do for others - organ donation".Part of Tom's liver was given to a two-and-a-half-year-old girl, while his heart was flown to Newcastle for a sixty-year-old man, family was told that Tom "helped save and improve the lives of up to 50 people because of the organs and tissue donation". "From an awful tragedy at least we get some comfort from knowing that Tom went on to help others and give the most precious gift of all - the gift of life," Mrs Wilson found out that organ families could write to recipients in a "very carefully monitored and managed programme".It was "an absolute joy" to receive two cards back - one from a mum reading "Thank you for saving my little girl's life" and the other which just said "Thank you from the bottom of my heart". Mrs Wilson met Fatima, who received part of Tom's liver, and her mum Lubna Siddiqui, who live near London."Little Fatima was able to tell me when we went down the slide in the park 'Be careful of my liver, you know it's very special'," Mrs Wilson had been diagnosed with sclerosing cholangitis, which involves the bile ducts in the liver becoming progressively inflamed and damaged over time."It was having a huge impact on her body, so this is where it got to a life-threatening stage," Mrs Siddiqui said."We were very lucky, because she was on the transplant list."She described the mix of emotions - "sorrow", "gratefulness" and "a bittersweet feeling" - once she found out the donor was a 22-year-old. Fatima is one of more than 1,000 transplant recipients, living donors, and supporters coming together to compete in sporting events across Oxfordshire from Thursday to is competing in her third British Transplant Games, in the obstacle race and swimming. Gordon meanwhile has been selected to represent GB in table tennis at the world event in Dresden, Germany, on 17 August."It gives people like Fatima, the chance to compete and to be a part of something so huge," Mrs Siddiqui said."They get to be a part of something and then just the opportunity to meet other families that ... get what she's going through as well on a daily basis."Fatima's dream is to become either a doctor or a space engineer. You can follow BBC Oxfordshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.