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Daily Mail
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Leslie Ash, 65, makes a rare public appearance using a pink walking stick as she leaves The Vanessa Feltz Show after issuing new health update
Leslie Ash made a rare public appearance as she stepped out in London following her appearance on The Vanessa Feltz Show on Friday. The actress, 65, recently shared a new health update, two decades after contracting an MSSA superbug that nearly left her unable to walk. She was awarded a record £5 million in compensation in 2008 after acquiring the infection in hospital. For her latest outing, Leslie looked radiant in a pink maxi dress with red detailing as she left the studio. She used a pink walking stick for support and paired her look with white trainers and a black handbag. Accessorising with layered jewellery, Leslie appeared in good spirits as she made her way to a waiting car. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the Daily Mail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. Last month, Leslie reflected on the incident that changed her life. She was admitted to hospital in April 2004 after cracking two ribs during a fall from bed amid an intimate moment with her husband, former footballer Lee Chapman. But it was while she was in hospital for this injury that she contracted a 'deadly strain' of the MRSA superbug because of an abscess that had developed in her spinal column - which could have left her permanently unable to walk. Leslie revealed she was only given a 'slight hope of recovery' by doctors, who thought she'd be wheelchair-bound by the time she was 60 due to a life-changing spine condition. Against all odds, the Quadrophenia star has bounced back and rarely relies on a trusty walking stick, let alone a wheelchair. Now 20-years later, Leslie spoke to Charlotte Hawkins and Richard Madeley on Good Morning Britain about her current health state. She said: 'I will never be the same as I was, obviously. But yeah, It is 20 years exactly and It's fine. 'I love working still, I can still do bits. Nowhere near what it was before but I'm feeling really really really good. I'm very healthy.' She added: 'They said I'd be in a wheelchair by the time I was 60 but I think, I'm ver lucky. You know, my husbands helped me with my rehab and getting me into the gym. 'And really making sure that I stay fit. You've got to keep your core strong. There are so many things you have to do, mentally as well.' The Men Behaving Badly star previously admitted she needed 'mental strength' to keep fighting her condition, but has defied doctors expectations. Leslie, who was given a bleak prognosis following the string of unfortunate events, told The Sun: 'They said I'd be in a wheelchair by 60 because of my terrible hips and knees. I was only given a slight hope of recovery but because I wanted it enough I was able to achieve what I have today.' Back in 2008, Leslie successfully sued the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital and won an astonishing £5million in compensation, as she had contracted the antibiotic-resistant MSSA form of the infection after an epidural needle came loose. The payout was so hefty because there was a belief she would not return to ongoing TV roles - and the compensation reflected the future loss of earnings. Of the importance of staying optimistic, the Oxfordshire-born star said: 'If I sat down and did nothing I'd be in a wheelchair now, without a doubt. You need a lot of mental strength to keep fighting.'
Yahoo
17-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Baby 'would have lived' but for hospital infection
A fatal accident inquiry (FAI) has heard that a doctor told the father of a baby girl that she would have lived if she had not caught an infection in hospital. Sophia Smith died at Glasgow's Royal Hospital for Children on 11 April 2017 after contracting an infection similar to MRSA, which developed into sepsis. Police previously carried out an investigation into her death, alongside other fatalities at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) - including leukaemia patient Milly Main, 10, who died after a catheter became infected when she was in remission. Last January, the lord advocate said it was in the public interest to hold an FAI into Sophia's death. Inquiry to be held into baby's hospital death Sophia's father Matthew Smith told the inquiry at Glasgow Sheriff Court that he wanted to know how she got the infection and if it was preventable. The inquiry heard his daughter, who had Down's syndrome, was born on 31 March 2017 at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley. She had breathing issues and it was decided to move her to the Royal Children's Hospital, which is on the campus of the QEUH in Glasgow. On admission, her parents Matthew and Theresa were told there was an issue with her heart. Mr Smith told the inquiry Sophia was gradually improving and doctors had said she was fighting well. He said he understood his daughter was "out of the death danger zone." But he said on 10 April - like "a bolt from the blue" - she suddenly deteriorated. It was then discovered she had a collapsed lung. Mr Smith said there had been a blackening of part of Sophia's body and an infection had been discussed. It was after samples were analysed from Sophia's post-mortem examination that it was discovered she had contracted MSSA, an aggressive form of MRSA. The inquiry heard Mrs Smith was informed this could have played a role in her daughter's death. Speaking of a meeting with a doctor after Sophia died, Mr Smith told the inquiry: "I remember Theresa asking an opinion if Sophia hadn't caught the infection in her life, would we have her?" According to Mr Smith, the doctor said she would have lived a normal Down's syndrome life. Mr Smith told the inquiry that he wanted to know how a baby who was progressing well could die within a matter of days or hours from an infection. Before the inquiry got under way, Sophia's parents, who live in Inverclyde, said they hoped to finally get an answer as to why their daughter died and if it was preventable. A statement read out by their lawyer said: "It has been a long road to get to this milestone that we have reached today. "We are pleased that a fatal accident inquiry has been finally set up and hope that by the end of this process we will know the truth about our daughter and why her life was tragically and heartbreakingly cut short." In 2020, a police investigation into Sophia's death was handed over to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) but a decision was made not to bring criminal charges. The fatal accident inquiry continues. More stories from Glasgow & West Scotland More stories from Scotland
