Latest news with #St George's Hospital
Daily Mail
01-08-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Father-of-two with inoperable brain tumour warns others about the strange symptom he ignored
A fit and healthy father-of-two received a devastating brain tumour diagnosis after a bizarre symptom triggered a violent seizure—a lasting smell of bleach. Sam Suriakumar, 40, from London, didn't think much of it the first time he smelled the strong ammonia-like chemical, assuming that his wife, Sindu, had just cleaned the bathroom. 'The smell of ammonia, bleach or some sort of cleaning agent was almost filling up my mouth, it was really strong,' he recalled. 'I felt like I needed to lean against the wall to stand, I felt very strange but didn't think much of it.' But, when the strong smell returned the following morning whilst he was working out outdoors, accompanied by a bout of dizziness, alarm bells began to ring. On the tube home, the musician suffered a violent grand mal seizure—also known as a tonic-clonic seizure—which causes a person's muscles to stiffen and their limbs to jerk uncontrollably as they lose consciousness. Recalling the lead up to the events, Mr Suriakumar said he felt drained of energy on his commute home on the busy Northern Line of the London Underground. 'I closed my eyes and it felt like half an hour went by, but we had only moved one stop,' he said. He closed his eyes once more, hoping to drift off on his journey home, but to his surprise he woke up 48 hours later at St George's Hospital, Tooting. He said: 'My medical team told me that I had suffered a massive grand mal seizure. 'I seized so bad that I dislocated my shoulder,' he added. The father-of-two was rushed to hospital in an ambulance, during which time he suffered two more seizures. After a series of tests including a CT scan which showed a 'large shadow' across the left side of his brain, he was diagnosed with a brain tumour, which doctors suspected was a low grade glioma on February 4 2024. When he was told that the tumour was covering the part of his brain responsible for speech, movement and memory, he said his whole world 'spiralled out of control.' 'My mind went straight to my girls, who were only three and five at the time,' he said. 'All of a sudden, your priorities become very clear.' Despite Mr Suriakumar being 'in the best shape of his life', doctors were hesitant to operate on the tumour. Instead, they decided to go for a less invasive approach, treating Mr Suriakumar symptoms rather than the tumour itself. 'It was a case of not wanting to poke the bear,' he added. For two years his condition remained stable, enabling him to run the London Marathon in 2023 to raise money for Brain Tumour Research and becomes a support ambassador raising £60,000 to date. However, in July 2023 when he was in Brazil for a wedding, Mr Suriakumar received a sobering call from his neurosurgeon: the tumour had grown. 'It knocked me to my feet,' the musician recalled. Shortly after flying home, he underwent surgery to have some of the tumour removed—which confirmed a diffuse oligodendroglioma, a type of glioma which is often benign but can become cancerous. Just two weeks later, he started the first of 30 gruelling rounds of radiotherapy at the Royal Marsden Hospital. This was followed by nine long months of chemotherapy, which the father-of-two successfully completed in September last year. Determined not to give up and lose faith, the avid gym-goer completed the HYROX indoor fitness competition in Belgium just six months later—tackling eight kilometers of running and eight functional workout exercises. His medical team are now closely monitoring his condition through regular scans every six months to better understand the impact of the treatment, in what Mr Suriakumar described as a 'sitting on the fence' phase. Looking back, he said: 'Brain tumours are the biggests killers of children and adults before the age of 40, so reaching that milestone on July 26 was a big deal for me.' He is now urging anyone in a similar situation to stay positive. He said: 'Your brain talks to every single part of your body and it's so important to have a positive mindset. 'It's not going to come every single day, but try to find those things that inspire and encourage you to move forward.' Over 12,000 patients in Britain are diagnosed with a brain tumour each year, with about half of these cases being cancerous. Glioblastomas, one of the deadliest types of brain tumour, have been highlighted in recent years after killing a number of famous faces. The disease, which is the most common type of cancerous brain tumour in adults, killed the Labour politician Dame Tessa Jowell in 2018. And in March 2022, The Wanted singer Tom Parker died following an 18-month battle with the cancer.
Yahoo
01-08-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Andrew Flintoff hails NHS staff who cared for him after car crash
Andrew 'Freddie' Flintoff has praised the 'love and compassion' of NHS staff who cared for him after his car crash at a Top Gear test track. The former international cricketer visited hospital workers who looked after him in the aftermath of the accident, which he described as 'the lowest I've ever been'. In December 2022, Flintoff sustained severe injuries while filming at the Dunsfold Aerodrome in Surrey for an episode of BBC show Top Gear. His surgeon described Flintoff's case as one of the most complex he has ever seen. The former international cricketer was airlifted to St George's Hospital in Tooting – a major trauma centre. 'I just want to say a massive thank you to all the staff at St George's,' Flintoff said. 'I came here probably the lowest I've ever been, in need of help and the expertise, the love, the compassion they showed me was incredible. 'I'll be eternally grateful – absolute superheroes.' Recalling the incident, consultant oral and maxillofacial surgeon Jahrad Haq, said: 'I was on call that day and received a phone call from the emergency department consultant. 'A lot of injuries are managed at a more junior level before escalating, so I knew this one was serious. 'Of all the trauma cases I've seen in over 20 years, this was among the most complex.' Shamim Umarji, consultant trauma and orthopaedic surgeon, said: 'It's very rewarding when patients come back and you get to see them not just as patients, but as people. It's a real privilege. 'When you see their recovery, you remember how important our job is. 'It was wonderful to see Freddie again and his visit gave staff a real boost. He spent a lot of time chatting to everyone and it meant a lot.' Kate Slemeck, managing director for St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: 'I'm incredibly proud of the care we provide at St George's. 'It's always heart-warming to hear from patients about the expert care, compassion and kindness they've received from our clinical and support teams, and this shows the lasting impact they have on people, long after they've left hospital.' During a documentary about the accident, Flintoff described how he used the split-second decision-making from his cricketing days to try to reduce the impact of the crash. He said he was 'pulled face-down on the runway' for about 50 metres under the car. The former England star said he thought he had died in the accident. For months after the crash Flintoff disappeared from public view and would leave his house only for medical appointments His recovery has been documented in a documentary, Flintoff, streamed on Disney+.
BreakingNews.ie
01-08-2025
- Health
- BreakingNews.ie
Andrew Flintoff hails NHS staff who cared for him after car crash
Andrew Flintoff has praised the 'love and compassion' of NHS staff who cared for him after his car crash at a Top Gear test track. The former international cricketer and current England Lions and Northern Superchargers Men's coach visited hospital workers who looked after him in the aftermath of the accident, which he described as 'the lowest I've ever been'. Advertisement In December 2022, Flintoff sustained severe injuries while filming at the Dunsfold Aerodrome in Surrey for an episode of BBC show Top Gear. His surgeon described Flintoff's case as one of the most complex he has ever seen. Flintoff was airlifted to St George's Hospital in Tooting – a major trauma centre. 'I just want to say a massive thank you to all the staff at St George's,' Flintoff said. Advertisement 'I came here probably the lowest I've ever been, in need of help and the expertise, the love, the compassion they showed me was incredible. 'I'll be eternally grateful – absolute superheroes.' Andrew Flintoff visited surgeon Jahrad Haq (St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust/PA) Recalling the incident, consultant oral and maxillofacial surgeon Jahrad Haq, said: 'I was on call that day and received a phone call from the emergency department consultant. 'A lot of injuries are managed at a more junior level before escalating, so I knew this one was serious. Advertisement 'Of all the trauma cases I've seen in over 20 years, this was among the most complex.' Shamim Umarji, consultant trauma and orthopaedic surgeon, said: 'It's very rewarding when patients come back and you get to see them not just as patients, but as people. It's a real privilege. 'When you see their recovery, you remember how important our job is. 'It was wonderful to see Freddie again and his visit gave staff a real boost. He spent a lot of time chatting to everyone and it meant a lot.' Advertisement Andrew Flintoff with Linda Holden, lead dental nurse (left) and Sonia Steer, principal orthodontic nurse (right) at St George's (St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust/PA) Kate Slemeck, managing director for St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: 'I'm incredibly proud of the care we provide at St George's. 'It's always heart-warming to hear from patients about the expert care, compassion and kindness they've received from our clinical and support teams, and this shows the lasting impact they have on people, long after they've left hospital.' During a documentary about the accident, Flintoff described how he used the split-second decision-making from his cricketing days to try to reduce the impact of the crash. He said he was 'pulled face-down on the runway' for about 50 metres under the car. Advertisement The former England star said he thought he had died in the accident. For months after the crash Flintoff disappeared from public view and would leave his house only for medical appointments His recovery has been documented in a documentary, Flintoff, streamed on Disney+.
The Independent
01-08-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Andrew Flintoff hails NHS staff who cared for him after car crash
Andrew Flintoff has praised the 'love and compassion' of NHS staff who cared for him after his car crash at a Top Gear test track. The former international cricketer and current England Lions and Northern Superchargers Men's coach visited hospital workers who looked after him in the aftermath of the accident, which he described as 'the lowest I've ever been'. In December 2022, Flintoff sustained severe injuries while filming at the Dunsfold Aerodrome in Surrey for an episode of BBC show Top Gear. His surgeon described Flintoff's case as one of the most complex he has ever seen. Flintoff was airlifted to St George's Hospital in Tooting – a major trauma centre. 'I just want to say a massive thank you to all the staff at St George's,' Flintoff said. 'I came here probably the lowest I've ever been, in need of help and the expertise, the love, the compassion they showed me was incredible. 'I'll be eternally grateful – absolute superheroes.' Recalling the incident, consultant oral and maxillofacial surgeon Jahrad Haq, said: 'I was on call that day and received a phone call from the emergency department consultant. 'A lot of injuries are managed at a more junior level before escalating, so I knew this one was serious. 'Of all the trauma cases I've seen in over 20 years, this was among the most complex.' Shamim Umarji, consultant trauma and orthopaedic surgeon, said: 'It's very rewarding when patients come back and you get to see them not just as patients, but as people. It's a real privilege. 'When you see their recovery, you remember how important our job is. 'It was wonderful to see Freddie again and his visit gave staff a real boost. He spent a lot of time chatting to everyone and it meant a lot.' Kate Slemeck, managing director for St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: 'I'm incredibly proud of the care we provide at St George's. 'It's always heart-warming to hear from patients about the expert care, compassion and kindness they've received from our clinical and support teams, and this shows the lasting impact they have on people, long after they've left hospital.' During a documentary about the accident, Flintoff described how he used the split-second decision-making from his cricketing days to try to reduce the impact of the crash. He said he was 'pulled face-down on the runway' for about 50 metres under the car. The former England star said he thought he had died in the accident. For months after the crash Flintoff disappeared from public view and would leave his house only for medical appointments His recovery has been documented in a documentary, Flintoff, streamed on Disney+.
The Independent
01-08-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Andrew Flintoff praises ‘superhero' NHS staff who cared for him after serious Top Gear crash
Andrew Flintoff has expressed profound gratitude for the "love and compassion" shown by NHS staff who provided care following his severe car crash on the Top Gear test track. The incident, which occurred in December 2022 at Dunsfold Aerodrome in Surrey, left the former international cricketer with severe injuries, an experience he described as "the lowest I've ever been". Airlifted to St George's Hospital in Tooting, a major trauma centre, Flintoff's case was deemed "one of the most complex" his surgeon had ever encountered. Now coaching the England Lions and Northern Superchargers Men's teams, Flintoff recently visited the hospital workers who looked after him, reiterating his appreciation for their care. 'I just want to say a massive thank you to all the staff at St George's,' the former England Cricket international said. 'I came here probably the lowest I've ever been, in need of help and the expertise, the love, the compassion they showed me was incredible. 'I'll be eternally grateful – absolute superheroes.' Recalling the incident, consultant oral and maxillofacial surgeon Jahrad Haq, said: 'I was on call that day and received a phone call from the emergency department consultant. 'A lot of injuries are managed at a more junior level before escalating, so I knew this one was serious. 'Of all the trauma cases I've seen in over 20 years, this was among the most complex.' Shamim Umarji, consultant trauma and orthopaedic surgeon, said: 'It's very rewarding when patients come back and you get to see them not just as patients, but as people. It's a real privilege. 'When you see their recovery, you remember how important our job is. 'It was wonderful to see Freddie again and his visit gave staff a real boost. He spent a lot of time chatting to everyone and it meant a lot.' Kate Slemeck, managing director for St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: 'I'm incredibly proud of the care we provide at St George's. 'It's always heart-warming to hear from patients about the expert care, compassion and kindness they've received from our clinical and support teams, and this shows the lasting impact they have on people, long after they've left hospital.' During a documentary about the accident, Flintoff described how he used the split-second decision-making from his cricketing days to try to reduce the impact of the crash. He said he was 'pulled face-down on the runway' for about 50 metres under the car. The former England star said he thought he had died in the accident. For months after the crash Flintoff disappeared from public view and would leave his house only for medical appointments His recovery has been documented in a documentary, Flintoff, streamed on Disney+.
