NHS at 75: Shared birthdate patient tells of a lifetime of care

A man born on the same day the NHS was formed has told of a lifetime of care and compassion.

Born on 5 July 1948, John Goy will share his 75th birthday on Wednesday with the NHS; the organisation he credits with twice saving his life.

In his early 20s, Mr Goy was diagnosed with Crohn's disease. Two years ago, he suffered a life-threatening seizure.

He said: "If I hadn't had the NHS, I would not be alive now. What else can I say? Thank you."

Scunthorpe-born Mr Goy recalled his first interaction with the NHS when he was four years old.

"I was run over by a cycle and in those days they had steel mudguards," he told the BBC. "The mudguard caught my eye and I bled very, very badly. I bled like a stuck pig!"

His older brother took him to Scunthorpe Hospital, where he had four stitches.

"The nurses had hats on," Mr Goy recalled. "Their aprons were all starched, very stiff. Everything had to be done a certain way. It was strict."

Aged 23, Mr Goy became extremely unwell but despite weeks in hospital, doctors in his home town were unable to diagnose the cause.

He said: "I started to get really vicious pains. I was admitted to Scunthorpe Hospital the following day. I had an assortment of tests done, X-rays etc."

Mr Goy remembered a doctor coming to his bedside to say they had no idea what was wrong with him and he was to be transferred to Leeds General Infirmary (LGI).

He was told "the best colorectal surgeon in Europe" would look after him and find out what was wrong.

The gravity of the situation was not lost on the young Mr Goy.

"If he couldn't find out what was wrong, well, it was curtains," he said.

Mr Goy said he lost a lot of weight.

"I was about 5st 7lbs (35kg) and my parents and family and all my friends thought I was a goner," he said. "It wasn't until they opened me up they found out I had Crohn's disease. I had the operation and they saved my life, so if it hadn't been for the NHS I wouldn't be sat here now."

Crohn's is a lifelong condition that causes chronic inflammation of the digestive system.

Mr Goy recalled multiple trips to LGI for treatment. He said the dedication of NHS staff was overwhelming.

"I remember, really clearly, one of the surgeons came to see me and he'd got a tuxedo on, and I went, 'Where have you been?' and he said, 'I've come from a dinner party'. What dedication that is."

In 2021, Mr Goy suffered a seizure, with the NHS again coming to his aid.

He said: "The NHS has saved my life twice."

Mr Goy, who still has regular check-ups at his GP practice and Scunthorpe General Hospital, said although he has seen "huge changes" over the decades, some things have remained constant.

"The care has certainly not changed at all over the 75 years," he said. "The technology has come on leaps and bounds, with CT scans, MRI scans, endoscopy. In the old days, you didn't have anything like that. They had to make do with what they had."

He has a message for NHS workers: "If I hadn't had the NHS I would not be alive now. What else can I say? Thank you. "Happy 75 years and here's to another 75 years."

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