Publish date: 21 March 2025
In 2024 Peter was diagnosed after seeing a practice nurse at his GP surgery in July. Peter was at first reluctant to be seen but after some encouragement from his colleagues and his wife eventually made the appointment which led to a small operation in October that confirmed a cancer diagnosis.
Peter is used to hospital environments after retiring from working in mental health services for 38 years then joining the Emergency Department team on bank shifts in 2019. He has since attended three weekly appointments in the Oncology Day Unit at Blackpool Victoria Hospital. Peter commented: “The Oncology team have been lovely I could not have done it without them and my team in ED, we are like a family and to have their support has got me through this hard time.”
Peter is a well known and loved colleague at Blackpool Teaching Hospitals. In 2023 he was shortlisted in the Trust’s staff awards after being nominated in the People’s Health Hero category by several members of the public for his compassionate and emphatic care with one nomination thanking him for acting quickly on signs of meningitis.
On Monday, 10 March 2025 Peter, alongside his family, the medical team looking after him, his ED colleagues and other patients who were also receiving care, rang the bell marking the end of his chemotherapy treatment. Whilst his treatment journey is not yet over and he will still need to undergo immunotherapy over the next 12 months, Peter is very much looking forward to the future with plans in place to see family in Australia and spend time with his 17 great grandchildren.
After quitting smoking in October, Peter has shared this advice for anyone concerned about their health: “Get checked out! I was nervous about seeking treatment but surrounded myself with a good support network. They helped me to have the confidence to listen to my symptoms and get the treatment needed to get better. It has been a scary experience but now look forward to easing back into work, as it is something I love, and spending time with family.”
Find out more about the signs and symptoms of cancer on the NHS website here.
