THE NHS has seen a huge show of support this year, from Captain Tom Moore raising over £18 million for our carers, to thousands of children’s rainbow illustrations adorning front windows up and down Britain.
Now, a Paddington man is doing his bit to raise money for staff at Wythenshawe Hospital.
Lee Boardman, 54, has dyed his hair electric blue and raised over £1,000 in the process.
“I was planning on going in and seeing [the staff]. I couldn’t so I thought, ‘right well this is the opportunity’. So my girlfriend dyed my hair live on Facebook last week!”
Lee’s choice of Wythenshawe Hospital has a personal connection: Last year, he was admitted for almost six months and had three major operations connected with his Crohn’s disease.
“I had three stomas, I had to be fed through my stomach, so I was in a right mess.
“To be perfectly honest with you, if I hadn’t gone to Wythenshawe Hospital I wouldn’t be here now.”
Thankfully, Lee overcame his surgery and is now at home in lockdown – which he says is no bad thing given his new look.
“I can’t see [my family and friends] thankfully – I walk around with a baseball cap on!”
Partner Rachel Unsworth says Lee’s efforts “mean the world” to her.
“After all that he’s gone through, he’s not a confident person but for him to go from a full head of grey to blue hair just for the NHS is great.”
Lee and Rachel would like give their thanks to everyone who supported him during the past two years: "Lee works for Auto Plas [North West] and they were great leaving his job open while he was in hospital. A special thanks [must go] to the friends that visited and supported him. Lee’s dad Barry came three to four times a week to see Lee. Thank you to Sue and Rob Potts, Colin Thorpe, Jane Littlefair, Michelle Thompson, Steve Copeland, and Jamie Blythe.
"Another huge thank you to all the staff on Wythenshawe Hospital ward A4, and a special mention has to go to Marie Kelly and his surgeon Sarah Duff.”
To donate visit facebook.com/donate/1090148281370105/2652476238362234/
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