Testimonial
Kate's Story
Created: 22-09-2017
The care I received from the MISSION clinic is something I will be eternally grateful for and something I hope many others will benefit from.” An 82-year-old from Fareham who climbs her stairs for fun in a bid to clock up steps on her Fitbit has said taking part in research has given her a new lease of life. Kate Dawson-Taylor was listening to the radio one day early last year when she heard about a new project, MISSION ABC, designed to identify patients on GP registers at risk of asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), so they could receive swift community-based assessment. “The interview was really interesting. I’ve had asthma for years and I knew that I was borderline COPD so I called up after the radio show to see if I was eligible to take part,” said Kate. “I was told they had one space left for the following morning so I quickly got my map out and planned my route to the GP surgery in Bordon.” MISSION-COPD, a collaborative project between Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust and Wessex Academic Health Science Network, proactively identifies patients with undiagnosed or high-risk COPD from selected local GP registers. The team then conduct an assessment of disease control, quality of life and triggers in the practice surgery, followed if necessary by evaluation in hospital by a specialist COPD team. “The whole Saturday morning was dedicated to a group of 10 of us and our lungs,” said Kate. “I hadn’t had my asthma treatment changed in 25 years so it was really eye-opening to be put through lots of different tests and procedures to see how my respiratory health really was. “The results of the initial tests prompted Professor Chauhan to change my medication. The two new inhalers he prescribed me are really working very well and are keeping my condition nice and steady.” Kate attended a follow-up clinic a few months later at Queen Alexandra Hospital where the efficacy of her new medication was checked. She was also advised to undergo an x-ray of her lungs. “The x-ray showed I had scarring on my lungs so I went on to have a CT scan and bronchoscopy,” said Kate. “I was terrified I had cancer. So when the results came back all clear I was very, very happy. I knew I had a clean bill of health as far as my lungs were concerned. “And so here I am, at the age of 82, knowing that everything physically possible has been done to check my lungs are as healthy as possible, and that’s as a result of Professor Chauhan and his MISSION clinic. It is something I will be eternally grateful for and something I hope many others will benefit from. “Being given a clean bill of health at my age has made me feel totally different about where I am in my life and it’s given me a determination to be healthier in all aspects. I’ve even bought myself a Fitbit and climb the stairs for fun to give my step count a boost. “At a time when I had decided it might be time to pack up my tent and slowly drift away, resigned to the fact that life was on the downhill, Professor Chauhan and his team have opened a door for me and shown me that life is worth living to the full at any age. He has given me a new lease of life. “The whole MISSION team are full of empathy – they smile, they know the right gentle words to say at the right time, and they care. We live in the days now where you almost feel as though you have to apologise for going to see the GP. It was so special to receive such a high level of care and attention at the MISSION clinic; it really is a first class project.”
