Not all heroes
wear capes! Eight years after his own pulmonary endarterectomy operation at Papworth, volunteer Steve Stickler has helped hundreds of other patients prepare for the surgery. He spoke to Mary Ferguson about his journey to diagnosis, the importance of giving back, and why supporting other candidates at the hospital means so much to him.
AUTUMN 2018 emphasis 36
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hen he moved into a house less than half a mile from Royal Papworth Hospital, 70-year-old Steve had no idea that the facility would one day change his life. On Armistice Day, 11th November 2009, surgeons carried out a pulmonary endarterectomy (PTE) to remove blood clots on his lungs – the culmination of a long and frustrating journey to be diagnosed with thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension. “In meeting with candidates, I have realised that my own experiences with symptoms and diagnosis were quite common”, he said. “In 2006 I was a pretty fit guy, going to the gym on a regular basis, but I was finding I was getting a bit out of breath. I went to my GP who checked my stats and told me I was fine. She said it could be the
