‘NHS saved my life – working here means I can give something back’

Cancer can be a life-changing experience – and for one couple it prompted them to switch careers to join the NHS.

Mo and Ian Peebles, who have been married for 20 years, wanted to give something back after Ian had cancer treatment in 2017.

He had previously been working for Kent Police, but took ill-health retirement because of the side effects of the treatment for lung cancer.

The 59 year old now works as a patient advice and liaison service (PALS) officer at the William Harvey Hospital in Ashford, while Mo, 63, switched from her police career to work in the operating theatres.

Ian, who lives with Mo and their two Yorkshire terriers in Folkestone, said: “It was devastating to hear I had cancer. I just wanted it gone so a week later I had surgery in London, performed by the excellent cardiothoracic surgeon Miss King.

“The chemotherapy after that gave me side effects, including brain fog, and I knew there was a 30 per cent chance of it coming back within five years, so I decided to take ill-health retirement and live life.

“But when the coronavirus pandemic came along I wanted to do something to help the organisation that saved my life, and Miss King gave me the all-clear to go back to work.”

Ian initially joined the car parking team, but other health problems meant he could not carry on working outside. He then saw the job in the PALS team, and now works part-time helping people with questions or concerns about their treatment.

He said: “It means I can still try and help people and give a little something back to the organisation that has done so much for me.

“Before I had cancer I had never set foot in a hospital – now I’ve been through the system four times, and I have more understanding of the frustrations people can sometimes feel.

“I find that a lot of my skills from the police and army work well here, and I’m happy to sit and listen and just let people talk, then pick out what is important and find a solution that works for them.

“I think the life skills I have gained are also important, so I can deal sensitively with people.

“I do miss some aspects of my previous life, working on intelligence and national security; when it pays off you can’t quantify how many lives it has saved, but this can also be rewarding.”

Mo, who has four children and six grandchildren, works as a decontamination officer with the theatre team, looking after the instruments used in surgery and making sure the surgeons have everything they need.

She said: “I saw a theatre support worker job advertised when Ian was still going through chemo and thought I would go for it. I really wanted to give something back, because of the care he received, but I also had my children here and had cataract treatment.

“I don’t miss my old job at all – this is just as fast paced and it’s very rewarding to be part of a patient’s experience.

“The theatre is like one big family, and we care so much for our patients.”

The couple try to have lunch together, but have a rule of no work chat at home.

Ian said: “We definitely couldn’t work in the same office; we wouldn’t have anything to talk about!

“With the police you learn not to take everything home, so we do talk about things in the car, but that’s it.

“It is lovely to be able to go to work together and to know we are making a difference.”