Cancer patient urges politicians to get at it

Mr. Simpson was discharged from hospital last week after being treated for a liver tumour in the Royal Victoria Hospital.

Speaking to the ‘Journal’ after leaving Altnagelvin where he spent some time recuperating following his cancer treatment the former Ambulance Car Service volunteer was full of praise for the front-line medial staff who attended him.

“I was in the ‘Royal’ and Altnagelvin and I want you to put this in your paper.

“All the medical staff across both of those hospitals deserve the highest praise for their professionalism. They are doing an absolutely fantastic job. The care that I received was second-to-none and I feel so strongly about that. When I was tranferred to Altnagelvin we were treated like lords. They were never off their feet, the nurses.”

The larger-than-life Eglinton man who is well-known in local cricket circles and helped establish a Manchester United Supporters Club branch in the village ten years ago had a strong message for the politicians unable to agree a restoration of power-sharing at Stormont, however.

“I’d like to send a message to the local politicians. Get yourselves back up to Stormont and start sorting things out and investing in the local health service. I say that as a patient,” he said.

Mr. Simpson, who received a British Empire Medal in the British New Year’s Honours in 2017, joined the Ambulance Car Service as a volunteer in 1990 and drove for the NIAS for over 25 years. Before that Mr. Simpson had spent over two decades with the British Army cavalry regiment The Queen’s Royal Irish Hussars, with whom he was stationed in Malaysia, Germany and England. Despite only being discharged from hospital last week and with further treatment ahead, he said: “I’m well on the mend due to the attention of the medical staff at he ‘Royal.’”