Hero doctor saved my sight ... twice!
TICKETS CARRY OVER AS BANDS BOOK A DATE FOR 2022 EVENT
A PATIENT who needed separate operations on both of her eyes in the space of three months has thanked the “amazing” Royal Derby Hospital consultant who helped save her sight.
Mr Ravi Gandhewar, Consultant Ophthalmologist, and his team twice came to the rescue of the patient after her vision started to become seriously affected in one eye and then the other one too, shortly after.
The first operation took place in December 2019, with the “petrified” patient thanking Mr Gandhewar for his professionalism and for helping to calm her down when, to her horror, macular holes and cataracts in her other eye meant that she again required surgery in March 2020 – just as the Covid-19 pandemic began.
She said: “I couldn’t believe that it could happen so quickly but Mr Gandhewar fitted me in on lockdown day. They gave me an hour’s notice to get in, otherwise the operation would not have been able to have been done. I knew it had to be done, as my eye was in a very bad way.
“Mr Gandhewar is an amazing doctor and has saved my sight twice. I give my life to him for everything he has done for me, especially under the circumstances we were under.”
Mr Gandhewar, who has worked at UHDB for 11 years and is based at both Royal Derby Hospital’s Kings Treatment Centre and Ilkeston Community Hospital, was presented with a Patient Hero Award in recognition of the commitment shown to his patients.
He said: “It’s a pleasure and really nice to see that the patient took the time to nominate me for this award. It’s really appreciated, but this is for the whole team, not just for me. This is a reflection of the fantastic work of my whole team and is such a pleasant surprise. It’s really reassuring to hear this kind of positive feedback and it has reenergised us all to continue what we’re doing and to do a bit more.”
Dr Kathy McLean, UHDB chair, virtually presented Mr Gandhewar with his well-deserved Making a Difference Award. She said: “It’s really heartwarming to hear that you had such a huge impact on this patient during their journey through our trust. You’ve really made an impression there and have clearly looked after them extremely well, which I think is just fantastic.
“This kind of feedback is always even better when it’s from a patient, so you should be very proud of yourself. I hope that this award will give a boost to both you and the rest of your team because I know that it’s been a tough time and you’ve all worked so hard.”
THE 2021 Download Festival at Donington Park will not be going ahead, it has been announced.
Organisers of the annual festival, which attracts up to 100,000 people from across the world, have been forced to pull the plug on this year’s event because of the coronavirus pandemic for the second year in a row.
Download 2021 had been due to take place between June 4-6 with almost 100 acts announced and thousands of tickets sold.
Festival organisers said they did everything possible to make the event happen and have instead announced the line-up for 2022, with tickets going on general sale for that event from 10am this Friday.
A festival statement said: “We never gave up hope of bringing the festival back to Donington this June and have been working so hard behind the scenes to make that happen but we now know it’s not possible.
“We’re heartbroken for everyone in the Download family, from artists to suppliers and of course, our passionate Download fans.
“We want to thank the NHS for rolling out the vaccine, as well as thanking you all for your patience and for keeping the spirit of Download alive until we can be together again.
“You are very welcome to retain your ticket and carry it over to next year. Alternatively you can receive a refund from your ticket agent. Horns up, we will see you in 2022.”
The 2022 event planned for June 10-12 sees Iron Maiden, Kiss and Biffy Clyro as headliners – the latter two acts had been lined up to headline this year.
Despite the 2021 event being unable to take place, Download organisers have assured fans that 2022 is very much on.
Iron Maiden will return on the Saturday night and frontman Bruce Dickinson said: “Like everyone, we were all hugely disappointed when the global pandemic forced the cancellation of Download 2020, which would have been Maiden’s seventh time headlining here.
“So we are delighted to be invited back and fulfil our ambition of playing Donington Park in every decade since the 1980s.
“As most people know, this festival is hallowed ground for us (and Eddie!) and our fans’ vocal support and enthusiasm is always phenomenal and much appreciated.
“We can’t wait to see everyone again and are determined to make the show one hell of a party and the greatest homecoming ever.”
After a 47-year career that launched an era of rock’n’roll, Kiss will perform in the UK at Download Festival 2022, in a UK exclusive on the Friday night.
They embarked on their final tour in 2020 before being cut short by the pandemic but will resume the with the Download appearance next year.
Guitarist Paul Stanley said: “Download will be the culmination of 47 years of unapologetic bombast and spectacle. We will make this a fitting farewell to a country and its people whose music remains the blood in our veins.”
The final Download 2022 headliner, on Sunday night, will be Scottish rock outfit Biffy Clyro.
Download Festival’s Andy Copping said: “Downloaders, your 2022 headliners are here! Rock ’n’ roll legends Kiss will be kicking off Download in style, Iron Maiden will return bringing with them mascot Eddie and more fire than we can handle, and what better way to end the festival than with Biffy who will leave us awestruck with their energy. I’m counting down the days already!”
A Q&A relating to this year’s tickets can be found on the Download website.