Starmer thanks NHS worker who looked after his brother
In a video posted on social media to mark the 77th anniversary of the health service, the PM said that advanced nurse practitioner Ben Huntley made sure that his brother 'felt cared for and respected'.
In the clip, Sir Keir is shown speaking to Mr Huntley in Downing Street, while other members of the public also meet with NHS staff who helped them.
The NHS has always been there for my family.
Today, on its 77th anniversary, the entire country says thank you. pic.twitter.com/1txKPMwx1d
— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) July 5, 2025
The Prime Minister said: 'My mum worked in the NHS and then she was very, very ill, for most of her life. And the NHS became our absolute lifeline.
'My sister worked for the NHS, my wife works for the NHS, and it was the NHS that looked after my brother who we lost last Boxing Day to cancer.
'Ben, you looked after him. I think from the moment he was in all the way through, and you made sure that he felt cared for and respected.'
The PM later added: 'That meant a huge amount to me and my family and, on all of our behalves, I say through you a very special thank you to the NHS.'
Earlier this week, Sir Keir told the BBC's Political Thinking that he 'made it my business to be there in the hospital' when his brother was told about his diagnosis 'so that I could begin to help look after him'.
'It's really hard to lose your brother to cancer, he was a very vulnerable man,' the Prime Minister said.
He shared details of 'going up in the porter's lift into the back of the intensive care unit' and wanting to protect his brother's privacy.
He told the same interview that US President Donald Trump asked about his brother in a call a 'few days' after he died.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Press and Journal
an hour ago
- Press and Journal
Stonehaven mum's brutal reality: no NHS cure, so she must buy more time abroad
Helen Swan's voice is quiet yet urgent when she answers the phone at her home in Stonehaven. It doesn't take long to understand why. When we spoke, the 54-year-old mum was just days away from boarding a flight to Frankfurt, where doctors would inject powerful chemotherapy drugs directly into the tumours spreading through her lungs, bones, liver and soft tissues. It's a procedure called TACE — targeted arterial chemoembolisation — and Helen believes it is her only real hope of slowing down her cancer. She knows from experience that as soon as the drugs enter her body, she's in a race against time to get home before the side effects strike: searing nausea, crushing exhaustion and days where she can barely stand. Yet for Helen, the urgency lies not just in the cancer invading her body, but in something else – the knowledge that if she can't keep raising the money to pay for each £6,000 trip herself, her treatment will stop. TACE is not available on the NHS for the rare form of cancer Helen has been diagnosed with. Doctors in the UK have also warned her she is wasting her time with the treatment, saying it won't save her. Helen doesn't see it like that. While she still holds on to the hope that TACE might one day cure her, what she really wants is more time — time she can spend with her children, especially her youngest son, Harry, just 12 years old. 'It's not easy — it's really hard,' she says. 'I've got to do it. I've got no other options. Either I do this, or I can wait for it to take me over, which will happen very quickly — and I don't want to do that. I need to keep trying.' It's a fight she never imagined when she was first diagnosed nearly five years ago. In 2019, Helen was told she had stage 2B endocervical adenocarcinoma — a rare, aggressive form of cervical cancer that had already spread into surrounding tissue. She underwent months of chemotherapy, radiotherapy and internal brachytherapy at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary. She was given the all-clear in August 2020. But a year later, a routine scan revealed 16 tiny tumours scattered through her lungs. The cancer had returned and was now classed as incurable. Doctors gave her about six months to live. Offered palliative chemotherapy, Helen made the difficult decision to say no. 'It might have bought me a bit of time,' she says. 'But the side effects would have left me too unwell to do anything with my son. I didn't want to spend what time I had in bed.' Instead, she pieced together her own protocol — researching everything she could about boosting her immune system. She changed her diet, took over-the-counter supplements and began regular mistletoe infusions at Camphill Wellbeing Trust in Aberdeen. Her doctors were sceptical — mistletoe infusions aren't routinely available on the NHS and are classed as complementary. But no one could argue with the result: three extra years of life she was never expected to have. 'I made memories with Harry,' she says of that time. 'I was able to travel with him, swim in the sea at Stonehaven, visit friends in Greece and Sweden — just live a normal life as much as I could.' By the end of last year, Helen's cancer started to spread again — pushing into her bones, liver and soft tissues. She found Professor Thomas Vogl at Frankfurt University Hospital. He specialises in TACE — a procedure only approved on the NHS for patients who have primary liver cancer, not for secondary tumours that have spread from elsewhere. In simple terms, TACE involves feeding a tiny tube through an artery in her leg and injecting a high dose of chemotherapy straight into a tumour. Unlike conventional chemo, which floods the whole body, this targets the tumour directly — cutting off its blood supply and killing cancer cells. 'It's like being poisoned for days,' Helen says. After her first treatment, scans showed a 10% reduction in a tumour pressing on her spine — so severe it had threatened to paralyse her. 'Before I started, I felt like I was hanging on by my fingernails. I was losing the use of my leg and arm. Now, I can walk with a stick. I can drive my car. I can be mum again.' Her most recent scans showed further reductions in both her spine and liver tumours. But every session brings brutal side effects, and the fear that missing just one could undo her progress. A single trip to Frankfurt costs Helen around £5,000 to £6,000, covering the procedure itself, flights, hotel and a companion to help her get home. As a single mum unable to work, she has no savings left. 'It's terrifying to think that if I can't raise this money, I can't go — and I'll start to go downhill again within a few weeks. I don't have time on my side.' So far, generous donations through her GoFundMe page and local fundraising events have covered three trips. She needs many more. How many? 'It's case by case,' she explains. 'Some people go 10 or 12 times if it keeps working.' Through it all, her anchor is her children: Sam, 29, Grace, 22, and especially Harry, still just a boy. 'He was six when I was first diagnosed,' she says. 'He's come along on the ride with me. He knows enough, but not everything. He sees me as strong, and I want to keep it that way for as long as I can.' Helen adds: 'Somebody else asked me that too, and I really, genuinely don't feel angry. I think I'd rather it happened to me than to somebody I love — I'm a strong person. And I hope I'm showing my children, or anyone else, that no matter what life throws at you, you just wade through it and you don't give up.' Helen praises the NHS teams that saved her life in the early days — but says the system is limited by what it can fund. 'Germany is about 10 years ahead of the UK in cancer treatment,' she says. 'It's frustrating that the treatment is there, but we can't access it — you have to go abroad or have the money somehow.' She wants policymakers to listen: 'People shouldn't be written off just because the treatment isn't in the NHS box. Even if they can't fund it, they should support people however they can.' After nearly five years fighting, Helen has learned more than she ever wanted to know about cervical cancer — hers is so rare that it doesn't even show up on standard screening tests. She wants other women to know that even regular screening can sometimes miss it. 'There's no handbook for cancer,' she says. 'You have to advocate for yourself. Learn as much as you can, ask questions, don't take no for an answer. You know your body — listen to it.' Above all, Helen hopes her story shows others they don't have to give up. She tells of one woman who went to Professor Vogl's clinic with just weeks to live — and is now cancer free. It's an outcome Helen would love to see for herself. But she's clearsighted on the obstacles ahead, and how quickly things could change if the money runs out. 'I just want more time — more days to be Harry's mum. I'm not ready to die. I've got far too much to live for.'
Edinburgh Live
3 hours ago
- Edinburgh Live
Edinburgh man was 'spending £400 a month on takeaways' before going on Mounjaro
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info An Edinburgh man who decided it was time to put his health first admits he was spending around £400 a month on takeaways. Michael Monaghan, 40, had to shield during the pandemic and saw his weight go up. After gaining over three stone, and feeling 'everything else was failing', he made the decision to go on Mounjaro. The medication, which was created to treat diabetes, works by activating receptors to increase hormones in the body, producing more insulin when needed. It also reduces the amount of sugar produced by the liver and slows down food digestion. After starting Mounjaro, Michael has seen hundreds of supportive messages on his YouTube channel where he's been posting videos of his journey. After booking a trip to Florida, he's set his goal of reaching 18 stone by the time he goes - having dropped two stone since starting Mounjaro four weeks ago. Speaking to Edinburgh Live, Michael said: "The deciding factor was health. I was shielding during Covid and I gained a lot of weight. "I think it was 3.5 stone I gained, and then I kept putting on weight because I kept eating. What can I say, I enjoy food. And I basically just decided to start Mounjaro because everything else failed. I was waiting for weight management for a year and a half on the NHS, I couldn't believe it. (Image: Michael Monaghan) "England have started doing Mounjaro on the NHS but it's not up here yet, they haven't decided how that's going to happen. So I decided to pay for it privately out of my own pocket, I was spending £400 a month on takeaways. Just Eat, Uber Eats, whatever. "If I take that money and put it into the jag, which is about £140 a month, I'm actually saving money. So that really changed my mindset." While he's not a big fan of needles, Michael decided it was worth it. Knowing it was time, he felt he needed something to look forward to - which is where the Florida trip came in. He continued: "I was curious about it, and I'd heard about the success people had, but I don't really like injecting myself. After looking into it, I just decided I have to do this. "I have to try something, and I need something to look forward to. We booked a trip to Florida, so I've got a goal of 18 stone by the time we go. Sign up for Edinburgh Live newsletters for more headlines straight to your inbox "I'm a big Disney fan, I'm an annual pass holder for Paris. I love the rides, and if I don't lose weight then I won't be able to do them all - it's a target. "I've got asthma and sleep apnea, and I've been told if I lose a bit of weight I might be able to get rid of that. It was getting uncomfortable, and this was the time to make a change and that's exactly what we've done." Michael has received incredible support on his YouTube channel, with hundreds of comments that have motivated him on his journey. With the backing of his followers, he feels he 'can't stop now. ' He added: "Everybody has been so supportive, not one bad comment. I've had emails from people talking about their experiences on the same journey. "It's really motivating for me, makes me feel like I can't give up. People understand that it's not just a case of going on a diet, it's about willpower." While he had a rough start on Mounjaro, Michael feels he's had 'no side effects' since then. Admitting he does 'miss some foods', he's noticed his weight drop since he started. (Image: Michael Monaghan) He told us: "This medicine takes away my cravings, and I know it's working. The first three days were bad, I had to take some time off work as I couldn't get out of bed. "I had cramps and a lot of pain, but it just went away and I haven't had any side effects since. I've come down from 22 stone and four pounds to 20 stone and 13 pounds. "I'm still eating, drinking lots of water and I've cut out all sweets, chocolate, and stuff. I do miss some food, I was thinking about the new McDonald's burger the other day. "When I lose enough weight, I could probably eat it. But before, I was eating two McDonald's a day on a daily basis and then home for sweets and crisps before late-night snacking. "That's why I was gaining weight every year. But now, I don't feel as hungry, I'm not craving things. My face is starting to change, my body is starting to change and I'm more active and I've definitely got more energy. The change has been amazing." Join Edinburgh Live's Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages. "My portion sizes are about half of what they used to be. I'm going up from 2.5 to five mg dosage soon, so we'll see how that goes. I'm still eating what I'm eating, having the food I like, but everything is cut in half. I've stopped late night eating as well. "I'm so motivated now, though, because I've noticed changes in myself, and I've got all these people from the YouTube channel behind me." NHS Lothian is currently 'developing pathways' before a phased rollout of drugs, including Saxenda, Wegovy and Mounjaro. They added: "NHS Lothian have a short life working group currently developing the pathway and once agreed we can start a phased roll out. We are aware of recent news of the roll out of weight loss medication prescribing in GP practices. Please note this applies to NHS England only. "NHS Lothian is considering a phased roll out of these medicines for weight management in line with Scottish Government guidance. We are actively developing clinical pathways to ensure safe prescribing and monitoring. Updates will be shared once these clinical pathways have been agreed in NHS Lothian." You can follow Michael's journey with Mounjaro on his YouTube channel here.
Powys County Times
4 hours ago
- Powys County Times
Powys cross border patients miss out on £120m NHS cash
Powys' cross border patients have been cut out of £120 million of new Welsh NHS funding. It has emerged that a £120 million fund that the Welsh Government announced last month to cut waiting times for Welsh patients will not include funding for Powys residents waiting for treatment in England. Starting this week, some Powys patients will wait longer than English patients, when being treated in hospitals in England. The plans to intentionally make patients wait longer by Powys Teaching Health Board were agreed back in March. Powys patients are now facing slower access to treatment in English hospitals despite available capacity. Powys Teaching Health Board has said it needed to bring about this action to live within its means and to respond to the financial expectations set out by the Welsh Government. Montgomeryshire MS, Russell George, said that when news of a £120 million fund was announced last month to cut waiting times for Welsh patients, he wrote to the Health Secretary Jeremy Miles MS, and asked him to set out how the £120 million would benefit Powys patients who are on a waiting list in England. After further questioning by Mr Geroge in the Senedd, Mr Miles confirmed that the funding would be targeted at Welsh health board waiting lists. 'Powys residents, who are waiting to be seen in other Welsh health boards, will also benefit from the additional funding,' said Mr Miles. 'As of April 2025, there were 380 outpatient pathways from Powys waiting more than 52 weeks at other Welsh health boards. 'This additional funding to support our ambitious plan to continue reducing long waits and the overall size of the wating list is targeted at Welsh health board waiting lists.' Help support trusted local news Sign up for a digital subscription now: As a digital subscriber you will get Unlimited access to the County Times website Advert-light access Reader rewards Full access to our app Mr George MS, said that people in Powys feel 'short-changed', and challenged the Health Secretary to ensure Powys Teaching Health Board receives sufficient funding to purchase healthcare based on shorter English waiting time standards, adding that the current situation 'treats Powys patients as second-class citizens''. 'After the debate, it's clearer than ever that the Welsh Government is again letting Powys down,' said Mr George. 'I again asked for clarification, and yet, Jeremy Miles MS did not address my requests that this additional funding should be used to pay hospitals just over the border in England to treat Powys patients, in the same timeframes as English patients are treated in the same hospitals. 'People in Powys will wait longer than patients just over the border, for the same treatment, in the same hospitals, due to the Welsh Government not being prepared to fund Powys Teaching Health Board adequately. 'This means Powys residents will wait longer for treatment because of financial constraints. 'This is a failure of political will, not resources.'
