John has more reason than most to say ‘thank you, NHS!’

Freemasonry Today is a must-read for all of us.  Like John Lilly, from Paulinus Lodge in Lincoln, we like to catch up with the latest news and see if we can spot familiar faces.

However, the last face John expected to see in the summer edition was that of Lincolnshire nurse Willow Puddy-Buxton who, as a student, had held his hand as he went under anaesthetic for a six-hour life-saving operation.

Willow featured in an article about a recent project organised by members of Lindsey Lodge in Louth to sell specially designed NHS mugs to raise money for the health service.

John’s procedure at Boston’s Pilgrim Hospital three years ago was for the what the surgeon told him was an urgent triple ‘AAA’.  “It’s nothing to do with batteries”, says John helpfully!

The Abdominal Aortic Aneurism was so serious the surgeon suggested John was very lucky to be alive. Fortunately, the operation was a complete success and John and his family have a very personal understanding of the work being supported by freemasons in Lincolnshire.

John’s wife Sylvia is particularly thankful for what the hospital did: “A lot of people complain about the NHS.  We can’t fault them.  Whatever John needed, he got”.

So there was no hesitation from John’s family to buy some of the Lindsey Lodge mugs to say ‘thank you’ to Boston Pilgrim’s surgical team and theatre staff… and, of course, to Willow!