https://www.gosh.nhs.uk/news/former-patients-performance-for-gosh-staff-features-on-the-one-show/

Former patient’s performance for GOSH staff features on the One Show

4 Jul 2023, 8 p.m.

Tom Bright with his mum Karen, and surgeon Professor Spitz on a rooftop garden

Former patient Tom Bright returned to GOSH to be reunited with his surgeon Professor Lewis Spitz, and perform his song Remarkable Things for staff.

Tom, who performed at Glastonbury last month, was part of the BBC One Show’s film to celebrate the anniversary of the NHS. It featured a number of former NHS patients saying thank you for their life-saving treatments.

When he was just a few months old, Tom was brought to GOSH after being diagnosed with Oesophageal Atresia with Tracheo-Oesophageal Fistula. This is a rare condition where a short section at the top of the oesophagus (gullet or foodpipe) has not formed properly so is not connected to the stomach, and part of the oesophagus is joined to the trachea (windpipe).

Tom underwent more than 20 operations in the space of 18 months, led by Professor Lewis Spitz.

Group of GOSH staff, including nurses and volunteers, gather on a rooftop garden to watch Tom perform an acoustic set

Tom performing to GOSH staff and volunteers

I was here in 1988 and 89 as an incredibly sick child, and my life was saved here, all down to the courage, knowledge and bravery of Professor Lewis Spitz and the amazing staff. I quite literally owe my life to this place.

Tom Bright

It was absolutely amazing to see Professor Lewis Spitz again, because in short, he is the man that saved my son’s life, and I’m eternally grateful to him. When Tom was a patient here as a baby I could never see the day he would grow up and see adulthood – and here we are, he is living proof. You have to keep the faith because some days are very dark days, but a lot of the days were really good days, so keep the faith.

Tom's mum Karen

One of the rewards of paediatric surgery is to see your patient again after many years, and see them being a success in life.

Professor Spitz

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