David Chuter - Royal Surrey Governor
David Chuter - Royal Surrey Governor
David Chuter was diagnosed with oesophageal cancer in 2006. Sixteen years on and cured of this cancer, he still feels like a part of the hospital family.
“At diagnosis I was terrified, my wife was terrified. Within four weeks of my first appointment at Royal Surrey I was having surgery for a form of cancer with very low survival rates.”
The turning point for David was when he met his surgeon, Shaun Preston, and the team that were there to support him through each stage of his cancer care.
“When I met the team I realised that there might be a chance of survival. My dietitians Alice and Fiona made a huge difference and we will never forget the dedication and help from my clinical nurse specialist Graham. Graham wasn’t just there for me, he made sure that my wife was looked after and not forgotten during my eight-hour surgery. The treatment and care at St Luke’s is fantastic, I’m only here because of them.”
David now supports local patients and reports to national bodies responsible for cancer research, treatment and care policies as patient advocate.