David Hirons feared he was going to have to miss the finale to the Observer Sunshine Challenge.
Just two days before, the 68-year-old had blacked out after over-doing it in the gym.
He spent the next day undergoing tests at St Richard’s Hospital, Chichester, before deciding he was fit enough for two rounds of the Cathedral Course at Chich
ester Golf Club.
In fact, Sussex stalwart Hirons owes everything to St Richard’s and admits he’s amazed the hospital’s future is under threat.
In June 2004, Hirons underwent an emergency operation on an intestinal blockage. He spent more than two weeks in intensive care and claims he twice had visions when he was ‘knocking on heaven’s door’.
“I had a very clear vision of six TV screens. And one of my friends was on one of the screens. I thought: ‘this is it, what happens now?’ But the decision was deferred for one hour.
“When I got better it transpired that there had actually been six of us in intensive care. And one of those was my friend who had been on one of the screens.
“But all the time I was in intensive care I was in a room on my own. So how was I to have known? It was all very strange.”
In January 2005 he returned to St Richard’s for a reversal operation but that wasn’t the end of his medical treatment.
He has since undergone a couple of incision hernia operations, and also received a pre-cancer laser treatment at St Richard’s after a scan showed up problems with his oesophagus.
“St Richard’s have been unbelievable. My surgeon Richard Bowyer has operated on me four times and I’ve got no doubt I owe my life to him and his staff,” said Hirons.
“I can’t believe they’re even considering downgrading it.”
The full article contains 328 words and appears in OS-Chichester Observer newspaper.
