Hartson: "The NHS is very personal to me because I feel that, with their help and their knowledge, they saved my life"
Monday 6 April 2020 09:20, UK
Former Celtic and Arsenal striker John Hartson has paid tribute to the "fantastic work" NHS workers are doing through the coronavirus crisis.
The NHS has a special place in Hartson's heart after they helped him overcome testicular cancer, which had spread to his brain and lungs, 11 years ago following his retirement from football in 2007.
The 45-year-old, who earned 51 caps for Wales, singled out doctors and nurses for the their "incredible" efforts during the coronavirus pandemic which has brought life in the UK to a temporary halt.
"I was incredibly lucky and I'm very appreciative of the great work the NHS did with me in saving my life," Hartson told the Celtic View podcast.
"They went above and beyond with the treatment that I had. They looked after me, looked after my family and eventually I got the right treatment which means I'm still here today.
"So the NHS is very personal to me because I feel that, with their help and their knowledge, they saved my life. It's pretty much as simple as that. I do feel very blessed to still be here, with a wonderful family, living in Edinburgh.
"These times are quite poignant, but everyone's going through it and you have to feel for the families who are losing loved ones.
"Like every other family across the world, we're just trying to adhere to what the government have set out and staying indoors and trying to stay safe.
"And looking at the NHS now, the fantastic work the doctors and the nurses are doing. It's incredible, the amount of great things they're doing during this terrible crisis that we're in."
