Patient thanks hospital staff for 'second chance'

Ms Pillai is under the care of specialist teams at St George's

A mother-of-two who spent weeks in intensive care has hailed the "world class" teams that saved her life.

Manju Pillai, from Banstead in Surrey, has praised doctors, nurses, cleaners, porters, and others at Epsom and St Helier hospitals.

She first noticed symptoms as she returned from a family holiday in Qatar and the Maldives and was eventually diagnosed with immune-mediated complex neurological syndrome, a little-known condition where the body's immune system mistakenly attacks its own nervous system.

"My illness was extremely difficult for my family," Ms Pillai said. "Not knowing what was wrong with me, whether I would recover, walk again, or return to any kind of normality, was agonising."

The 46-year-old added: "I am so grateful to the NHS teams who cared for me with such skill, compassion, and determination.

"Their dedication gave me a second chance at life, and my family and I will never forget it."

She described her legs as "numb and unusually heavy" on the flight home and about a week later, while walking her dog, she said they suddenly "stopped working" and she called 111.

She was referred to her GP who advised her to go to Epsom Hospital's emergency department, where the numbness spread to her hands and legs.

Ms Pillai said she called 111 while walking her dog

Ms Pillai was moved to the high dependency unit when she had issues with her breathing and she was eventually transferred to St Helier's intensive care unit.

She was successfully treated with two courses of antibody treatments, however, as a result of the trauma from the experience, she was also later diagnosed with functional neurological disorder, a condition affecting the brain that causes the body to not function as it should.

She is currently under the care of specialist teams at St George's as she awaits her final surgery.

Her business, Pillai Tutors, has donated £10,000 to to Epsom and St Helier Hospitals Charity to benefit the site's garden.

James Blythe, incoming interim chief executive officer for St George's, Epsom and St Helier (Gesh) University Hospitals and Health Group, said: "Manju's words are a powerful reminder of the extraordinary people we have working at Gesh and how even the simplest gestures can have a lasting impact on our patients."