Hospital staff take a well-earned break in their very own "sanctuary" room.

It's been full of gifts and messages during the coronavirus pandemic, from members of the public who wanted to show their appreciation.

David Wherrett is in charge of staff wellbeing and said: "There were days when we had up to 7,000 easter eggs arrive or 500 pot plants.

"Our people appreciated the gestures from outside the hospital at the most challenging of times."

There's more than just hot drinks and biscuits on offer here. Staff are also encouraged to do a spot of origami to help them relax.

Philip Kirk, from Hitchin, is patiently waiting for radiotherapy.

The 76-year-old was diagnosed with prostate cancer in January.

He was anxiously waiting for a referral to Addenbrooke's when the pandemic broke out.

"It was quite distressing not hearing anything because Covid had taken over," he said.

"My two daughters kept in contact, friends phoned and helped out - everyone pulled together."

He said he was never afraid to come to hospital for treatment.

"If we're sensible, we'll get through this," he said.

Laurence Cawley
BBC News

Filipa Pereira-Stubbs, whose job title is dance for health lead artist, is helping patient Dainius Denosevicius, who is in hospital after contracting Covid-19.

Dainius, from Soham, has been here for four months - and spent 58 days in a coma.

Here he is taking part in a Dance for Health session to help his breathing.

He says he is feeling OK but struggles to do anything requiring effort with the help of oxygen.

Any visitor to the corridors of Addenbrooke's Hospital will recognise these giant artworks along the walls - and they're always worth a moment for a closer look.

Here's an amazing mosaic mural by multi-media artist Jim Anderson:

And this is a flavour of the stunning artwork by Quentin Blake, external, reflecting Britain's artistic, musical and poetic heritage:

Image source, PA Media

During the peak the need for staff to help with those seriously ill with the disease became more apparent.

The endoscopy unit, which was only carrying out emergency procedures during that time, ended up sending some staff to help elsewhere.

Ewen Cameron said: “They received training so they could work as nurses in the expanded intensive care units.”

The team at Addenbrooke’s usually deal with 7,000 per year, and despite months where routine procedures were on hold they have “cleared the backlog very quickly”.

Thanks to everyone who has been tweeting and emailing their stories of Addenbrooke's Hospital.

Rach wrote: "I had my kidney transplant at @CUH_NHS, external it will be 2 years on Monday and my new kidney is doing well. The whole transplant team were amazing and did everything to look after me. 2 years on, I still remember their kindness and care."

Jon has tweeted to say: "I would like to give praise to the porters and cleaners who, because they are in and out of Intensive Care, spend a lot of time changing PPE and being meticulous about hygiene."

And Tiff writes: "I had a liver transplant January 2017 at @CUH_NHS, external and I'll never forget how much care and compassion, each and every single staff member gave to me. I am so thankful for the hospital, it's staff and my donors family. Addenbrookes is a truly remarkable hospital."

Phil Shepka
BBC News

“We're trying to run a hospital without waiting rooms because waiting rooms are terrible for social distancing and hospitals are built full of waiting rooms all over the place.”

Those are the words of Dr Adrian Boyle, consultant emergency physician in Addenbrooke’s Hospital's accident and emergency department.

He said: “Just organising an x-ray you've got to decide in advance whether the patient is what we call red or green (possible Covid-19 or not possible Covid-19), which x-ray area they go to, how do we make sure they aren't sitting next to somebody who might contaminate them.

“The whole process is so much more complicated.”

New mum Emma emailed us, describing her care at Addenbrooke's as "phenomenal".

"I was admitted for two weeks when partners weren't allowed to visit and I was very emotional," she said.

"The midwives on Sara ward went above and beyond to make sure I was OK."

Graham had a kidney and pancreas transplant at the hospital just before lockdown. He said: "My health has improved 100% and thank all the staff for their support through difficult times."

Meanwhile, Gillian gave birth to her son there 31 years ago and was discharged just before Look East interviewed a patient in the bed she vacated. She said: "I missed a chance to say something then about the care and support I received.

"I am taking the opportunity to say how wonderful they all were."

We'd love to hear your experiences of being treated at Addenbrooke's. You can email eastofenglandnews@bbc.co.uk or use the Twitter hashtag #hospitallivebbc.

"The pandemic has been pretty full on," deputy matron, Nicola Cundell, said.

"We had the NHS 111 pods outside back in January, so we've been living and breathing it a fair few months now.

"It's been upsetting. It's been tough."

"Normally patients have someone with them, a relative to sit with them and hold their hand, so we've had to be a little bit of everything.

"We've had to be their handholders, their advocates, their nurses. It has been all-consuming.

"We are exhausted."

Dita Lee travels the 90-minute trip from Cromer in Norfolk to Cambridge four or five times a week to volunteer with St John Ambulance.

You might wonder why, but she said her previous battle with breast cancer has been a major motivation to give back.

"I was given six months to live and then miraculously here we are years later. I’m obviously here to tell the tale, that’s all in the past.

"When you go through a cycle like that at a fairly young age, I was 36 at the time, I just thought it’s a no-brainer, I have to go and help because I feel so strongly about how amazing the staff were with me."

Phil Shepka
BBC News

Taking a Covid-19 test is not as easy as it looks - as I've been finding out.

I'm in a pod, outside, ready for lift-off:

Then the gagging reflex kicks in ..

Next it's up the nose ..

And done! Bagged and secure. And fingers crossed for the result! That should come in 24 hours.

Ekpemi Irune is an ear, nose and throat consultant, and is dealing with recovering Covid-19 patients.

She's been involved in setting up a "joint Covid clinic" - supporting patients who have been in intensive care and across other units - helping them "get their voices back".

The clinic starts on Monday- and there are already 63 patients waiting to be seen.

"It is such a joy to know you have time allocated to really look after these patients, to give them the rehabilitation they need, not just treating the physical symptoms but also the impact on their quality of life," she said.

Laurence Cawley
BBC News

This is extraordinary - a warehouse store at Addenbrooke's - holding A MILLION pieces of PPE.

Staff here get through 30,000 face masks every single day.

Despite the difficulty of sourcing so much PPE at the beginning of the pandemic, there's a stockpile of about 500,000 type 3r masks alone held in the hospital, with 80 people working on keeping supplies stocked.

Phil Shepka
BBC News

Dennis Barry's operation at Addenbrooke's proved a success and the abnormal growths were removed.

Clinicians say while it's impossible to know how long it would have taken for them to become cancerous they were quite a long way along that journey.

Mr Barry admits the wait between diagnosis and surgery because of lockdown was "rather stressful".

"When you hear the word 'cancer', you always think the worst. I don't care who the person is, you do worry about it," he said.

"You have to just cope with it the best way you can and hope for the best."

Phil Shepka
BBC News

During his period of waiting for surgery, Dennis Barry says his "three lovely daughters" were "trying to reassure me and stay positive".

"I'm not saying it's on your mind 24/7 - you forget about it halfway through the day and then in the evening you sit down maybe have a sandwich or watching the TV and all of a sudden it'll just come back to you 'oh dear, what if I do have cancer?'."

Mr Barry, who lives in Lode, in Cambridgeshire, now says following the lockdown and his cancer scare he is back doing what he loves most - sea fishing.

"About two weeks ago I went to the beach with the wife to do a bit of fishing. It really chills you out, you forget about everything and concentrate on what you're doing."

Phil Shepka
BBC News

Image source, Dennis Barry

When the endoscopy unit began operations again retired carpenter Dennis Barry was one of the first through the doors.

Routine screening before the lockdown found that the 71-year-old had developed pre-cancerous polyps - abnormal tissue growths - which needed to be removed.

The pandemic meant his surgery was postponed.

Mr Barry said: "It's out of your hands at that time.

"Eventually, Addenbrooke's got in touch with me again and arranged with me to go down to have the test for Covid-19 first and then they arranged for me to enter the hospital to have the operation."

Leah Moors is a speech and language therapist in the cleft team.

"When Covid-19 happened, we couldn't see the children over the phone - just give parents advice," she said.

"On video, we can see the children and hear them. But the downside is that we can't hear everything we're listening for in cleft.

"Listening for those tiny bits of airflow is almost impossible.

"However, they've had a therapy break during lockdown, and I am noticing speech and sound changes."

Look at this:

Laid out neatly - all the personal protective equipment a surgeon has to don before an operation.

Two masks AND a visor.

We caught up with two radiographers, whose patients have had to cope with cancer treatment on top of anxieties about the coronavirus pandemic.

Catriona Ray said: "They're going through a difficult journey anyway and it's a time when they're usually have family and friends around them, so we have been the face they've been able to chat to.

"At the moment, all patients' anxieties are heightened."

Her colleague Dan Driver said: "The patient experience has been mixed. For some, because of loneliness and self-isolation during the pandemic, it's been nice for them to see and talk to people.

"Then there are people who are scared of the pandemic and wary of coming into hospital."

Laurence Cawley
BBC News

When I arrived this morning I was promised a chance to meet this little guy. I haven't managed it yet but we've at least got a picture of him.

Like all celebrities, Henry the ginger tom has his own Facebook account, external and more than 2,000 followers.

His job: "To keep up morale of all at Addenbrooke's.....and to promote my adorable feline self."

Image source, CUH