Covid: Vaccine 'life-changing' for doctor with genetic disorder

A former consultant who has been shielding with her family for 11 months says getting the Covid vaccine will "set all my family free".

Dr Victoria Lidstone said receiving the vaccine at the weekend meant she was "finally able to think about putting my arms around those that I love".

The 50-year-old from Cardiff has Andersen-Tawil syndrome and said she had taken Covid extremely seriously.

She lost her mother to the same disorder when she was a young adult.

The rare genetic disorder can mean episodes of muscle weakness and paralysis.

'One long lockdown'

The former palliative care consultant said losing her mother meant she felt she had "missed out on so much since by not having her around".

Dr Victoria Lidstone received her vaccine at the weekend

She said: "I didn't want that for my children.

"I want to be there for them so as a family we have taken Covid extremely seriously, we have shielded as a family and been really careful for nearly a year.

"To say this hasn't been easy for my three kids in their late-teens to do this is putting it mildly.

"Lockdowns haven't really made a difference to us - it's been one long lockdown and the vaccine will set all my family free."

'On their knees'

Dr Lidstone stopped work in her early-40s because of her medical condition but still has many friends in the NHS and her husband is an NHS consultant.

The 50-year-old from Cardiff has Andersen-Tawil syndrome

"As a doctor myself I do have an idea of what my colleagues are going through right now, and it's not good," she said.

"I have lots of friends in the NHS who have been working on this treadmill since last spring - the phrase, 'working like there's no tomorrow' comes to mind...

"I can't help, except with the odd phone call...

"My mates keep on keeping on for me, for you, for everyone - they are exhausted, mentally and physically."

Dr Lidstone and her husband Johnny at Southerndown, Vale of Glamorgan, before the pandemic

She has now launched a fundraising campaign to raise money for NHS Charities Together.

"The NHS staff are on their knees," she said.

"There is no getting away from that fact. They have been exhausted for months. It's the least I can do to raise some funds to improve their kit and staffing levels.

"Whilst I look forward to my life massively improving, and the prospect of surviving Covid if I catch it, the NHS staff will continue to work day-in-day-out for all of us."

Dr Lidstone said her children Izzy and Sam had been shielding with her