Patient Saved by Watching TV Soap returns to Hospital with Grant

A man who diagnosed his mystery illness while watching an episode of Australian soap The Flying Doctors is returning to Southampton General Hospital to say the ultimate "thank you" for the treatment he has received.

Former communications engineer Rodney Haverson had led an active life until he was suddenly struck down by an unexplained fatigue.

Just after Christmas 1993, he woke to find he had lost control of a number of facial muscles. Then, over the following two months, his condition worsened, and he began to suffer slurred speech, problems swallowing, constant tiredness and weakness in his arms and legs. After ruling out a stroke or Bell's palsy, Rodney and his GP were left searching for an answer.

But a breakthrough came in March 1994 while Rodney was watching an episode of The Flying Doctors, which portrayed the central character as suffering from a neurological problem called Myasthenia Gravis. As he watched, Rodney could identify with every single symptom and, after returning to his GP, was referred to a specialists at Southampton General Hospital's Wessex Neurological Centre.

In June 1994, he was diagnosed as myasthenic, a rare condition affecting only one in 20,000 people. The disease affects the nervous system leading to progressive muscular weakness. Although not cured, Rodney now has his condition under control with the help of drugs.

On Tuesday 27 March, the 62-year-old is returning to Southampton in his role as a director of the Myasthenia Gravis Association (MGA) to hand over a £12,500 cheque to medical staff at the Wessex Neurological Centre.

The donation will be used to fund a plasmapheresis unit, a plasma exchange machine used to remove antibodies from the blood, often resulting in dramatic improvement in muscle weakness.

Rodney, who lives with wife Pamela in Collingbourne Ducis, near Salisbury, said: "I have received 12 years of excellent care by everyone at the Wessex Neurological Centre.

"There is no doubt that without the skill and care of the doctors, nurses and support staff, I should not be here today. I feel that as well as looking after me, they have in a very real sense become my friends. I am therefore very grateful to the Myasthenia Gravis Association for making this grant possible and giving me the privilege of presenting the cheque."

 Rodney was first admitted to the centre, part of Southampton General Hospital, in December 1994 after slipping into a myasthenic crisis - just six months after he was diagnosed.

Within hours of arriving on the Stanley Graveson Ward, he was put on a plasmapheresis machine, which bought the medical team time to get his condition stabilised. After spending Christmas unconscious in intensive care, he was allowed home in February 1995.

Rodney's incredible story of self-diagnosis from watching a television medical drama later went round the world, with the publicity helping to raise public awareness of Myasthenia Gravis, also known as the Rag Doll Illness.

In 2002, Rodney became a director of the MGA, which provided him with crucial information and support when he was first diagnosed.

The charity's generous donation to the Wessex Neurological Centre came about after Dr Ashwin Pinto casually asked Rodney whether there was any chance of help with fundraising for a new plasmapheresis machine. Instead of helping out, the MGA agreed to find the full amount for the equipment.

Dr Andy Eynon, Director of Neuro Intensive Care, said: "We are extremely grateful to both Rodney and the MGA for this very generous donation, which will enable us to purchase the plasma exchange machine. This will allow us to treat patients locally without having to send them to other hospitals. Hopefully, plasma exchange will help some patients to avoid the need for ventilation and we can reduce the length of time others need to spend in intensive care."