Lucy Alexander returns to lifesaving Evelina London

Lucy Alexander meeting baby Ruby and mum, Amelia.

Television presenter Lucy Alexander returned to Evelina London Children’s Hospital to be reunited with the staff who saved her daughter’s life as part of BBC One documentary series Matron, Medicine And Me: 70 Years Of The NHS.

The programme was broadcast on Monday 4 July and is available on BBC iPlayer.

Lucy’s daughter, Kitty, was left paralysed seven years ago after developing Transverse Myelitis – a rare neurological disease. She was cared for at Evelina London for three months before undergoing intense rehabilitation and ongoing treatment.

Lucy, who presents Homes Under the Hammer on BBC One, said in the programme: “Without the NHS, I don’t think my daughter would be alive today. I wanted to take part in this series to say thank you to the medical team that saved her life.

“For a while we just didn’t know whether Kitty would survive, let alone walk again. Fortunately she was in the right place – under the care of the NHS.”

While filming the series, Lucy met four-month-old Ruby Conway and her mum Amelia Conway. Ruby was in the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit, where Kitty was also treated, recovering from heart surgery when she met Lucy.

Amelia said: “As you can imagine, it was a very nervous and anxious time but the surgeon, consultants and nursing team were extremely supportive.

“During our time at Evelina London I was encouraged to keep a patient diary for Ruby. I found it really helpful writing down what was happening each day and decorating it with stickers and felt tip pens and adding photographs.

“When we met Lucy she told me how she had also kept one of the patient diaries that was almost identical for Kitty when they were here.”

As well as Ruby and Amelia, Lucy also met up with staff who cared for Kitty including Suzanne Druce, senior staff nurse in paediatric intensive care, Dr Ming Lim, consultant paediatric neurologist and Dr Andrew Durward, consultant in paediatric intensive care.