{"id":21171,"date":"2020-12-23T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-12-23T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/unitelive.org\/?p=21171"},"modified":"2020-12-15T14:24:06","modified_gmt":"2020-12-15T14:24:06","slug":"another-world-is-possible-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/?p=21171","title":{"rendered":"Heroes of the year – Danny Freeman"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Every day over the festive period, UniteLIVE will highlight our different heroes of the year. Today, we pay tribute to Unite London and Eastern region education organiser Danny Freeman, who was hospitalised with Covid-19 back in March and April. In the feature below from April, he tells of his harrowing experience and the NHS workers who’ve saved his life. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although Danny recovered, he still suffers from long Covid — an experience he tells of here<\/a> — and has become a passionate advocate for the NHS staff who saved his life and others like him who continue to battle long Covid too. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

ANOTHER WORLD IS POSSIBLE<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

Unite London and Eastern region education organiser, Danny Freeman, was seriously affected by Covid-19 spending nine days in hospital. He is, we are very pleased to report, currently recovering at home.<\/p>\n

Back in March Danny endured the full range of virus symptoms for eight days. Having a continuous fever throughout this time, when the thermometer topped 40.8 centigrade it was time to call for an ambulance.<\/p>\n

When the ambulance arrived Danny was rushed to his local hospital in south west London and after assessment, taken straight to intensive care.<\/p>\n

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Danny was in hospital from March 31 and made \u00e2\u20ac\u0098the great escape\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 as he calls it on April 8. After a few days of intensive care treatment and moved out onto the high dependency unit (HDU), Danny felt able to record his thoughts on Facebook. He has agreed to share his posts with UNITElive readers \u00e2\u20ac\u201c and we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re sure you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll find them as inspirational as he is himself. So very pleased your back with us Danny \u00e2\u20ac\u201c all good wishes to you and your family, Ed<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Danny writes:<\/p>\n

First post – Thoughts and Thanks <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Firstly, can I say a big thanks to my wonderful wife Emma for all her support and help looking after me and keeping family life together during this hellish time even though she has been suffering with Covid-19 herself, my hero.<\/p>\n

Can I also thank all the key workers who are keeping us fed, cleaned, transported and cared for. I would also like send my deepest condolences to the families of those bus workers who have tragically died over the weekend serving our communities.<\/p>\n

As you all probably know I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m in a different ward now and I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m on the mend. I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m on oxygen, can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t really walk and am very weak. They are trying to wean me off oxygen and hopefully in a few days I will return home. In my darkest moments and there were quite a few, I drew strength and laughter from your kind messages of support and love so thank you.<\/p>\n

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My biggest thanks though goes of course to our NHS heroes from all across the world, who without their help, care, expertise and love I would probably not be here today.<\/p>\n

As I laid in the ICU a lot of people around me were dying and the NHS heroes were there to gently hold their hands as they passed away because relatives, of course, are not able to be there. They then go home and come back to work the next day \u00e2\u20ac\u201c that takes real courage!<\/p>\n

Despite what you read there is still not enough PPE and its very poor quality what little there is. We can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t even protect those who are literally putting their lives on the line for us!<\/p>\n

I thanked the three young nurses for going above and beyond and they said that was what they had signed up to but they were petrified they would bring it home to their loved ones. We must, must, demand protection for these heroes.<\/p>\n

We must also hold Johnson, Cummings and his cabinet to account now and when it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s over. They knew in January this was heading our way. Rather than lockdown straight away and begin manufacturing PPE and ventilators they chose instead to completely ignore evidence and medical scientific advice from around the world and instead decided to embark on a herd immunity experiment; whereas Johnson said \u00e2\u20ac\u015bthousands of our loved ones will die\u00e2\u20ac\u0165 in actual fact they were getting ready for us to lose 250,000 of our loved ones \u00e2\u20ac\u201c our mums, dads, nans, nandads, sisters, brothers, daughters and sons. Let that figure sink in \u00e2\u20ac\u201c 250,000 loved ones they were going to sacrifice.<\/p>\n

Johnson said we were \u00e2\u20ac\u015byou know, going to take it on the chin as it were\u00e2\u20ac\u0165. What sort of sociopaths have been voted into government?! This a truly cruel, horrific, virus and I wish a speedy recovery to anyone who has it, but \u00e2\u20ac\u0098take it on the chin\u00e2\u20ac\u2122?!<\/p>\n

And finally, the NHS heroes said it was so nice to be respected for the work they do and they hoped it would continue afterwards and society would change too for the better.<\/p>\n

Many of us have known the importance of our NHS for years and campaigned to Save Our NHS as we watched hospitals close, services outsourced and privatised and 43,000 nursing vacancies remain unfilled under the Tories. We\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve watched as Johnson and the Tories voted against scrapping the 1 per cent pay-rise cap for the NHS nurses in 2017 and cheered, clapped and whooped when a pay rise for nurses was blocked.<\/p>\n

Another world is possible \u00e2\u20ac\u201c it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s up to us all to make it happen when this is all over. Please celebrate each day and enjoy the simplest things in life \u00e2\u20ac\u201c the sun or rain on your face, a beautiful flower, piece of music or painting.<\/p>\n

Above all cherish your loved ones. When you all get a chance big hugs to them all \u00e2\u20ac\u201c we really are special.<\/p>\n

Stay safe \u00e2\u20ac\u201c social distance and see you all when this is over for pie \u00e2\u20ac\u0098n\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 mash, a beer and a good old fashioned knees-up!<\/p>\n

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Second post \u00e2\u20ac\u201c \u00e2\u20ac\u0098The Great Escape\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Guess what? \u00e2\u20ac\u0098The Great Escape\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 continues but unlike Steve McQueen I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve managed to jump the wire and I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m free! The \u00e2\u20ac\u0098Three Amigos\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 below are Ricky, Phil and myself. We were all in the recovery ward together all survived Covid-19.<\/p>\n

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The solidarity and camaraderie between us was immense we helped each other with the highs and lows. We all left together.<\/p>\n

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And when I returned home the whole street have been chalking messages of support for key workers and NHS hero\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s outside on the pavements and putting signs in their windows. They made this fantastic \u00e2\u20ac\u0098Welcome Home\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 sign for me. Life is good, there is such a thing as society and the NHS heroes are bloody amazing!<\/p>\n

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Third post \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Buzz Lightyear <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

So Emma, Imogen and Oliver bought me a welcome home present \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Buzz Lightyear \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Ha, Bloody Ha! Spent the day relaxing in the garden in the sun, listening to birdsong, with a cool breeze on my cheeks. It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s fantastic to be at home with my wonderful Emma and family. Life is good! Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t forget to clap and cheer our amazing key workers and NHS heroes tonight \u00e2\u20ac\u201c the doctor gave me special dispensation to do so! Happy Easter everyone!<\/p>\n

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Fourth post \u00e2\u20ac\u201c Rainbows across London<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

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This idea came from Karen an artist in our street who didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t just want us just to clap to show our appreciation of our amazing key workers and NHS heroes but wanted something more visual, creative and permanent, and which got the whole community involved. Below is the post I wrote for my local FB group which sums up my feelings on the beautiful art in my street, it truly is uplifting.<\/p>\n

The Guardian<\/a> have run it as online article today and it will be in print tomorrow. Hoping other newspapers will also be running it also, so watch this space. Let\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s make sure that it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s not only \u00e2\u20ac\u0098Rainbows across London\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 but \u00e2\u20ac\u0098Rainbows across the World!\u00e2\u20ac\u2122<\/p>\n

This is what I posted:<\/p>\n

I know today\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s judging has taken place, but from the bottom of my heart each and every one is a winner.<\/p>\n

I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve always been passionate about art for all, I truly believe everyone should have access regardless of cost from the youngest age to the wonders and beauty of the creative arts, be it through music, poetry, ballet, opera, architecture, photography, film, painting.<\/p>\n

I can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t describe the feelings I felt when I came home and saw all those uplifting paintings, and houses decorated to celebrate our amazing key workers and NHS heroes from around the world. I walked up and down the street the first night my soul uplifted \u00e2\u20ac\u201c thank you.<\/p>\n

When this is all over I hope we don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t press the restart button but press the reset button. Another world is possible, it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s up to us to make sure it happens, for our amazing key workers and NHS heroes, those that tragically didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t make it, and our loved ones. Life is good! Thank you lovely neighbours there is such a thing as society!<\/p>\n

PS \u00e2\u20ac\u201c can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t wait for when all this is over, what a street party we are going to have!<\/p>\n

\u00c2\u00a0<\/strong>By Danny Freeman, Unite regional education organiser <\/em><\/strong><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Another world is possible \u00e2\u20ac\u201c it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s up to us all to make it happen when this is all over. Please celebrate each day and enjoy the simplest things in life \u00e2\u20ac\u201c the sun or rain on your face, a beautiful flower, piece of music or painting.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":21183,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[1295,29],"wps_subtitle":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21171"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=21171"}],"version-history":[{"count":19,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21171\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":27111,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21171\/revisions\/27111"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/21183"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=21171"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=21171"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/unitelive.test.igniteamt.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=21171"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}