After being taken very ill with a burst appendix, Sara Hicks decided to raise money for the local NHS, to say thank you to the staff at Glangwili Hospital.

Sara, 51, an office manager, who lives in Saundersfoot, asked friends and family to donate money instead of buying her flowers, saying that she owed her life to the NHS.

“I dialled 999 in the early hours in excruciating pain,” Sara said. “Paramedics soon arrived and off I went to Glangwili Hospital, with them pulling over only to give me some morphine, as I really wasn’t coping well with the potholes!

“I was cared for by a team of nurses and young doctors who were all so kind and compassionate and I was in surgery by that afternoon, even though it was a Sunday.

“I was in for around a week and experienced quality of care which was second to none, and during a time of COVID challenges. The nurses and doctors were all simply amazing.

“Support and cherish your NHS. They saved my life and will continue to save many more every day.”

You can donate to Sara’s fundraiser here: www.gofundme.com/f/better-than-a-bunch-of-flowers-thank-you-nhs

Nicola Llewelyn, Head of Hywel Dda Health Charities, said: “We would like to thank Sara, for her fundraising, and her kind words and support. It is good to hear that she is back to full health.

“Fundraisers like Sara make a huge difference to the lives of NHS patients and staff in Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire.

“If people would like to donate to Hywel Dda Health Charities, they can do so here: https://www.justgiving.com/hywelddahealthcharities.”