Life Saver
A chance scan, a shocking diagnosis and a second chance at life
A routine health check that turns out to be lifesaving is the kind of twist no one expects, least of all a fit, 67‑year‑old grandfather who only booked a scan because it seemed like a good deal.
Andrew Russell, a father of three and keen runner from Guisborough, North Yorkshire, walked into Pall Mall Medical’s Private Hospital in 2023 looking for reassurance about Chronic Fatigue Syndrome symptoms he was experiencing. He walked out with the knowledge that he had Stage 1 Kidney Cancer, a serious diagnosis, but one caught so early that it would ultimately prove curable.
There had been no dramatic symptoms, no warning signs to suggest anything was amiss. The Full Body MRI scan he had booked on a whim uncovered an early-stage malignant tumour, the kind that often lurks unnoticed until it is far more advanced and far harder to treat. Because it was found at this critical moment, surgeons were able to remove the tumour completely, without the need for chemotherapy or radiotherapy, and Andrew is now cancer‑free.
“I don’t say this lightly, but my scan at Pall Mall probably saved my life” Andrew said. “Cancer has run through my family. I lost my mum as a child, my neighbour recently passed away from it, and my uncle has prostate cancer and had an operation to remove bowel cancer last year. To get that diagnosis so early, it really has given me a second chance.”
In the year since his operation, the quiet hum of the MRI suite at Pall Mall’s Belvedere Hospital in Newton-le-Willows has become a place of steady reassurance. Andrew has chosen to make an annual MRI part of his health routine, returning to Pall Mall every year after his diagnosis for a follow‑up scan simply for peace of mind.
Behind Andrew’s story lies a technology that is reshaping how serious diseases are found and treated. MRI scans provide detailed, real‑time images of what is happening inside the body, rather than simply offering a prediction of future risk.
Pall Mall’s lead radiologist, Steven Baskett, explained: “MRI technology allows us to see what’s happening in the body right now, rather than relying on trendy tests that try to predict future risk. Andrew’s story underlines how valuable this can be; his cancer was caught before symptoms even appeared, which made all the difference.”
"I don’t say this lightly, but it has probably saved my life"
At Pall Mall, Brain & Body MRI scans, like Andrew’s, are available from £749, whereas single area scans start from £249. A straightforward private GP referral is included as standard and flexible appointment times are available designed to cut through long waits. Results, including a detailed written report by a private GP, are typically returned within seven days, providing a swift, clear picture at the very moment when patients are most in need of answers. For many, this combination of accessibility and clinical thoroughness offers an appealing alternative to longer NHS waiting times.
For Andrew, who has completed 306 Park Runs, running has always been more than a hobby; it’s been the steady rhythm that shaped his weeks and anchored his wellbeing. When unexplained fatigue prompted his initial MRI scan at Pall Mall in 2023, it set in motion the chain of events that led to his cancer diagnosis and ultimately his recovery. The MRI didn’t just reveal a problem; it gave Andrew the clarity he needed to act quickly, undergo treatment, and reclaim his health.
Andrew now chooses to return to Pall Mall for yearly MRI scans, ensuring the same early-detection vigilance that helped save his life continues to guide his recovery.
Pall Mall offers a broad range of in-depth private MRI Scans at their Belvedere Hospital in Newton-le-Willows with GP referral and your outcome report included. You don’t need medical insurance to book.
Call 0161 832 1111 to book today or visit pallmallmedical.co.uk/mri to find out more.
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