How it all Started
Let's Fix The NHS: The Founder’s Story
A Career Interrupted by Life’s Unexpected Turns
Steve Podmore, the founder of *Let's Fix The NHS*, had been developing bold systemic ideas in finance for many years. Then life changed—in a stroke. The projects he had dedicated himself to for so long had to be put on hold as his family faced a series of devastating health challenges.
The Loss of a Beloved Brother
In 2022, Steve’s brother Michael, who had battled a long-standing heart condition for over two decades, experienced a severe decline. Hospital visits and emergency admissions became alarmingly frequent. Despite years of fighting, Michael passed away in June 2022 at the young age of 50, leaving a void in the family's life.
A Mother’s Fight Against Stroke
Less than a year later, in May 2023, Steve’s 84-year-old mother, Rena Podmore, suffered a serious stroke. Though severely affected, she survived. Rena spent a month in the acute stroke ward at Royal Stoke University Hospital, followed by three months of rehabilitation at Haywood Community Hospital—a place with special significance to the family, as both Steve and Michael were born there.
The Privilege of Caregiving
By September 2023, with some initial care support and Steve’s unwavering dedication, Rena was able to return home. Steve took on the role of primary caregiver, an experience he describes as the greatest privilege of his life. Despite her limited mobility and aphasia, Rena maintained a quality of life, enjoying outings for her favorite mocha and visits with family and friends. Though she couldn’t speak, her gestures and expressions conveyed her emotions.
In July 2024, tragedy struck again. Rena suffered a second stroke and was readmitted to the acute stroke ward. This time, her recovery was far less promising.
A Mother's Final Act of Strength
While receiving excellent care, it became clear Rena would not regain her prior level of function. Determined to maintain control over her life, she refused food, drink, and medical intervention. After two and a half agonizing weeks, with support from the hospital's palliative care team, Rena passed away on August 3, 2024. Her death occurred 25 years after Steve’s father, Harry Podmore, succumbed to Motor Neurone Disease.
Bedside Observations - A New Perspective on the NHS
These deeply personal experiences strengthened Steve’s respect for the NHS and its dedicated staff. While navigating the healthcare system and caring for his mother, he developed a keen interest in the diagnosis, treatment, and care of strokes. His observations extended beyond his own family’s challenges to broader questions about gaps in care, societal costs, and the pressures facing the NHS and global health systems.
The Birth of a Mission
During his many hours at hospital bedsides—first with his brother, then his mother, and reflecting on his father’s passing—Steve became acutely aware of the systemic challenges facing the NHS. It was through the lens of his mother’s stroke and her dignified, yet painful, passing that the raw idea for Let's Fix The NHS was born.
A Call for Systemic Change
Steve realized that addressing stroke care—diagnosis, treatment, and recovery—was impossible without considering the larger context of the NHS. The health service, while extraordinary, faces critical systemic issues. Let's Fix The NHS was created to tackle these challenges head-on, advocating for meaningful improvements that touch not just stroke care, but every aspect of the system.
This story is not just about loss, but about turning grief into action, and honoring loved ones by striving for a better healthcare system for all.