“In 2012, aged 50 years, I found myself needing a hip replacement. I had always led an active life, running, cycling, skiing, horse riding, swimming etc, and over a fairly short space of time, I began to be unable to do any of this due to severe pain in my left hip. Some days I could barely walk.

I was referred to Mr Burwell by my GP. After confirming that I would need a hip replacement, I was quickly given a date for the operation. The facilities at Circle Bath hospital are amazing, and the staff were all incredibly caring. I was so well looked after that it was like being in a hotel rather than a hospital! The day after the operation, I was out of bed and walking with the aid of a frame. Day two I was walking with the aid of sticks and come day three, I was up and down the corridors and tackling the stairs.

Just 2 years later (almost to the day) I was back at Circle Bath to have the other hip replaced. Having regained my mobility after the first replacement, my right hip then gave up and I was reduced to being barely able to walk again.

Once again Circle Bath gave me a quick operation date which was only a few weeks after my consultation with Mr Burwell. This time, the recovery period was amazingly quick. I couldn’t believe how well I was, and how quickly I recovered. I was even able to go down and do my Christmas shopping in the gift shop!!

Within weeks I felt completely recovered and was starting to get back to normal. I decided to give up running, and start walking more. When the opportunity to go to Everest Base Camp came up, I started training in earnest.

So, Everest Base Camp. What a Challenge! At the end of October 2017, amidst much trepidation, I set off for Nepal with a group of 22 others, to trek to Everest Base Camp.

There were 16 days of trekking, which were tough. Long, steep ascents were made more difficult by the high altitude. The path was generally OK but the terrain varied considerably. There were sections where we were scrambling over boulders, walking alongside the river, over the high wire bridges, dodging the Yaks and donkeys, and the relentless up up up… and, all done on a steady diet of noodles.

It was definitely the most challenging and rewarding experience of my life.

In the dark moments when the ups seemed to never end, I got myself up the next steps by telling myself that I was going to get up to EBC just so that I could email Mr Burwell on my return and tell him what he had enabled me to achieve.

Oh, and how were the hips? Never even ached.” To read Sarah’s full story click here.