Be Kind Magazine

16 January 2020

Hello, If a genie appeared and offered you three wishes, what would you choose? Whilst thoughts of living on a paradise island with a personal chef and marrying Leonardo DiCaprio are tempting, I think most of us would wish for the same thing – good health for ourselves, our friends and our family. You’re very lucky if you haven’t experienced a bout of ill health, or helped a loved one through a bad time with theirs. Most of us can recall a rush to A&E with a broken limb, a hospital birth or a visit to a family member with flowers and chocolates. And, for most of us in the UK, we need to thank the NHS for the care received. The National Health Service was one of the most discussed issues in the last election and every day we hear news of how its future hangs in the balance, with threats of privatisation and further cuts to the service. We are incredibly fortunate to have a service like we do, and whilst there are faults in any huge system, we should be grateful. This issue we’ve taken some time to get to know the people of the NHS – the patients, the nurses, the midwives, the paramedics, the blood donators and the cancer survivors. We take a look at how services compare across the globe and also how climate change is affecting our health (think of the implications of air pollution, flooding and drought), both now and in the future. With the scary changes happening to our planet, it’s more vital than ever that we protect the precious lifeline that is the NHS. Have a great month, Phillipa Editor