Well, when I first got the letter I thought it was a fantastic idea for anybody. To help anybody out is ideal, because otherwise you don’t learn. So when I got the letter and I had the appointment, I was quite pleased to go and have it done.

And then after that I had my letter to say everything was perfect, which was a relief. Otherwise I wouldn’t have known anything. So I’m very pleased to be on this. So I hope to carry on and help whenever I can.

When you first got the letter, were you interested to go along for your own health reasons as well?

Well, not really, because I didn’t think there was anything wrong anyhow [laughs]. But no, I done it to help other people, you know, like children and, you know, the young generation – everybody, really. Because if you don’t learn from me and how I’m feeling, or if I have a problem – I know that I’m all right now, but if I feel unwell or I feel a lump or something, then straight away I shall know it’s from this year and it’ll be early stages if they do find anything. So I was quite pleased with it, very pleased.

You mentioned that it was quite important for you that it was local.

Yes.

Were you surprised that they were able to do something like that locally?

I was. Because I thought, Oh, no, that means I might have to go into the city And I thought, No Because my husband, he’s just in hospital at the moment, he had a hip operation. And I thought, I don’t want him to drive far away if I’ve got to go away. I shall say, No, don’t bother’ I wouldn’t have gone. But being at the local town, I could walk. So it was lovely.

So you really wouldn’t have gone?

No, I wouldn’t have, no.

That’s interesting. Because again, one of the things they’re quite keen to find out is whether it improves people’s willingness to come if it’s done locally.

That’s right. Yes, I think it did.

If they’d found anything, you would have had to go for a follow-up appointment in the city.

That’s right. Then my daughter would have driven me. My husband would drive me anyway, but not with his leg. No, he was suffering, pushing the pedal, with his leg.

So if it had been at another time, if he’d been well?

Yes, that would have been different, yes, that would have, yes, definitely. Yes, he would have took me anywhere.

When I got there, the young girl was so nice, so relaxing and nothing to worry about, just jelly all over your chest, and really made me feel relaxed. And it was lovely. I really enjoyed it. And she was so sweet.

Did she show you the pictures of your heart as she was doing it?

Yes.

What was that like?

Yes, I liked doing that. I like, because I like watching the things on the television that are hospital things. Well, I’m busy watching the Children’s Hospital at the moment. I love it. My husband don’t, but I do [laughs].

So for other people who are thinking about whether to go along, can you talk me through what happened when you arrived, all the different steps that she went through?

Well, she had a little chat with me and I had to sort of give my consent. And then she told me to undress down to my waist, and then lie on the bed on my left side, which I did. And from there she put the jelly on and done what she had to do. And then she told me to wipe all the jelly off and get dressed. And then she said, I’ll have a little chat with you in a minut, which she did, and told me it was all right. She couldn’t find nothing. So, lovely.

So she didn’t talk to you during the, while she was doing the scanning?

Well, I think we did. Yes, I think we was on about the weather and the families, I think. Yes, she was going off to a big party or something [laughs].

But not about what, whether she was seeing anything?

Oh no, no.

And when did you see the pictures? While she was actually doing it? Or was that afterwards?

Afterwards. Because it was sort of behind me, behind my side. Yes, but I loved seeing all that and the old pump going. Amazing, isn’t it?

Yes, yes, it is, what you can see.

What shows up.

And one of the things I know the staff are quite interested in finding out people’s views about is the issue of having to strip to the waist and whether you felt that was all handled with due privacy and dignity.

No, it didn’t worry me, no. I bet she’s seen it once, so she’ll see it again and again and again. So no, that didn’t bother me at all.

Would you have been more worried if it was a man doing the procedure?

No, not really. I don’t think there was any bother there. Well, you get men doctors, don’t you? So what’s the difference?