A VETERAN explorer has planted the Cornish flag atop the county’s highest peak – five months after surviving a coronavirus coma.

84-year-old Robin Hanbury-Tenison spent seven weeks in intensive care at Derriford Hospital earlier this year, including five weeks in an induced coma, after testing positive for COVID-19. His family were told his chance of survival was less than 5%, but on a wet and windy day five months later he was climbing Brown Willy on Bodmin Moor. He put his recovery down to Derriford Hospital’s secret nature garden – and he is now determined to raise cash for more healing gardens just like it at other hospitals in the South West.

“The moment when I actually woke up and knew that I was going to live was the moment when I was wheeled out by four nurses in a big bed with tubes coming out of everywhere, and I arrived in the healing garden they’ve got at Derriford. I think the first in any hospital in England,” said Robin.

“I opened my eyes and saw the sunshine and saw the flowers and that was the moment that my life was saved by the healing power of nature.”

Patients undergoing care in the intensive care unit (ICU) at Derriford benefit from early psychological intervention and physical rehabilitation. Specialist senior Sister in intensive care, Kate Tantam said: “The evidence is clear that early physical intervention in ICU is safe, feasible, improves functional outcomes, decreases ventilator days, reduces delirium and decreases ICU and hospital length of stay.

“It is imperative that ICU patients are given maximum exposure to rehabilitation during their ICU admission. The Secret Garden allows the whole inter-professional team to promote, enhance and facilitate rehabilitation in a non-clinical setting, supporting patients and loved ones to feel normal.”

As well as its benefits to patients, the garden offers staff fresh air and a space for rest, in particular during the recent COVID pandemic where the restrictions of personal protective equipment have applied extra pressure to staff well-being.

Robin had decided on a date five months from his release from hospital to undertake his Brown Willy climb.

His wife Louella said: “We have worked him hard to get to this stage and it was, we knew it would be a real challenge for him. We hadn’t factored in Storm Alex and 60 mph winds on the top of Brown Willy but with me pulling, our son, Merlin and his wife Lizzie pushing the three of us we made it.

“It is more than wonderful to have him back in good health and thank you NHS and Derriford Hospital.

“We found about 50 people had climbed Brown Willy to be with us on the top in bubbles of six, including Kate Tantam, the wonderful Specialist Sister in intensive care who created the healing garden at Derriford.”

Robin is now almost halfway to raising £100,000, which he would like to donate to hospital gardens in the Southwest. If you would like to donate, please visit: https://www.gofundme.com/f/climbing-for-nhs-hospital-gardens