The BBC has announced the return of popular documentary series Saving Lives in Cardiff...
Following the success of series one, BBC Factual and BBC Cymru Wales see the return of Saving Lives in Cardiff, the powerful documentary series which follows the life-changing and life-saving work of the surgeons and medical teams at the largest hospital in Wales.
Nick Andrews, Senior Head of Commissioning for BBC Cymru Wales:
‘We’re thrilled to be announcing that Saving Lives in Cardiff is returning to our screens following the success of last year’s series set here in Wales. It offers a privileged glimpse into the remarkable world of Wales’ largest hospital, taking audiences to the heart of compelling patient stories and the life changing decisions staff are having to make every single day.’
The six-part series takes viewers inside the University Hospital of Wales, including the Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospital and University Hospital Llandough, part of the Cardiff and Vale University Health Board. With unique, behind-the-scenes access, Saving Lives in Cardiff follows the medical teams as they perform cutting-edge, life-saving surgical procedures and manage the weight of difficult, sometimes life and death decisions of which patient must be prioritised next.
Each episode captures compelling stories, unfolding in departments from neurology to cardiology, and how clinicians strive to help as many patients as they can against a backdrop of mounting waiting lists and a flow of emergency cases coming in. We also discover the human stories behind each remarkably brave patient and their hopes for how that operation could transform their life. The series provides an honest and unfiltered look at the realities of healthcare and highlights just some of the extraordinary individuals working to save lives every day.
In the first episode in the Ear, Nose and Throat department, consultant surgeon Stuart is preparing to perform a pioneering operation to remove a rare tumour from father-of-two, Terry. But the operation has only been done a handful of times in the UK and never before in Wales. Terry has an aggressive, hard-to-reach malignant tumour at the back of his nose. If Stuart doesn’t operate now, it will grow and soon become inoperable. The only way Stuart can access the tumour is by using groundbreaking robot technology. It’s high risk and pushes Stuart to his limits.
In neurosurgery, 27-year-old Courtney has reached the top of consultant Ravi’s waiting list. Ravi is one of 13 consultants in the unit. He also happens to have one of the highest IQs in the country and is regional officer for MENSA in Wales. Courtney has a rare condition called Chiari Malformation, meaning part of her brain is pushing down into her spinal canal, causing numbness in her feet and legs. If not treated, it could lead to double vision and limb paralysis. In delicate surgery, Ravi must remove a small part of Courtney’s brain, to relieve the pressure on her spinal cord.
At the University Hospital Llandough, cardiac surgeon Dr Indu must find theatre space to urgently treat Tyerone. The 51-year-old is passionate about exercise and martial arts, so is shocked to learn he needs major open-heart surgery. But the procedure becomes more challenging than Indu expected, as Tyerone’s heart is badly damaged. Dr Indu is coined the ‘Queen of Hearts’ as she has performed over 2000 heart operations with stellar outcomes. She is one of only 19 female cardiac surgeons out of 500 in the UK.
Saving Lives in Cardiff comes to BBC Two, BBC One Wales and BBC iPlayer on 9th April. Made by Label1, a Fremantle label.
