New hip and lease of life for centenarian thanks to our surgeon

Centenarian Joy Palfreman is enjoying a new lease of life after having a hip replacement at Musgrove Park Hospital – at the age of 102.

Joy, who lives in Exmouth, is thought to be the oldest patient ever to be fitted with a new hip at the hospital.

The surgery was carried out at Parkside, the private wing of the hospital, by Mr Ben Bolland, who has been an orthopaedic consultant at the trust for the last ten years.

From her home in Exmouth, Joy said she was delighted with her new hip. “It’s amazing, I really didn’t think at my age they would do the operation but I’m so pleased they did,” she says.

“Before the hip replacement I was in excruciating pain and couldn’t walk, but now I’m getting around so much better - it’s given me a new lease of life.”

It has only been a few weeks since the operation, but Joy is now walking, pain free, with the help of a frame and is improving her fitness by walking up and down the long corridor in the flats where she lives.

Mr Bolland says: “Mrs Palfreman is testimony indeed that age alone should not be a discriminator to surgery. I am delighted for her that her surgery and postoperative recovery went so smoothly.

“It is wonderful that she is now pain free and feels that she has a better quality of life – she is a delight to look after and I wish her many more years with her new lease of life.”

Sarah Porter, our private patients business manager, adds: “Age should not be used as a barrier to surgery, if the patient is fit enough, and we considered Joy certainly was!”

Joy’s son David Palfreman says: “Mum chose to have the operation privately because she developed severe pain quite suddenly and just wanted the operation done quickly.

“She has been utterly amazing throughout this whole process. We can’t speak highly enough of the care mum received at Parkside. It is wonderful now to see her walking, free from pain.”

Parkside at Musgrove Park Hospital is part of our trust, and while private patients pay for their treatment (which takes place out of hours), all profits go straight back into the NHS, benefiting the hospital and our patients.

You can also watch a short clip of Joy on ITV Westcountry, where she returned last week to the hospital for a check up. Watch here.