Musician Tom Speight, who has supported the Stereophonics and Lewis Capaldi, swapped festival crowds for hospital wards, performing an impromptu acoustic set for patients at St Mark’s Hospital in Park Royal, where he has been receiving treatment for Crohn’s disease.
Mr Speight was first diagnosed with Crohn’s as a teenager and has been a patient at St Mark’s for the past two and a half years. Mr Speight said: “It’s been a real gamechanger coming under St Mark’s care.”
Arriving for treatment with his acoustic guitar, he took the opportunity to play for fellow patients and staff. The appearance formed part of his ongoing work as an ambassador for Crohn’s and Colitis UK, raising awareness of a condition that affects around one in 123 people.
His campaigning has gone far beyond the stage, with several television appearances and other fundraising efforts. Among them was completing part of the SAS selection course, a gruelling 24km trek around the Brecon Beacons designed to highlight the realities of living with inflammatory bowel disease.
Reflecting on the condition’s increasing visibility, Mr Speight said: “There is a lot more awareness of Crohn’s nowadays and my advice to anyone who has just been diagnosed is to take things a day at a time and have a good relationship with hospital staff.”
Looking ahead, Mr Speight added: “It’s an ongoing journey but I am in a much better place because of St Mark’s and look forward to getting back on the road later this year.”
