THE Covid-19 crisis has brought dark days and heartache for many across the district, with loved ones lost in unimaginable and distressing circumstances.

But through the hard times, some stories have shone as beacons of hope - none more so than emotional footage showing those who have survived the virus leaving hospital and returning home.

As in hospitals up and down the country, it has become customary for survivors to be clapped from the Covid wards of the Bradford Royal Infirmary (BRI) in a poignant marker of the journey they have been on.

Karen Dawber, Chief Nurse at Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “It’s become one of the joyous moments of our days when a patient is well enough to leave hospital and go home to continue their recovery, so every member of staff involved in their care wants to clap to wish them well and celebrate with them.

“Even in the darkest days of the pandemic there have still been so many stories of amazing recoveries and hope – we now have over 400 patients who have gone home, and these are special times for our staff as well as the patients and their families.

“While we clap the patients we also acknowledge the amazing dedication of our staff. They have gone above and beyond to provide outstanding care during this incredibly difficult time.”

One of those amazing stories was that of Thornton man Ben McCafferty, 34, who at one point was just given 24 hours to live after contracting Covid-19.

Ben, who has Down Syndrome, bravely battled the deadly disease for two weeks before he was given the all clear.

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The moment he reunited with his mum, Di Margerison, was caught in tear-jerking footage which touched the hearts of people across the world.

A huge Rod Stewart fan, the music legend even recorded a special video message wishing him well. He’s now back at home and has made a “rapid recovery”.

Meanwhile, Khurram Khan, 38, from Clayton, got the best birthday present he could wish for - going home from hospital with his family after spending almost three weeks in intensive care at the BRI - one week of which he was in a coma on a ventilator.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus:

His wife and two young sons, Aaron, 11, and Rayaan, two, were waiting for him in the sunshine as he said an emotional farewell to staff who had cared for him, calling them “angels”.

“I feel like I’ve got a new lease of life – I literally feel like I’m born again,” said Khurram.

He was the first Covid-19 patient at the hospital who went straight home from intensive care, rather than having to spend further time recovering on a ward.

Mohammed Hussain, 51, from Heaton, was left fighting for his life in hospital on a ventilator with the virus.

He said: "I have no recollection, I was in a coma for five weeks.

"I hung in there and I hung in there - eventually I pulled through."

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Mohammed, a solicitor, spoke of his immense gratitude to those who looked after him while in hospital.

He said: "I found it humbling and it gave me a recognition and appreciation of how amazing some of these people are.

"I feel such gratitude, I feel really grateful, I feel humbled.

"It's restored my confidence in the goodness of human nature, with so many things that are negative.

"There's so many unsung people who are real heroes."

Colin Wood, 38, from Buttershaw, had a three-week stint in the hospital. He said that he was at “death’s door”, but pulled through and was just about kept off a ventilator.

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Eventually, he was able to go home and said: “To be so poorly, but yet so cared for and looked after by the amazing NHS staff made a better experience to recover and get well.

"I owe them so much.”

To date, 430 patients have been discharged from the BRI after receiving treatment for coronavirus.